Ask HN: How to to manage my favorite topics?

[riahiamirreza79]

I don't know whether others have the same experience or not, but one of the most things that bother me nowdays is the long list of my favorite topics. The vast majority of favorite topics makes me do nothing at all. For example I just loved cryptography, I would spend my time on it, but now after 1 week of learning cryptography I fall in love with compiler design and start reading about that. After 2 weeks I find OS design so interesting and ... This process not only waste my time, but also makes me more tired. I want to know how can I find one thing and dig into it without being disrupted with other interesting topics?

[yesenadam]

I spent a couple of decades writing in disorganized notebooks, never looking at them again. Most of that time I was into various 'obsessions' for weeks or months each—learning about some topic, reading everything I could get my hands on about it.

The last few years I've been making LaTeX PDF books, one for each year, and books for particular subjects, e.g. I have a book each for writing music, programming languages, maths, my programs, my essays etc. These split off from the current year's book when they get big enough. I'm only capable of being into 1 or 2 things at a time, but now when I return to a subject months or years later, the beautiful LaTeX book is there waiting for me. Often I've already forgotten most of what I wrote into the book before. I just wish I'd started doing that decades earlier!!

Also, I'm continually writing into a text file—every idea I have, quotes, links, ideas for things to do etc. Then every week or two I move stuff from the notes file into its appropriate LaTeX book.

Oh, and the movies/series I've seen in the last 10 years has its own web page[0]—the page I visit most often on my website, by a long way. I'd have forgotten the names of 95% of them if I didn't have that page.

My site was initially inspired by Bill Beaty's approach on amasci.com[1], of putting everything online, making your site your filing cabinet. I think I got sick of carefully-designed pages changing how they looked every time I saw them, or formatting breaking, so lately I've done most stuff in (private) ebooks, which maybe is a shame. Just my bad web-design skills I guess.

[0] http://www.adamponting.com/movies/

[1] http://amasci.com/faq.html A lot of great advice/wisdom on this page!

[xcubic]

Out of curiosity, d you mind sharing one of those books?

[yesenadam]

I looked but couldn't find your email. They're not public-worthy and/or a bit private hehe.

[xcubic]

Here: mauro(dot)goncalo_at_gmail(dot)com

[vbsteven]

Refuse to choose by Barbara Sher is an interesting book about this phenomenon. It talks about different types of “Scanners”, some switch topics every few years, others weeks, days or even minutes. The books main advice is to not fight these behaviours but instead figure out a way to use them to your advantage.

[kleer001]

Sounds like it's too late for you. Good thing too. I'm certain sure that if there was that one-thing for you, you'd already have found it.

I think it's much better to consciously flit from rabbit hole to rabbit hole learning and growing intuitions about the subjects.

[cpach]

While I don’t know you, with all respect I want to suggest that this could be ADHD. You might want to read up on that subject, and/or talk to a psychiatrist/psychologist who specialize in ADHD.

[julienreszka]

You should never have more than 7 topics you're focusing on at the same time.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Magical_Number_Seven,_Plus...

Just stick to this rule, you'll be fine.

[moneywoes]

Maybe a notion? Regardless I have the a same issue and would love to collaborate