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Ask HN: Is it normal to outgrow your interests?
I'm still pretty young (low twenties), but I notice as the years go on my interests (computing and non-computing related) change dramatically. I think back to my old hobbies and have zero residual interest in them - this makes me worry; what happens when there's no new areas to become interested in (or at least no low-hanging fruit). Has anyone come across the same issue?
- ljf 11y agoYes hugely similar to me. When I think of the things that I was passionate about even 3 years ago, I'm sure a different person now. I'm in my late 30s now, but I'd say don't worry, there is always something new to be interested or excited by!
- ljf 11y agoAfter thinking about this some more I'd extend this further - the people I love the most are those that have also grown with me. I've been with my wife since 1999, and I'm sure if either of us were the same as we were then we wouldn't be as excited to still be together. Similarly the friends that I've lost touch with are those that _have_ stayed the same, and over time it's me that has no longer found this exciting or interesting in a person.
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- Broken_Hippo 11y agoCompletely normal. You'll never run out of things to be interested in so long as you are curious. Plus, you are just on the beginning end of the brain stablizing itself and stuff, so add on a few years after that to get to rediscover yourself, and get your life closer to whatever it is you really want... and you wind up with some things you are interested in, some things you did, and some you pick up again. (I'm in my late 30's). And hopefully you've had some nice life experiences along the way and can look forward to having some more. Personally, I think it is all good that we evolve and change. It keeps us from being stagnant.
- justinlaing 11y agoI've been through this. But also you can revisit your old interests after a break. I played D&D when I was in junior high and high school. But took a 15 year break. A few of my friends were playing so I joined a game and played again for a year, it was awesome. I was deep into RC cars when I was about 12. But hadn't touched them since then. When I was 34 I got into RC planes and now FPV quads. It's been really fun to revisit these earlier interests as an adult. For example I have the money now to buy the nice toys I wasn't able to when I was younger. I also have two kids and am revisiting and picking up new interests as they grow up.
- hanniabu 11y ago+1 for being able to buy the nicer toys. I've just noticed this myself recently. It's nice not to have a budget of about $30 lol
- TurboHaskal 11y agoI guess it is. I recently bought a new desktop with the intention of gaming again but for some reason I can't stand playing for more than twenty minutes. According to Steam I have played two hours in three weeks which makes my new PC a poor investment. I really want to enjoy gaming as I used to do but I simply can't, and I don't know whether I'm too busy or I've simply lost interest.
- JSeymourATL 11y agoThere are in fact-- seasons of a Man's Life, this theme is as old as time (see 1 Corinthians 13:11). Relative to worrying about no new areas to become interested in-- I was reminded of the Sharon Gannon quote “We create the world we live in. If we want to change what we don't like in the world, we must start by changing what we don't like about ourselves.”