The point is staying away from burnout. In my opinion we all have genuine interests in some fields. In my case they are computers. Over the past few years I ha

The point is staying away from burnout. In my opinion we all have genuine interests in some fields. In my case they are computers. Over the past few years I have noticed that if I neglect things that truly interest me like building a compiler or reading about automata theory just because I had to do other things (study for finals etc.) my performance drops. It may sound a bit metaphysical; but I think everyone in this world has a purpose in life and we are all suited for different interests. It is important to protect our hacker spirit and our general enthusiasm for life. These words may sound a cliché for depressed person; nevertheless in my own experience they proved to be right. If you and more importantly your subconscious believe that you are not wasting your time and improving, you will experience joy and satisfaction. It will be much more easier to cope with circumstances and acknowledge the unpredictability of fate. You will naturally show a genuine interest in everything, because you are supported by a purpose that you believe in. I have experienced several burnouts and severe depressions; and at times I thought I had lost my faith in computers. But when I embraced them back, it all went away, not at once, but eventually. Kill your darlings had a wonderful quote on this topic: "Some things, once you’ve loved them, become yours forever. And if you try to let them go, they only circle back and return to you. They become a part of who you are, or they destroy you." If you want some philosophical background on this topic I would suggest reading more about Stoicism. a guide to the good life: the ancient art of stoic joy is an excellent hands-on book about the practical parts of it. -BTW, I discovered it through an HN Post-