I don't think you can learn what excites you in an overt process whereby you research a broad range of topics and then pursue whichever one entertains you the m

I don't think you can learn what excites you in an overt process whereby you research a broad range of topics and then pursue whichever one entertains you the most at the end of some period. You should already be reading things that interest you, and you probably have a few topics that routinely intrigue you, right? Learning about what interests you, and then working on related projects, is an organic process. As Peter Thiel says, you should think critically about why you're doing the things you do, and be careful not to fall into the trap of prioritizing style (appearance, status, prestige, novelty) over substance.