There’s often a skill that seem interesting, but I can’t see doing anything for me in my day-to-day life. What have you learned that was a lot more effort than the payoff was worth?
There’s often a skill that seem interesting, but I can’t see doing anything for me in my day-to-day life. What have you learned that was a lot more effort than the payoff was worth?
I honestly can’t think of any, even though I have many examples that objectively seem to not have been worth the effort.
Easiest example is flight school. I went to a tech college for its professional piloting program. Got my private pilot cert and multi engine rating, and completed IFR in the simulator. But when it came time to sign up for IFR in a real plane, I couldn’t get approved for enough student loans to cover the cost, so I dropped out, switched to business school, got a tech job, and dropped out of business school too.
By all accounts, the debt I racked up (like $75k) and the pilot license I haven’t exercised in 14 years are all a huge waste. And my flight instructor was such an impatient ass that I feel mildly scarred from the times he yelled at me.
But, I will never get over the massive feeling of accomplishment I got from earning my private pilot certification. And even more so, earning my multi-engine rating. Even if I failed a part of each of those checkrides and had to retake those portions, I passed them. Even if I never fly again, I am so fucking proud of myself for earning those.
I guess since I never actually graduated from any of the many colleges I’ve dropped out from (three or four depending on how you count), pilot license is my closest analog.
Also have a CDL and skill with docking 53 foot trailers, and tons of forklift experience. Those haven’t been used in a very long time and I may never use them again, but still feel like important parts of me.