Too many tabs is a weblog of a 20 something web developer that decided to quit the 9-5 and do things slightly differently.

A new undertaking, such as a job, sport, hobby, or language is usually a little overwhelming. But just like children starting from a blank slate, we are capable of learning at an accelerated pace when things are new to us.

With everything to learn it is possible to acquire a lot of knowledge in a short space of time. For example with a concentrated effort it is possible to learn conversational Spanish in two months. For simplicity let’s call this 90% fluency.

Learning slows over time…

However our rate of learning slows as we become more knowledgeable and proficient. To become a master in a given discipline, position, or place we need to stay on the ever slowing learning curve. This means to progress from our conversational Spanish to become indistinguishable from a local will take an additional 15-20 years, if possible at all. The final 10% takes a disproportionate amount of time to learn.

That’s good and bad news

The fact that our rate of learning slows over time is equally deflating and exciting. It means in a lifetime we can only master a few things. However if you identify areas where mastery is not your goal you open yourself up to a world of growth; a fact I have used to keep pushing and challenging myself.

I left employment as a web developer when I felt my rate of learning slowing down. I subsequently learned more in the first month of freelancing than I had in the last 6 of employment.

I left London for the Spanish countryside when I realised another year would largely be a repetition of the one just gone. Living in a foreign land has challenged me on a daily basis.

Feel your learning curve is tailing off? Don’t want to master what you are doing? Then it is time to do something new. Step out of the comfort zone and start challenging yourself again.