If you're feeling like you're stagnating, here are some ideas to help get you jump started that I've done over the years.
There are a lot of things you can learn that are inherently *fun*. Maybe try learning something that sounds fun and interesting to you! Some examples for myself include things like Ham Radio, how and why radio signals bounce off the atmosphere. Or cooking, figure out how to make the best salsa you've ever had by getting a molcajete and fire roasting some tomatillos and peppers. Or go learn Unreal Engine, and the endless wonders and rabbit holes therein. Or make your own toy programming language, or teach people about programming, or make it a goal to make the best apple pie, or chili, (or insert your favorite food here) that you've ever had. Learn how to make the best margaritas the world has ever seen. Or take up making homemade ice cream. Get into 3d modelling or animation or texturing. Take up dog training, and do agility or dog dancing. Take up camping, hiking, backpacking, cross country skiing, mountain biking. Learn about wilderness survival, or backcountry emergency medicine. Getting certifications can be a fun way to force yourself to learn things you wouldn't otherwise, and my ham radio license and emergency medicine first responder certifications were really fun to get. Learning to draw can be super fun, and easier than you might think (get the book "Drawing with the Right Side of the Brain"). Fitness, take up some form of exercise that sounds fun to you; in my case I did powerlifting. Take the Fastai course and learn to make ML models from scratch. Learn to fly the A10 Warthog in DCS-- they say that if you can do that, you can do anything in simulation gaming. I'd go further than that and say that learning all the content in the FastAI course was easier than attaining a level of mastery with the A10.
People skills: One of the most impactful things I've ever done is take the Masterclass in Negotiation. That and reading the book Nonviolent Communication changed how I think about and deal with people forever. The book on body language, What Every Body is Thinking is very fun and will help make you never be bored in a meeting again. The Like Switch is also pretty great. Together I consider these a pretty fabulous two semester course in dealing with people.
Getting started is always the hardest part. Once you get some momentum on something it gets easier. A lot of these things can be combined, like you can listen to tutorials about how to fly the A10 while you're out walking.
There are a lot of things you can learn that are inherently *fun*. Maybe try learning something that sounds fun and interesting to you! Some examples for myself include things like Ham Radio, how and why radio signals bounce off the atmosphere. Or cooking, figure out how to make the best salsa you've ever had by getting a molcajete and fire roasting some tomatillos and peppers. Or go learn Unreal Engine, and the endless wonders and rabbit holes therein. Or make your own toy programming language, or teach people about programming, or make it a goal to make the best apple pie, or chili, (or insert your favorite food here) that you've ever had. Learn how to make the best margaritas the world has ever seen. Or take up making homemade ice cream. Get into 3d modelling or animation or texturing. Take up dog training, and do agility or dog dancing. Take up camping, hiking, backpacking, cross country skiing, mountain biking. Learn about wilderness survival, or backcountry emergency medicine. Getting certifications can be a fun way to force yourself to learn things you wouldn't otherwise, and my ham radio license and emergency medicine first responder certifications were really fun to get. Learning to draw can be super fun, and easier than you might think (get the book "Drawing with the Right Side of the Brain"). Fitness, take up some form of exercise that sounds fun to you; in my case I did powerlifting. Take the Fastai course and learn to make ML models from scratch. Learn to fly the A10 Warthog in DCS-- they say that if you can do that, you can do anything in simulation gaming. I'd go further than that and say that learning all the content in the FastAI course was easier than attaining a level of mastery with the A10.
People skills: One of the most impactful things I've ever done is take the Masterclass in Negotiation. That and reading the book Nonviolent Communication changed how I think about and deal with people forever. The book on body language, What Every Body is Thinking is very fun and will help make you never be bored in a meeting again. The Like Switch is also pretty great. Together I consider these a pretty fabulous two semester course in dealing with people.
Getting started is always the hardest part. Once you get some momentum on something it gets easier. A lot of these things can be combined, like you can listen to tutorials about how to fly the A10 while you're out walking.