You scroll through social media or chat with friends, and it seems like everyone is picking up something new: a friend is mastering French, a coworker is taking up piano, and someone else just achieved the elusive six-pack abs. It’s natural to feel the spark of curiosity—Maybe I should try that too. But as quickly as the desire arises, so does the question: Is it worth it? Do I really need to learn this, given all the other things competing for my time?
It’s easy to think of our interests as practical choices. After all, time and energy are limited, so doesn’t it make sense to focus on pursuits that “pay off”? But what if we look at these impulses differently? What if these desires to learn and experience aren’t about adding to a resume or reaching some peak of productivity? Maybe they’re about connecting with deeper parts of ourselves, bringing curiosity and new experiences into our lives, even if they don’t “need” to be there.
Shifting from Achievement to Exploration
In a culture that prizes achievement, it’s tempting to view every new interest as a project to complete. But desires to learn or create aren’t always about finishing something. Sometimes, they’re invitations to engage with life in a different way. Learning a language isn’t just about becoming fluent—it’s about feeling that connection to a new culture, hearing yourself speak with words you never knew before. Playing an instrument may never lead to a performance, but it allows you to create something beautiful, just for yourself.
When we approach new skills with an exploratory mindset, they become less like obligations and more like experiments. Each experience, whether or not it becomes a lifelong pursuit, rounds out our inner world. And perhaps these experiments fulfill a quieter, less obvious part of us—a part that simply wants to express itself without pressure or perfection.
Giving Yourself Permission to Try
One of the most freeing shifts is to view each pursuit as an experiment rather than a commitment. Instead of asking, Will this be useful in the future? ask yourself, What if I try this, just for the experience of it? Curiosity becomes the guide, and the goal becomes less about success and more about what the experience adds to your life right now.
In this light, exploring a new hobby doesn’t need to be justified. Each desire to learn can be seen as a passing interest, one that gives you something valuable even if you only stick with it for a little while. Maybe it’s simply an experience that satisfies a momentary curiosity or fills in a part of your inner landscape, making you feel more whole for having tried.
Satisfaction Through Connection
As you explore these new experiences, there’s a quiet satisfaction that comes with letting yourself try, even if it’s temporary. When we step into a new skill, some part of us feels seen or acknowledged. Once that part of us is “fed” by the experience, it seems to return to the rest of us, less eager, maybe, but more content.
Every exploration adds depth to our inner world. Even if we’re not learning to be masters, the pursuit is valid because it fulfills a connection within us. In doing so, we’re allowing ourselves to connect with a richer sense of self—a self that’s curious, expressive, and free to explore. It’s a way of answering the quiet, inner impulses that say, I’d like to try that, without needing the experience to be monumental or permanent.
Embracing the Freedom Not to Define
When we follow our interests freely, without the need to analyze each desire, we give ourselves room to simply be. We don’t need to determine whether a new skill “fits” into our long-term goals or whether it’s worthwhile. Instead, we’re embracing the freedom of curiosity, respecting that part of us that wants to explore different aspects of life, just because.
So, if you feel the pull to try something new, remember that it doesn’t have to be forever. The experience itself, even for a little while, has value. It’s an invitation to meet different parts of yourself, satisfy small curiosities, and enrich your view of life.
In the end, you’re not chasing achievement. You’re letting yourself feel connected to a more complete version of you, exploring what it means to be you without the need to define, complete, or justify each desire. Sometimes, that’s all the reason you need to step forward and see where the path takes you.
