Expiring skills vs permanent skills and just-in-time learning vs just-in-case learning.
TL;DR of Mike Crittenden's blog post Learning a technology you don't need right now is a waste of time:
- Two types of skills:
- Expiring skills: hard skills, e.g. TypeScript, React, Kubernetes
- Permanent skills: soft skills, e.g. attitude, discipline, charisma
- Two types of learning:
- Just-in-time: learn when you need the skill/knowledge
- Just-in-case: learn in case you need the skill/knowledge in the future
- Hard skills expire, so learning them just-in-case is a waste of time
- Soft skills are permanent and compound over time, so learning them just-in-case is wise
This is why I'm not eager to take courses if they are about hard/expiring skills that I know I won't need in the near future.