From the archive

Self-improvement as a way to do nothing

I'm not suggesting you stop learning. If you're going to do something where a mistake could endanger other people, bravado isn't a substitute for competence. And good knowledge can save you a lot of pointless work anyway. But learning usually has a specific purpose. A particular task, a particular gap. I don't know how to do this, so I figure it out and try to apply it. With endless preparation, that purpose gets blurry. You can no longer say exactly what you're missing. You're just not ready enough yet. As though one day a letter will arrive: congratulations, you may now begin, embarrassing yourself is no longer possible.