I sometimes ask myself the same questions. I think there’s a downside to having so much information available today, because with any path you need to become proficient enough to start seeing results and build confidence and mastery.
Of course, you can get occasional results when you’re just starting out, but I think the main issue is that we now have so many books, courses, and sources of information about occult practices that most people try something, it doesn’t work, so they decide to try something else. Then they keep repeating that cycle without ever building strong skills, because there’s always a greener pasture that seems worth exploring.
Sticking to a specific practice or tradition has its own downside, of course: you might accidentally commit yourself to one that isn’t good, or simply isn’t right for you. So there is indeed the risk of wasting time by going down the wrong path.
I guess the key is finding the right balance between those two extremes, but that’s easier said than done. It’s especially difficult considering the strong marketing-driven vibe that so many occult authors and influencers have nowadays. Because of algorithms and the need to make a living, it often looks like everyone else is performing amazing, infallible magic while you’re the only one banging your head against the wall and getting little to nothing in return.
So, my two cents would be: stick with what you genuinely enjoy, as long as you’re getting something meaningful out of it. But give it enough time to be a real attempt before moving on to something else, because magic, like everything else, takes practice to become good at.
