""23 things I didn't learn in college / grad school":

#7:
Be aware of where your field is going

.

One of the constants of every field is that almost every decade, the field looks substantially, even entirely, different.

I've seen this in algorithms, computational complexity, broader theoretical CS, Web search, information retrieval, web-based systems, software engineering, machine learning, artificial intelligence, ... but these fields are not unique by any means.

Sometimes I've kept abreast, mostly I've played catch up (sometimes at significant cost).

Knowing where your field is going is not the same as jumping on the latest bandwagon. It is an opportunity to reexamine your own work in a newer broader context.

One reason to pay attention is to keep your toolkit fresh, to keep yourself sharp with new challenges.

An equally important reason is not to fall behind.

Even if you decide not to shift the course of your work, it is vital that you make it a conscious choice.

Awareness of where your field is headed, at various zoom levels, helps you develop good peripheral vision. As you see change, evaluate its depth and longevity from first principles; then make a conscious choice of how much you'll steer your course in the new direction.