I get a lot of enjoyment out of simply solving problems that I find in the wild. (I spent some time proving that my particular walking pattern was, in fact, more efficient than an alternative because the actual distance traveled was shorter.) If that's sufficient for you, then all it requires is a little studying and a little imagination.
If you want to contemplate the cutting edge, then yeah, a decade of studying is necessary mostly because it's hard to actually comprehend all the implications on the cutting edge until you've done so.
On the upside, there are plenty of MOOCs on physics and math these days; if you find a set you like, you can absorb plenty that way.
I get a lot of enjoyment out of simply solving problems that I find in the wild. (I spent some time proving that my particular walking pattern was, in fact, more efficient than an alternative because the actual distance traveled was shorter.) If that's sufficient for you, then all it requires is a little studying and a little imagination.
If you want to contemplate the cutting edge, then yeah, a decade of studying is necessary mostly because it's hard to actually comprehend all the implications on the cutting edge until you've done so.
On the upside, there are plenty of MOOCs on physics and math these days; if you find a set you like, you can absorb plenty that way.