Here's something worth considering if you're early in your career: prioritize math and physics if formal education is on the table.

Specifically, lean toward pure mathematics or engineering physics. Not because you'll be solving differential equations daily, but because these disciplines train you to think from first principles. That's the real skill—breaking down complex problems into foundational elements, questioning assumptions, building logic from the ground up.

This kind of thinking transfers everywhere. It's particularly valuable in crypto and blockchain fields, where understanding cryptographic principles, economic models, and protocol design requires exactly this type of reasoning. You're not memorizing; you're learning how to learn and how to verify claims independently.