However, both activities are very valuable. Without looking at many things, how else can we know what is worth spending time to learn or do well? I currently feel that alternating between the two is good for a while. Perhaps later in life I will know enough to confidently work on one thing for many years :)

I've also found the tree trunk of knowledge model to be very powerful (I believe I heard of it on waitbutwhy.com). The best learning and understanding comes when we build it up in a tree like fashion, where each leaf or branch is supported by a stronger, more fundamental conceptual branch. At the core is the trunk & roots, which are the deep, underlying principles supporting the entire tree of concepts/knowledge/ideas.

Without a strong trunk to build off of, concepts and bits of knowledge float alone, ungrounded, and can wither or rot more easily.