In my journey of learning blender I have discovered that I have done a lot of ‘collecting’. I have more knowledge of how the program works than when I started, but beyond the collection of knowledge, I have a collection of things. For starters, when I first started to animate, I first needed to make models, rig models, weight paint models, and then texture the models. It was finally then that I could start animating. However after the initial first time I gave myself a tool to work with, I was able to use that tool wherever and whenever I wanted. I invested my time to permanently have a tool in my tool box.
Whenever I need to replicate that feature in another scene, I can simply import the node tree from one file to the other in order to use it.
For example, I recently developed a geometry node tree that helps me make cartoonish water in a 3D space. Whenever I need to replicate that feature in another scene, I can simply import the node tree from one file to the other in order to use it. I do not need to go through the process of remaking the node tree, I can just use it. I spent a long time trying to develop the node tree. I spent hours upon hours diving into node math and experimenting with different nodes and trying to find something that fit the visual I had in my mind. Now whenever I need that node effect, I don't need to spend any time on it. I don’t need to manually animate the water ripples. I don’t need to research anymore than I already have. I don’t even need to reconstruct the node tree. I simply have it. I spent a lot of time, to then spend no time at all.