At least for me, it definitely factors in. Getting a new perspective on problems by using a language with a different toolbox (functional rather than OOP for example) can help with future problems. And it's just good fun to learn a new language just to challenge yourself a bit.

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You're definitely right. I had a run in with PolyML in College and I was absolutely terrified of any functional language (nearly failed the class, in fact). Before deciding to switch from Python to Clojure, I had used Clojure briefly a few years before and hated it (was writing mostly Groovy at the time).

After some time to grow, I had started caring about different principles in the languages that I used. I had been ruined by mutable state too many times; I got tired of not knowing how to get the number of wheels on your instance of the car class, I got tired of so many things. Clojure was/is a wonderful reprieve from all of these things, but truth be told, I do still struggle with it from time to time. Or at least, it feels like I do.