76 - Sampling a range of things
Starting off as a generalist can make you a much better specialist
“A jack of all trades is a master of none, but often times better than a master of one.”
As a child, I heard the first part of the above quote a lot and it was only ever used negatively. I was quite surprised when I found the full quote a few days ago and learned that it actually referred to William Shakespeare. Apparently, as a playwright, he was always hanging around the theatres, helping with various tasks from the stage to the set and the costumes. He would remember lines and try directing.
He eventually went on to become the world’s pre-eminent dramatist, with works that are still praised till date and I suspect that dabbling in many other roles along the way contributed towards making him such a renowned success.
As someone who has sometimes felt a little less than due to my jack of all trades tendencies, I was quite comforted by the full quote.
I remember completing junior secondary school and being faced with the science vs art class choice that most Nigerian secondary schools presented as the only available options. This presented a conundrum for me because I liked some science subjects and some art subjects as well. Thankfully, my school allowed a bit of wiggle room in the selection of subjects and I became one of the few “science students” who also took literature which was considered an “arts” subject.
In medical school, the topic of specialization would come up often and everytime I was asked, I would give a different answer. During my rotations, I found elements in each speciality that appealed to me. Each rotation taught me new things and it felt almost unfair to have to choose one and so I didn’t for a long time. I watched many of my colleagues start (and finish) their chosen specialization programs while I continued to hop between jobs covering various specialities.
A few years ago, I finally settled on General Practice as my speciality of choice and it has been fulfilling in ways I did not expect. However, I can’t help but notice the disdain and condescension that many of my colleagues from other specialities have towards General Practitioners. There seems to be a belief that people who choose to be generalists do so because they don’t have what it takes to master one speciality.
The popular message we are given is that we should pick something and stick with that one thing forever, as that is the only respectable path to mastery and success. We are advised to pick this something (career, sport, hobby) early and practice repeatedly if we are to have any chance at being successful. This tends to discourage people from sampling different things or changing their minds about their initial choices.
What we don’t get told is that this method is not the only path to success and it doesn’t always work in all domains of life.
In my experience, some of my favourite experts are people who have developed broad interests and skills and have found ways to apply them across various disciplines. A good example is that of people who complete university degrees and go on to work in completely unrelated fields. Such people are likely to bring fresh perspectives to their new environments and this can lead to innovation and breakthrough.
This type of learning and growing in different areas increases confidence and self-awareness. You get to learn so much about yourself when you try new things, as opposed to doing the same thing over and over again. Also, having a grasp of many concepts or a decent level of proficiency in multiple skills allows for increased career and life flexibility. I know people who work in roles that have been specifically created to harness their unique skill set which has been acquired from various industries and domains.
My fitness life has been a great example for me of how sampling various activities can lead to improved performance. I can see how lifting weights in the gym has given me the upper body strength required to hoist my entire body weight up a pole. Or how boxing has increased my stamina and endurance, and so on.
In my profeessional life, I can also see how my years of wandering through various specialities helps me think more broadly about patient presentations and makes me a much better clinician.
The reality is that life is full of surprises and not many of us will have a straight and narrow path to follow. Leaning into the twists and turns and not being afraid to wear different hats might actually be a more fun and fulfilling path towards whatever it is that you are destined to do.
Things I’ve read/ I’m reading lately
This beautiful essay by Keside whose writing makes me jealous.
This article on friendship breakups.
Range: How Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World by David Epstein. I heard about this book recently from a trusted book friend who spoke highly of it and it happened to be available on Libby straightaway so I picked it up. The book makes a convincing case for how to succeed by building generalist skills. He used several stories and examples to demonstrate how sampling different things and gaining various skills can lead to increased chances of success and innovation.
This week I listened to
I’d never heard of the Bechdel test until a few months ago when my friends started the podcast. In this episode, we talk about the Bechdel test, why we decided to apply it to the podcast and how our group chat passes (or doesn’t pass) the test.
The Bechdel test is a measure of the representation of women in film and other forms of fiction. To pass, the work must feature at least two women who speak to each other about something other than a man.
It’s a few weeks to my birthday and I still have no plans but I have put together my birthday wishlist as a guide for anyone who wants to get me a gift. Feel free to bless me.
The weather in England has been deplorable and this has been the summer that never happened. Global warming is real. Still, I am managing to have a somewhat successful rat girl summer.
Here’s wishing you a week of allowing yourself to sample the things.
Chioma.