Better than average

"A jack of all trades is a master of none, but oftentimes better than a master of one."


This may or may not be a response post.

First off, I think being a jack of all trades is probably the best thing anyone can do. Talent is rare and oftentimes if you narrow down your capabilities to exceed in one field, you limit your capacity to succeed in other fields. In the photography world, we call this "niching down" too early. In the military, we call this minimal lateral freedom. In basic terms, it's "putting all your eggs in one basket."

Today's world DEMANDS adaptability and versatility. If you can't perform multiple skills because you spent all your time focusing on one skill. You are not just going to lose—you are going to drown. 

For those of you who DO specialize, I think that's great but I don't think you should make it your entire personality or focus. Take it from me as someone who did that and then ultimately had it blow up in my face.

For those of you who think you're good at a lot of things but not the best at any of them—I would encourage you to at least become better than average at those things and maybe find more things to be better than average at.

If competitive advantage is what you are seeking, of course you are going to lose to someone with talent, someone with more skill, or someone with more physical capability in that field. But that doesn't mean you are going to lose to them in a different field. I'd argue you'd have MORE competitive advantage if you train in various fields. You have to realize that you may not beat them in this field, but you can still beat them in other fields.

Personally: I am not, never was, and never will be the fastest, strongest, smartest, talented kid in ANY of my interests, hobbies, or fields of experience. But in everything that I do, I strive to be BETTER than average.

Example: Physical fitness—I was never the fastest, nor the strongest. But I am a 120 lbs 18 year old kid who can bench 30 pounds over my weight and still run a 5:40 mile or less. I may not beat a trackstar kid in a 5k race, but I bet I would still beat that same kid in a bench competition. I would never beat a weightlifting kid in a bench competition, but I sure as hell would beat him in a 5k. Do you get what I'm getting at? Part of the reason is because the military demands well-rounded physical fitness and I trained for that. But it's also because I am simply competitive. 

More examples?

The military got RID of specialized equipment decades ago. Interceptors that can only intercept, bombers that can only bomb, fighters that can only dogfight. Those are gone. They just bundled all those roles into ONE jet. Multi-role capability is what the military uses because that's what wins in modern warfare. A dynamic battlefield does not allow specialized units to swap out. That jet needs to be able to do the job it is called to do and switch if needed—and it must do it well.

I use the military too much as an example but I can also use photography too. The cameras that sell are not the specialized video cameras or specialized photography cameras. The most competitive area in the market for cameras are called "hybrid cameras." These cameras can do BOTH video and photos. They can do macrophotography, astrophotography, portraits, landscapes, timelapses, everything that you could ask for and the best cameras are the ones that can do ALL of those best. 

Just to clarify: Not to be confused with being the best in every single field, those cameras simply do not exist. But the best in general across the board. 

Whether it is physical fitness, warfighting, or selling products—these examples of versatility, adaptability, and multi-role function are EVERYWHERE. The best examples of these are the ones that can do all of the above BETTER than average. Who cares if you fail to beat someone in one field? In my opinion, if you fail to win one battle but succeed to beat them in 99 other battles... I think that's a win but that's just me. If you are striving to win 100% of your battles—like you MUST to be the best at everything—you're fighting an endless war because you will never be perfect. You are striving to be a perfect circle in a universe where perfect circles do not exist.

That is why you should strive to be at least better than average in everything you do. 

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