Excited to have you on the list! Definitely hit reply every once in a while as I'd love to chat more about all of these topics one-on-one.
One theme I'm starting to converge on is the idea of a generalist as an "expert" at a) maintaining a wide range of mental models and skillsets and b) developing a sense of which type of problems to apply each to.
In other words, effective generalists become good at knowing which speciality or approach should be applied to a problem, even if they "only" grasp the basics of any one discipline.
Example:
A software engineer wants to develop deeper friendships. They may think that building an app that reminds them to keep in touch with friends will help.
Of course they think that... software is what they know best.
But a generalist may take a different angle and see that the root cause isn't an automation / information problem, it may be a human psychology issue.
"The real problem is that you don't believe you're worthy of love. If you work on that, you may feel confident enough to want to reach out more."
The next email is going to start outlining the most practical, effective mini-mental models that generalists can use to solve practical problems.
Yes! I'm halfway through and have been stunned at some of the less-known research he cites and some of the popular research he debunks (specifically, the study behind the "10,000 rule").
It's also somewhat of a relief to read.
I think intuitively many people feel that range matters, but fear that we'll sound like we lack a "speciality" or even "hard skills" if we proclaim ourselves generalists or broadly curious.
As somebody with broad interests, I've long been fascinated by what it means to be a "generalist" and understanding when a wide, varied skillset is an advantage over a hyper-narrow one.
I've been reading about this for years and recently started sending out short summaries of what I've learned (typically geared at how the lessons can by applied practically).
Last week I shared how Nobel laureates are 22 times more likely to have a side hobby as a performer than their peers.
Ultimately, I am trying to land on a succinct answer to "how do you channel broad interests and talents into an impactful career?"
One theme I'm starting to converge on is the idea of a generalist as an "expert" at a) maintaining a wide range of mental models and skillsets and b) developing a sense of which type of problems to apply each to.
In other words, effective generalists become good at knowing which speciality or approach should be applied to a problem, even if they "only" grasp the basics of any one discipline.
Example:
A software engineer wants to develop deeper friendships. They may think that building an app that reminds them to keep in touch with friends will help.
Of course they think that... software is what they know best.
But a generalist may take a different angle and see that the root cause isn't an automation / information problem, it may be a human psychology issue.
"The real problem is that you don't believe you're worthy of love. If you work on that, you may feel confident enough to want to reach out more."
The next email is going to start outlining the most practical, effective mini-mental models that generalists can use to solve practical problems.