Jack of All Trades or Master of One

If you are familiar with who I am or have been reading the articles from this blog, then you will know that I am an avid learner and have taken on numerous interests such as Tai Chi Chuan, French, chess and guitar, just to name a few. One issue I constantly struggle with is whether I should stop pursuing new curiosities and start trying to really master some of the interests I have already cultivated. Should I be really good at many things or be outstanding at one or two things? The answer that I came up with is: Why not be both? Is it not possible to be proficient at many things while also mastering a few things?

In order to reach mastery, one needs to not only devote time but also have some sort of innate ability in that area. To clarify, mastery refers to possessing consummate skill and performing at the highest level. EVERY person HAS natural God-given talents and abilities. For some it might be book smarts and the ability to understand and express concepts (top students, orators, lawyers) for others it might be musical ability (instrumentalists, composers, singers), yet others might work really well with their hands (mechanics, painters, carpenters) and so forth and so on. The more natural ability you possess, the shorter time it will take for you to reach mastery. Unfortunately when we were born, a list specifying our talents was not attached so to discover our natural abilities, we must do so via trial and error. This supports the reasoning that learning numerous things (being a Jack of all trades) is actually a prerequisite to achieving mastery in a few.

Another characteristic required to achieve mastery is having a passion for the subject. Without passion, it is near impossible to endure the long arduous journey to mastery. This is further justification for being a polymath, a person of varied learning, because how can one know what they have a passion for without first attempting it. Interestingly, people are generally more interested and passionate about things that they are good at. Think about your favorite subjects in school or your favorite hobbies, I would be surprised if you didn't do well in those classes or if these hobbies weren't things that you were good at. Here is a personal illustration of this phenomenon: I use to enjoy math throughout all of my schooling until I did poorly in one of my advanced math classes and "coincidentally" decided that advanced math was boring, useless and unappealing. Ineptness has the funny ability to transform personal taste.

Although it is possible to be gifted in things you lack passion for, there is no point to obtain mastery for the sake of mastery. True masters are not just imitators but innovators. They understand their field comprehensively enough to take it to the next level. Without passion, there is rarely inspiration and creative insight. Personally, I don't think it is possible to master something that one doesn't love doing but impossible might be too strong of a word.

Being a Jack of all trades is merely a by-product in becoming a master and ultimately a Renaissance Man or homo universalis, a person who "develops skills in all areas of knowledge, in physical development, in social accomplishments and in the arts"(Wikipedia). This ideal stemmed from Leon Battista Alberti's notion that "a man can do all things that he will". It is important to note that the Renaissance ideal was not only limited to improving the intellectual but also the physical. Being a competitive athlete was just as important as speaking several languages or playing several instruments. One of the most famous polymaths was Leonardo Da Vinci, who was a painter, sculptor, engineer, biologist, actor, singer, philosopher, chemist, geologist, physicist, musician, astronomer and anatomist. Before his famous contributions to painting and sculpting, Da Vinci was definitely considered a Jack of all trades. Several interesting articles concerning polymath and a list of renowned Renaissance Men can be found here and at Wikipedia.

An issue that occurs when pursuing many diverse interests is the scarcity of time. Time is limited and each new interest depletes the already pressed time to seriously pursue these interests. Good news is - from my experience, there are several reasons why the problem of finite time should not deter you from learning new things:

• The more things that you learn, the more proficient you become in the skill of learning which results in an increased capacity to learn. Also, almost all topics are interrelated so what is learned in one area becomes useful when learning in another area (Chemistry of Learning). Example: Chinese Philosophy (Yin and Yang) helps people understand the principles of Tai Chi Chuan (emptiness and fullness) which teaches the importance of generating all movements from the hips (kua) which is useful for executing effective martial arts (kickboxing, grappling, Wing Chun, etc) and sports (golf, tennis, baseball, etc) techniques.
  

• Resources for learning are easy and fast to access with the Internet. There are countless online tutorials for every subject under the sun and if you prefer the classic training via a teacher, online networks can match you with a teacher, online or in-person, within seconds. Learning online also caters to your schedule so you can learn at all hours of the day. Having all these resources at the click of a mouse is definitely a strong asset against the ever falling sands of time.

• One can learn to use their time more efficiently. As you learn more things, not only will your proficiency in learning increase but also your ability to "find" free time. Flashcards and mp3 players are excellent tools in converting time used for traveling and waiting into learning opportunities. Audio books, language lessons, music lessons and more are all available during your commute to work, your wait at the doctor's office or Department of Motor Vehicles, or while you're busy doing chores at home. Combining several of your interests can also help to free up some of that precious time. Example: Stretching while studying/reading or practicing scales on your instrument as you watch TV.
  

Even if you may have found your natural ability and life's calling, it is still necessary to keep an open mind and to learn about/try many things. You never know if you have other hidden talents. The phrase "Jack of all trades, master of none" is currently used as an insult to refer to someone who is competent at many things but not magnificent in any particular one but the quote was originally meant to be used as a compliment in its full form: "Jack of all trades, master of none, though ofttimes better than master of one." As with everything, it is necessary to have a balance (Yin Yang Markets article), know your limits and don't spread yourself too thin but at the same time follow your interests even if it means stepping out of your comfort zone. Learn more today!

Recommended Reading: Polymath: 'A Renaissance Man' and The Polymath by Bensalem Himmich