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In this week’s episode Claire and Kellie talk all about the idea of being a generalist versus a specialist. In David Epstein’s recent book Range, he argues that generalists are “triumphing in a specialized world.” Frequent relocation and upstarts in life have made many service member spouses generalists in their career fields and in their passions based on the location and opportunities available. Many of us think of this as a negative part of our lifestyle, but Claire and Kellie offer that it may just be the greatest thing ever.
Advice Not Given:
- How can we look at life more optimistically? How can you view your glass half full?
- A generalist knows a little bit about a lot of things; consider a Jack or Jill of all trades
- We have heard of the 10,000 Hour Rule but that isn’t the case any longer--aim for less hyper focus and search for more of an eclectic experience
- How can we spin our resume that may look scattered but rather how can you group skill sets and instead of a chronological resume, consider enhancing your skills by specialty
- When you try a lot of new things you can learn whether you love and enjoy them and the willingness to try can be everything
- Consider how we parent as we allow our kids try out many sports and activities...maybe developing well rounded kids vs. speciality athletes has value
- Participation status with a skill/hobby may be better than attaining Proficient or Professional status
- Claire says the real value is learning to enjoy the learning along the way; enjoy the process
- Kellie shares that the ONLY thing we really have control over is our MINDSET; embrace our adaptability
- Are those of us who are generalists less intimidated by trying new things and more open minded to push ourselves? Are our options more easily digestible? We are definitely willing to look for different opportunities
- Kellie asks whether being a generalist or specialist is a nature/nurture proposition or a type of conditioning based on our life circumstances
- Are you a spoon or a Swiss Army knife?
- What are the tools we can use to keep our experiences organized (resume, LinkedIn) and how do we begin to identify the skills we have that are attractive to potential employers? Use self awareness and discernment with your experiences to identify what you are really good at and how can you anchor those skills/values/core traits as talking points? What are your cork-screws, nail scissors, and bottle opener? How can you call them to mind quickly and then learning to value what those things cost or are valued at?
- There is personal value in that process of honing because it allows you to consider what you are good at and what you actually enjoy. How can you utilize your time best to cultivate those things?
- Clifton Strengths Finder (online assessment $20) (hardcover book from Amazon with test code $14)
- Shout out to Corie Weathers
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