Don’t Be Afraid To Be A Polymath
Accept that you might not have a niche
You need to find a niche
To be polymathic is to have interests and expertise that span a wide number of different subject areas.
But I’m told time and time again that if I want to ‘succeed’ online, I need to find a niche. It makes (almost) perfect sense: appeal to everyone and you’ll appeal to no one.
Does it make sense though?
Right now, not for me. I don’t have a niche, nor do I want to pick one for the sake of it. There’s nothing specific that speaks out to me on its own. Nothing I’m willing to give up the rest of my interests for. If I jump now, it’ll be too soon.
Patience. Instead, I’ll continue to be flexible, knowing that if I have to sack of one or two of my interests at some stage in the future in pursuit of a new one, I will and it won’t hurt me. But get too deep into one niche too soon and it’s a real challenge leaving it behind when push comes to shove.
It isn’t that I’m risk averse — I actually take a lot of risks. But this time, I’m waiting before I focus on one specific domain because I know I haven’t explored enough yet.
It’s always going to be difficult to find the balance between stability, risk and reward because we’re always more comfortable being comfortable.
But you might not be destined for one niche
I don’t know about the future, but right now, I’m not destined for one sphere. I’m not ‘destined’ for the hand I’ve been dealt with because I don’t think one single hand exists.
There’s a pack of cards, sure. And now, I’m pursuing different routes to see how those cards evolve. I’m doing what I can to add more cards to the pack — through experiences and a hunger for knowledge.
It doesn’t have to be a standard pack of 52; the deck can have 54 or 60 or 172. Our cards are a starting point and now it’s up to me to cultivate them through being open-minded to the opportunities around me. My cards have been changing since the day I was born, and until a certain age I had no control over what happened to them. A lot of the time, I still don’t have control.
We envy the niche
I’d love to be a talented painter — I think we all would. I’m jealous of those with obvious vocations. I was in awe of my Grandma, who knew from the outset that she was made for teaching English. She dedicated her life to it, right up to the moment she passed. She was 81.
But I can’t be my Grandma because I don’t have that calling. You might not either. Instead, I believe I’ll carve out some form of a career through finding the intersection of a bunch of ideas, and I’ll create something worthwhile from there.
But it’s OK to have several interests
I need to stop conflating having a multitude of interests with feeling average in those interests. I don’t have to be a master painter. I can be great in more than one field. At the same time, I can be average in more than one of those same fields. The result will depend on how I choose to spend my time, how I apply myself to those fields, and whether I have a little ‘talent’ for those fields.
But while I do believe natural affinities for certain skills exist, I believe more that hard work is what trumps talent. Those who rest on their laurels are those who miss out on mastery. Look at Roger Federer — a dancer on the court, true talent. Training every day.
When someone’s truly interested in a field, it’s so obvious. When that person speaks of that field using their breadth of knowledge and passion for it, it’s so obvious. It’s admirable.
And then there’s time-management. Having a second interest doesn’t have to detract from the first. On the contrary, they can complement one another. Time-management is a skill I’ll never cease to learn — it’s useful in every area of life.
If anything, I’d encourage a second hobby. There’s additional breathing space from the first, which can end up being beneficial because it’s often worthwhile to take a break from a certain commitment. With multiple hobbies come multiple perspectives, and that’s never a bad thing.
Final thoughts
I’m not sure I’ll ever find a niche. So for now, I’ll continue to test and add experiences to my ‘life portfolio’ (as my friend likes to call it). Plus, it’ll make me a little more robot-proof?
I don’t think real, raw talent will ever be replicated or replaced by robotics. Those with the passion and skill and work ethic will find a way to outdo the robotics that chase them.
That said, I’m starting to realise the potential of polymaths in a world where change is rife. And I’m excited to see where the intersection of my ideas and interests lead me. If you’re in the same boat, I hope you’re excited too.
Don’t chase a niche, go out and explore. Maybe the niche will find you.
