Master Everything, Fear Nothing: Why Polymaths Thrive in a Jobless World
It's no secret that it's getting more difficult to find work.
The traditional path of getting good grades, attending college for a degree, and landing a high-paying job is dead. We're being forced into a corner where we must learn how to scale up and work for ourselves, since it appears there aren't enough jobs out there for us regular folks.
But what if the key to the changing world ahead of us is to tap into our inner polymath?
What if, in the coming years, we should work for ourselves and no longer rely on a traditional 9-5 job?
I talk a lot about tapping into your natural curiosity and delving into the areas of life that interest you most. If, like me, you find yourself unemployed and unable to find a traditional 9-5 job to pay your bills and support your existing (let alone your future) lifestyle, the time is now.
Today, we will discuss why and how to unleash your inner polymath so you can conquer the changing world.
Why You Should Embrace Lifelong Learning
The key to unleashing your inner polymath is embracing lifelong learning.
Life is infinite. There are endless areas and subjects to learn about, and learning and knowing everything in one lifetime is impossible. However, that doesn't mean you shouldn't try.
Ask yourself, "What are the things I've always wanted to learn but haven't pursued?"
The answer to the conundrum I initially posed is simple: Follow your curiosity, learn what you want, and invest in your most valuable asset—yourself. Take online or in-person courses and attend webinars. Network with the people doing what you want to do. Put yourself and your work out there.
Research suggests that to be a polymath, one must engage in lifelong learning, because mastering diverse fields requires continuous effort.
So, to make it less daunting and arduous, do the things that bring you joy. Master your personal development, learn to write like your favorite author, or paint like an artist you admire.
There are countless possibilities ahead of you if you ask the most powerful question: What if?
What if you spend the summer learning how to code?
What if you learned how to make clothes and shared your journey online?
What if you started a cooking show and released episodes weekly on YouTube?
What if...?
With technological advancements occurring daily, everything is changing rapidly. Skills can quickly become outdated, and new technologies like AI disrupt traditional roles. This rapid change poses a risk of obsolescence for individuals who rely on static expertise, particularly specialists in narrow fields.
Now is the time to embrace your generalist nature by building a store of knowledge only you can possess simply because no one has your perception and perspective. Giving you unique insight that no specialist will have.
The more you learn, the more you can apply this unique knowledge and insight in any industry. This could potentially outpace AI, which will always lack human experience.
How To Tap Into My Inner Polymath
The path ahead is not linear.
There will be many ups and downs, and you may doubt your progress. But the important thing is to stay hungry and be curious.
When I say stay hungry, I mean never take anyone's word for fact. Always do your research and experiment with what you learn.
Ask the tough questions not because you have to, but because a force within you will not let you sleep until you know the answer.
For example, I have spent the last two years and eight months (as of this writing) learning web development. I have always wondered what it takes to create a web application or website from scratch. Before this journey, I learned no-code tools like Wordpress, Wix, and Squarespace. The problem? I could never build exactly what I had in mind.
I was always beholden to their templates or available plug-ins.
My dissatisfaction led me to learn to code and the idea that I could land a job as a front-end developer, but this never happened.
For years, I've always wanted to build an app.
Without knowing it, learning web development gave me access to tools I could use to do just that, but being a purist, I wanted to build native apps, specifically for Apple's platforms.
So now, almost three years later, I'm learning to code iOS applications and having a blast. I already have ideas for a few apps I want to develop, and the skills I learned in web development will help me build sophisticated apps I wouldn't have been able to create before.
And without a Computer Science degree.
The key takeaway here is to solve your own problems first. By following your curiosity, you can unlock solutions that you can later sell to people who don't already have the knowledge you've acquired.
For instance, you don't like the clothes sold online (since brick and mortar clothing stores are dying).
What's stopping you from buying a sewing machine and learning to make clothes with your unique style?
The possibilities are truly endless.
Quick Recap: Why And How To Tap Into Your Inner Polymath
The world is changing, and fast.
Specialists are at risk of obsolescence because they rely on static expertise in narrow fields.
The key to unleashing your inner polymath is embracing lifelong learning and following your natural curiosity.
Ask yourself, "What if...?"
The path is not linear, but Steve Jobs once said you can't connect the dots looking forward; you can only do so when looking back.
So have faith, trust yourself, and invest in your most valuable asset starting today.
Choose one new skill to start learning this week.
I love what you said about solving your own problems first. Having that curiosity is what led to the creation of companies like Uber, DoorDash and Airbnb. It’s what I enjoy most about watching Shark Tank. So many people created something new just by discovering that there was a better or newer way. And like you said many of them didn’t even have a traditional education! The internet gives us endless possibilities for lifelong learning. We don’t need to wait for others to solve our problems and give us a seat at their tables. We can make our own table. Another great read Idris!
I read recently that almost half of all skills that were relevant in 2023 won’t be relevant in the workplace anymore this year. We all need to embrace the idea of becoming generalists so that we have enough skills to adapt to a rapidly changing world. Not just for curiosity but for our survival! Change isn’t always easy but growing is what makes life worth living. Interesting read Idris Elijah!