But there are a lot of hidden perks that come with being a Jack.
Imagine youre a multi-tool, like a Swiss Army knife, as opposed to being just a screwdriver.
A multi-tool can get the job done, but a good screwdriver does it better.
In general, were taught throughout our lives to pick something and specialize at it.
Think of the classic what do you want to be when you grow up?
question, as if you’re able to only be one thing.
After that, theres a base of knowledge that you could (and will) build analogies on.
By doing so, you take one industry and mirror it into another industry.
I would emphasize, you
can not be a jack-of-all-trades without being a master of at least one.
Of course, you cant talk about the benefits without talking about the pitfalls too.
If you know what to expect, though, you might have an easier time as you go.
You know how to use the knowledge and skills youve developed doing other things to make any job easier.
When opportunity arises, youre also likely to be the first one to dive in and go for it.
You develop a go-getter attitude that can make you look really good.
Essentially, adaptability is usefulness, and thats what you want to be: useful.
Your thirst for knowledge gives you the best skill you’re able to learn: knowinghowto learn.
It just takes a little elbow grease and time.
Will you be the first person to climb Mt.
Everest, or be the fastest?
No, but youll sure as shit get to the top in one piece.
Is the CEO a better accountant than the CFO or CPA?
Was Steve Jobs a better programmer than top coders at Apple?
No, but he had a broad range of skills and saw the unseen interconnectedness.
There is a reason military generals are called such.
A Jack of All Trades gets their pick of work as long as theyre competent enough.
No more boredom andno more ruts.
That title is reserved for those who have dedicated their lives to their chosen profession and they deserve it.
Its stillpossibleto become a specialist, but its a lot harder to do.
This unfortunate reality can make it harder to land a job sometimes.
Its something to consider if you want to adopt this particular mindset.
Youre not progressing toward a specialization, but now youre also not learning to be competent at anything else.
verify you set goals and focus on themeven just a piece at a timeto verify you dont become unusable.
Burnout is alsoa real challengefor a Jack of All Trades.
Stay realistic and remember that being a Jack of All Trades doesnt make you a superhero.
Take your time, pick a couple things to focus on, and be mindful of your personal well-being.
