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On being a "jack-of-all-trades"


Jerry
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I can't help but treat this as a problem. There's some interest to find in almost every activity I can imagine.

Here, all the things I explored yet (not even exhaustive):

- Graphic arts
- Music
- Programming (C, Visual Basic, HTML, Assembly)
- Electronics
- Writing
- Audio/video production
- Mechanics
- Welding

In this highly specialized world it's much more convenient to be driven by one or two things and pursue a career related to it. But I'm beginning to think I just can't. All I can think of when considering a certain path is all the things I'll have to leave behind as a result. I would much rather do everything, but that's not realistic.

This is driving me insane headacheplz.gif

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Thats the sad part :[ I wish I could do a lot of things, but doing so means I would sacrifice time spent on mastery of a skill (which I already suck at), but at the same time I wish I could do those things. Its one of those times that I wish for immortality, so I had time for all these skills. Or perhaps another life, one where I could master one of those other traits. Or several clones of me that do each of those things

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27 minutes ago, WolfNightV4X1 said:

Thats the sad part :[ I wish I could do a lot of things, but doing so means I would sacrifice time spent on mastery of a skill (which I already suck at), but at the same time I wish I could do those things. Its one of those times that I wish for immortality, so I had time for all these skills. Or perhaps another life, one where I could master one of those other traits. Or several clones of me that do each of those things

http://www.nextbigfuture.com/2016/06/first-phase-1-human-aging-reversal.html

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I've been thinking about my entire life in the last weeks and why I'm almost going sideways instead of forward (not exactly good times if you ask me), but I always have a terrible time finding the words to get my point across.

Maybe this is it.

My life feels empty right now. It has no meaning. I'd even dare say I feel useless. That may be why I've been vagabonding from one activity to another for years. They lack meaning, so once my curiosity is satisfied I see no point in spending more time on them and move on. But this is awfully counter-productive. I really wish I could just take the same path as the average Joe, but I always feel miserable trying it.

 

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1 hour ago, Jerry said:

I've been thinking about my entire life in the last weeks and why I'm almost going sideways instead of forward (not exactly good times if you ask me), but I always have a terrible time finding the words to get my point across.

Maybe this is it.

My life feels empty right now. It has no meaning. I'd even dare say I feel useless. That may be why I've been vagabonding from one activity to another for years. They lack meaning, so once my curiosity is satisfied I see no point in spending more time on them and move on. But this is awfully counter-productive. I really wish I could just take the same path as the average Joe, but I always feel miserable trying it.

 

If you don't have overall goals, then there's nothing to go forward to.

 

Or perhaps your overall goal is not to pigeonhole yourself in a particular field but to explore the possibilities that are available. In doing so you've likely helped people of all sorts, not useless if you ask me ;)

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You sound alot like I used to be, to be honest.

It's a wonderful energy but sometimes everything you do feels empty and yet you have this drive knowing there must be something, anything, that you can do.

For me? I have to do something productive, create something, move forward in life, or be who I am inside and be out in nature.

 

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I feel ya OP. I write, and I want to make music, and I want to learn how to sing good and proper, and I'd love to try and take up some visual arts like painting because that sounds fun as fuck and Bob Ross said I"d be good at it, and I tried getting into sculpting once. I'd like to try again and and and and!

Oh, and I'm STILL working on that video game with my bro.

I like making shit. The problem is, making shit is hard and talent doesn't just appear, so all of the above takes loads of time/practice I do not have.

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On 17/12/2016 at 4:33 AM, WileyWarWeasel said:

If you don't have overall goals, then there's nothing to go forward to.

 

Or perhaps your overall goal is not to pigeonhole yourself in a particular field but to explore the possibilities that are available. In doing so you've likely helped people of all sorts, not useless if you ask me ;)

Pretty much.

Now that you mention it, I still remember how I've never been hesitant to jump head first into a project if it were to help somebody, while I can only find so much motivation to do things for myself. 

I'll probably be the happiest if I can find a way to combine many of my interests into one occupation, and give it a helpful goal. That's the tricky part but there's never been so many things to do for a living so I guess it is doable.

On 17/12/2016 at 9:39 AM, LazerMaster5 said:

I once was an adventurer like you, but then I took an arrow to the knee.

Who's the scrub that shot you in the knee? :V

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I know most people will say to pursue your passion but if my passion was gender studies, it doesn't really have many career paths aside from teaching, so you sorta have to be realistic. Pick what you love, definitely, but it's a good idea to stay real.

In my case, I enjoy software development a good enough amount so I feel comfortable enough pursuing a career in it. I don't love it but I quite like it. Although the degree I'm studying for will eventually make me specialise in software development, it gives me enough knowledge so that I could easily switch career paths to become say, a business analyst or project manager if I wanted to, so I guess I'm quite lucky in that respect.

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I found myself thinking of doing chemistry after leaving school before going to IT. The way the IT course I did foscued too much on web design put me off and when I did do programming on the course it was with VB.net which in a world where nearly every big complex program is made with C or C++ and small ones are better done in python or lua or similar doing things in VB.netwill get you laughed at. That and college dropped the fancy Cisco courses so I couldn't go into networking.

Engineering came as a stab in the dark focusing on money, I have interest in being a machinist as a fallback option after the unit I did on various techniques to do with it  seemed interesting. 

In theory I could wind up programming again, only with G code or PLC based ladder logic.

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I was once called a jack--ass-of-all-trades.

Does that count?

Honestly I'd choose one thing you both enjoy and feel you can really improve in, enough to get a job and make a living off of it.

Keep the others as side projects, hobbies. Stuff you enjoy that you can do in your time off. It's very productive and you'll have fallback skills if you ever need to pursue a new career.

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7 hours ago, Lopaw said:

I found myself thinking of doing chemistry after leaving school before going to IT. The way the IT course I did foscued too much on web design put me off and when I did do programming on the course it was with VB.net which in a world where nearly every big complex program is made with C or C++ and small ones are better done in python or lua or similar doing things in VB.netwill get you laughed at. That and college dropped the fancy Cisco courses so I couldn't go into networking.

Are they still teaching VB.net in colleges? I figured they would've moved on to Python by now, since it's a great beginner language and just a great language in general.

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10 hours ago, Socketosis said:

Are they still teaching VB.net in colleges? I figured they would've moved on to Python by now, since it's a great beginner language and just a great language in general.

This was 3 years ago so it seems that way, I'd figure they would still cover turbo pascal if not for the fact nobody uses it anymore and it is now a education only language as it is old as hell. I did wonder why the icon for starting the IDE I found was the same as the MS-DOS one I remember from the 90s.

Apartently the people on the level 3 IT got to do java but also loads more web development which I hated. So I jumped ship to engineering.

I think they did java as the collage still seems to think it is 1998 back when java (not JavaScript) programs where embedded into web pages in a manner like flash is, the intention was games and interactive stuff but flash won back then in that role due to being faster. Some of these embedded programs are still knocking about and are security nightmares.

Since then java fell into the embedded systems market and places where being able to run on lots of things is needed. Or light UIs with that swing thing I heard off.

I know lua more than anything due to computercraft. Java code confused me in a sea of public static void main repeated a lot.

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On 12/17/2016 at 6:29 AM, Jerry said:

I can't help but treat this as a problem. There's some interest to find in almost every activity I can imagine.

Here, all the things I explored yet (not even exhaustive):

- Graphic arts
- Music
- Programming (C, Visual Basic, HTML, Assembly)
- Electronics
- Writing
- Audio/video production
- Mechanics
- Welding

In this highly specialized world it's much more convenient to be driven by one or two things and pursue a career related to it. But I'm beginning to think I just can't. All I can think of when considering a certain path is all the things I'll have to leave behind as a result. I would much rather do everything, but that's not realistic.

This is driving me insane headacheplz.gif

Just find yourself a line of work that you can do and find enjoyable that rakes in those coins and use the spare time and cash to pursue the rest of your interests ya dingus.

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On 19/12/2016 at 8:21 AM, Wax said:

I know most people will say to pursue your passion but if my passion was gender studies, it doesn't really have many career paths aside from teaching, so you sorta have to be realistic. Pick what you love, definitely, but it's a good idea to stay real.

In my case, I enjoy software development a good enough amount so I feel comfortable enough pursuing a career in it. I don't love it but I quite like it. Although the degree I'm studying for will eventually make me specialise in software development, it gives me enough knowledge so that I could easily switch career paths to become say, a business analyst or project manager if I wanted to, so I guess I'm quite lucky in that respect.

That sounds like me.

I like marketing and advertising, which is why my major study, but I really love psychology, but I know it wouldn't make for a good career, so I'm minoring in it, and going to try and apply it to a marketing and advertisement viewpoint. If that makes any lick of sense.

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This thread's still going? :P

I don't know if there are people on here who are into MBTI personality types. I figured out so many things with this. My type is the INFJ, and their problems = story of my life.

Top-7-INFJ-Problems-468x1024.jpeg

That explains it all. ¬¬

But as with many other aspects of life, awareness is key. Now I need to get back the energy and motivation I used to have even a few years back. It's as if everything was bland now. Probably because I have no goal ahead as @WileyWarWeasel mentioned.

I really like Mike Rowe's perspective about career choices. His philosophy is not to follow your passion, but rather what you're good at. 

This is where things get conflicting in my little mind. Nature didn't exactly give me the most convenient tools. I was given creative skills, nut not much else. On the bright side there's never been so many ways to make a living, so I guess I'll be able to work something out.

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Hey, I just wanted to say that you might be presented with a false dichotomy. You shouldn't have to chose between mechanics and writing for example; you can be a mechanic who writes novels in his spare time.

Regarding 'follow what you're good at, rather than what you like', I am not certain if this is sound advice, because if you don't begin to enjoy your line of work, and you spend about half your waking life doing it, then what is the point? We work to make our lives better, not to make them miserable.

I personally have the same problem of 'jack of all trades', (and master of none). But being second best at everything can get you pretty far; Eratosthenes or 'Beta' still inspires people today: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eratosthenes

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I generally agree with Saxon here, although at some point you do need to factor in compensation vs. enjoyment.  I don't entirely agree with the 'follow what you're good at, rather than what you like' model, but you do have to be aware of the reality that following your passions can lead to being broke as $hit, which is just not that much fun in the long run.  You must bring balance to the force.   If you are really good at something then look around and see how many other people are good and/or willing to do that thing.  If you have rare skills you can charge a premium for them.  You may not 'love' it, but if gets you the resources and flexibility to do the other things you really enjoy, I'd consider that a win.  Garbage collectors are generally compensated very well and have high job satisfaction.  Also, making the things you love into your career is a really good way to start hating the things you used to love.  Separating your work life and your passions is not always a bad thing.  I don't love my job but it gives me tremendous flexibility to do the things I really enjoy.

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15 hours ago, Saxon said:

Hey, I just wanted to say that you might be presented with a false dichotomy. You shouldn't have to chose between mechanics and writing for example; you can be a mechanic who writes novels in his spare time.

Regarding 'follow what you're good at, rather than what you like', I am not certain if this is sound advice, because if you don't begin to enjoy your line of work, and you spend about half your waking life doing it, then what is the point? We work to make our lives better, not to make them miserable.

I personally have the same problem of 'jack of all trades', (and master of none). But being second best at everything can get you pretty far; Eratosthenes or 'Beta' still inspires people today: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eratosthenes

I'm sure many people could do just this and be fine. But as far as I'm concerned, persisting in doing manual jobs has proven horribly draining, both physically and mentally.

But I see your point here. Indeed it's not an all-black-or-all-white situation. What I figured out in the video is that while it's important to like what you do for a living, making passion a career priority can be misleading. It sounds much more logical to me to make good use of my abilities in a job I'll then get to appreciate, rather than the other way around. Hence Mike's last word "Never follow your passion, but always bring it with you."

Thankfully I can take the time to think about my future. Every now and then I entertain the idea of getting serious in making YouTube videos, or a webcomic, or stories, or even a mix of all of them. It may sound unrealistic or even naive, but I easily imagine myself working on a creative project on multiple platforms at once. 

11 hours ago, Strongbob said:

I generally agree with Saxon here, although at some point you do need to factor in compensation vs. enjoyment.  I don't entirely agree with the 'follow what you're good at, rather than what you like' model, but you do have to be aware of the reality that following your passions can lead to being broke as $hit, which is just not that much fun in the long run.  You must bring balance to the force.   If you are really good at something then look around and see how many other people are good and/or willing to do that thing.  If you have rare skills you can charge a premium for them.  You may not 'love' it, but if gets you the resources and flexibility to do the other things you really enjoy, I'd consider that a win.  Garbage collectors are generally compensated very well and have high job satisfaction.  Also, making the things you love into your career is a really good way to start hating the things you used to love.  Separating your work life and your passions is not always a bad thing.  I don't love my job but it gives me tremendous flexibility to do the things I really enjoy.

Absolutely.

There are so many things I'll like, as long as they remain weekend projects.

 

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I've been thinking on this topic more and more recently. Good thing there's a thread for it

Except my thoughts are rather the opposite. 

Sure, I could live a linear simple life. I could get my Computer Science degree, settle in an okay paying job and do the same thing until I die. But what then? What have I really achieved?

I want to try my hand at different, exciting things.

I entered cross country championships with my athletics team for next February. What if I persued competitive sport further?

What if I picked my guitar back up? Could I practice and achieve something?

I feel like I'm dull. I'm not daring enough, and I want to correct myself before it's too late. 

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6 hours ago, DrDingo said:

I've been thinking on this topic more and more recently. Good thing there's a thread for it

Except my thoughts are rather the opposite. 

Sure, I could live a linear simple life. I could get my Computer Science degree, settle in an okay paying job and do the same thing until I die. But what then? What have I really achieved?

I want to try my hand at different, exciting things.

I entered cross country championships with my athletics team for next February. What if I persued competitive sport further?

What if I picked my guitar back up? Could I practice and achieve something?

I feel like I'm dull. I'm not daring enough, and I want to correct myself before it's too late. 

Hey man, you have a good job to fall back on while you think of other things to pursue, or you have a good job to keep for life to make money to enhance your hobby experience in other areas...

 

Whatever the case good luck figuring it out

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On 29/12/2016 at 7:55 AM, DrDingo said:

I've been thinking on this topic more and more recently. Good thing there's a thread for it

Except my thoughts are rather the opposite. 

Sure, I could live a linear simple life. I could get my Computer Science degree, settle in an okay paying job and do the same thing until I die. But what then? What have I really achieved?

I want to try my hand at different, exciting things.

I entered cross country championships with my athletics team for next February. What if I persued competitive sport further?

What if I picked my guitar back up? Could I practice and achieve something?

I feel like I'm dull. I'm not daring enough, and I want to correct myself before it's too late. 

Well I did consider a similar path at some point. Grabbing just any job available and be done with it.

But just like you, I feel I'd miss something.

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It's good to have a general direction. Nothing too rigid, but nothing too vague. For example, I would love to work on automobiles, but I am willing to learn how to build and work on heavy machinery or even construction projects. My welding education opens my opportunities while still giving me a general direction. Along the way I am making connections with people from all walks in life, which is a treat in itself. A general direction and an idea on how to get in that direction certainly wouldn't hurt.

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3 hours ago, LazerMaster5 said:

It's good to have a general direction. Nothing too rigid, but nothing too vague. For example, I would love to work on automobiles, but I am willing to learn how to build and work on heavy machinery or even construction projects. My welding education opens my opportunities while still giving me a general direction. Along the way I am making connections with people from all walks in life, which is a treat in itself. A general direction and an idea on how to get in that direction certainly wouldn't hurt.

Another good point.

I was too rigid in the possibilities I considered, which led to bad choices. But now (almost) any choice can potentially be a good one, if I choose it wisely.

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It's all interrelated. Maybe pick one interest as a career, and pursue the rest in your free time. You'll likely regret it if you don't at least explore your other interests, and end up wondering "what if". What you learn if you do may even carry over into other areas. Sometimes in new and exciting ways, as you'll have a more comprehensive perspective on things. There were times when I limited myself to one thing or another, and was disappointed to watch my skills in other areas ossify. I think that actually held me back in some ways. Lesson learned.

I had a conversation with my sister about this recently. Instead of seeing me as a jack of all trades, however, she sees me as someone who thrives on challenge. When put in that light, that I need challenges, it makes a bit more sense. Although I see the strategic value in doing only one thing and doing it well, work situations rarely give me the opportunity to pursue that end at my pace or in ways that are meaningful to me. I should be happy that I enjoy my line of work, but not feel guilty about honing other skills or just having fun with a variety of things. Besides, versatility is one way to define intelligence. By leaning new things, you increase the scope of your knowledge and ability, which helps you realize your potential in ways that being a specialist simply can't.

Anyway, it's late and I'm tired. This is probably all just word salad, but hopefully some of the intended meaning gets through.

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On 31/12/2016 at 2:03 AM, Xaende said:

It's all interrelated. Maybe pick one interest as a career, and pursue the rest in your free time. You'll likely regret it if you don't at least explore your other interests, and end up wondering "what if". What you learn if you do may even carry over into other areas. Sometimes in new and exciting ways, as you'll have a more comprehensive perspective on things. There were times when I limited myself to one thing or another, and was disappointed to watch my skills in other areas ossify. I think that actually held me back in some ways. Lesson learned.

I had a conversation with my sister about this recently. Instead of seeing me as a jack of all trades, however, she sees me as someone who thrives on challenge. When put in that light, that I need challenges, it makes a bit more sense. Although I see the strategic value in doing only one thing and doing it well, work situations rarely give me the opportunity to pursue that end at my pace or in ways that are meaningful to me. I should be happy that I enjoy my line of work, but not feel guilty about honing other skills or just having fun with a variety of things. Besides, versatility is one way to define intelligence. By leaning new things, you increase the scope of your knowledge and ability, which helps you realize your potential in ways that being a specialist simply can't.

Anyway, it's late and I'm tired. This is probably all just word salad, but hopefully some of the intended meaning gets through.

I managed to digest them just fine. LOL.

The first bolded line, it's the very mistake I'm guilty of as well. Conversely, the more variety there is in the things I do, the more satisfied I feel. Even within a certain field, say music. I'm slowly refining my skills on the piano, but I also have a growing interest in trying other instruments, like guitar or drums.

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5 hours ago, Jerry said:

I managed to digest them just fine. LOL.

The first bolded line, it's the very mistake I'm guilty of as well. Conversely, the more variety there is in the things I do, the more satisfied I feel. Even within a certain field, say music. I'm slowly refining my skills on the piano, but I also have a growing interest in trying other instruments, like guitar or drums.

Cool. Music is a good example of how interrelated things can be. Although instruments and techniques vary, the underlying theory is the same. What you learn on one carries over to others.

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