In my earplugs while writing this issue:
I have deep admiration (and some form of envy) for Specialists. I find it such a strength. We all have that one friend who is slowly, but constantly, building a solid career in a specific field of knowledge, getting better and better with time. A Doctor specializing in gut health, a Pilates instructor specializing in lower back pain, and a Nutritionist specializing in plant-based diet. They chose one topic and dove deep. It’s easy for them to explain to their grandmothers what their work is about. I’m sure everybody has private struggles, but I find it’s smarter to concentrate energy and pile up expertise in one field.
I’ve had so many careers in 20 years, that I am the Generalist cliché. You see, I had careers, not jobs. I developed professions that could be “it”. But I get bored easily. I need movement and constant stimulation. I need to learn different things constantly. If I don’t have a big new challenge ahead of me, I don’t find reasons to leave my bed in the morning. For a long time, I thought it was a curse. When I started getting good at a new something, I lost interest. And there I’d go again, starting something new, wasting time on a new learning curve. Or so I thought.
Unless you are a baby, you never start from scratch
When I launched my Ayurveda coaching business and compared my professional development with my peers, it became clear how the years of managing Architecture projects had allowed me to structure my sales process. My years as an English teacher allowed me to create compelling content and the methodology for my online courses. The Ayurvedic cooking editorial line and products were possible because of the expertise I’d acquired previously in my healthy sweets business. I had built several abilities throughout the years and created a career in which I could mix and use all of them.
And now, for the millionth time, I’m starting over from zero.
In less than one week, more than 300 people from my previous audience subscribed to my new project, which is in a new niche and language. I already have two paid subscribers! I haven’t even announced yet that my agenda will be soon open to 1:1 creative business consulting, and I already have people waiting. Am I starting over from zero?
Focusing on the skills and not on the career itself, here’s what I now intentionally track:
How I’m enhancing my ability to adapt to new tasks.
When I need to access my productive multitasking abilities.
How my new daily tasks contribute to my problem-solving abilities.
In which ways I’m improving my communication skills, both written and verbal.
How I’m getting better at managing projects.
How I manage to learn new things while developing a new career.
How my networking is being developed.
Situations when I had to be extra creative and innovative.
There’s a lot to having a broad skill set. I feel like there’s nothing I can’t do. It’s powerful.
And now I finally see being a Generalist as a strength. Even though my grandmother still doesn’t understand what I do.
See also:
Bisous,
Tati