Generalists have the advantage of interdisciplinary knowledge, which fosters creativity and a firmer understanding of how the world works. They have a better overall perspective and can generally perform second-order thinking in a wider range of situations than the specialist can.

The generalist becomes more powerful when they develop a specialty where they can apply their broad insight.

The specialist becomes more powerful when they develop a broader surface area of knowledge to connect with their expertise.

Which side are you favoring right now? Would you benefit from a broader area to apply your already honed skills? Or do... See more

Many great thinkers are (or were) generalizing specialists. Shakespeare, Da Vinci, Kepler, and Boyd excelled by branching out from their core competencies. These men knew how to learn fast, picking up the key ideas and then returning to their specialties. Unlike their forgotten peers, they didn’t continue studying one area past the point of... See more