How being a generalist has paid off for me

What makes you weird and random also makes you hard to copy nor replace.

When I was a child, I wanted to become a news anchor. At another point (after watching several seasons of Ally McBeal), I wanted to become a lawyer.

One of my favourite hobbies was dancing, and if I’d been better at it, I might have wanted to become a professional dancer.

In high school, I was interested in languages, biology and economics.

After high school, I contemplated between two jobs: a journalist and a physiotherapist.

As you can see, the groundwork for my multipassionate vibes was laid early.

Eventually, journalism won, and (after three years of applying) I got into university to study communications and media. I spent six years doing that and was enthused about all the secondary subjects I got to have: development studies, cultural studies, Scandinavian languages, Spanish, marketing and magazine design. (Again, I could not stick to one lane.)

By the time I graduated, media houses were in an existential crisis and journalists were getting laid off. After a few temporary stints as a magazine writer, I pivoted to content marketing, which was starting to boom at the time.

As the years went on, my interests broadened to science communications, leadership and coaching.

My interest in physiology and anatomy neither dissipated but in my mid-20s, I studied to become a yoga teacher.

Long story short, in the past ten years, I’ve held job titles such as journalist, content strategist, communications consultant, freelance writer, project manager, head of strategy, creative director, coach, science and sustainability communicator, yoga teacher, non-fiction author and speaker.

I’ve worked with topics ranging from climate change to spiritualism. I have random bits of knowledge about quantum computing, burnout statistics, Instagram growth rates, the ecological footprint of dairy farms and spinal anatomy.

I’ve changed my LinkedIn profile description a hundred times.

Have I been career-confused? At times, yes.

Have I had a good time learning more about my multiple interests? Hell yes.

Here are three ways being a multipassionate creative generalist has paid off for me careerwise.

#1: I rarely turn down work because “it’s not in my job description”

I’ve worked with a lot of specialists in my life. They are the people who know when something is beyond their specialisation. They’d rather refer you to someone else who has more expertise in a given area than do something they’re unqualified for. A nose and ear doctor won’t give you an eye check. A mathematician won’t try to psychoanalyse you.

Now, it’s understandable (and better for everyone’s health and safety) that some specialists stick to their lanes. If you’ve spent thirty years studying something as specific as microchips, you’ll unlikely have had the time and capacity to learn about much else.

But if your area of expertise is a bit more broad, like social sciences or arts, expertise becomes less of a qualification and more a matter of curiosity, trial and error.

Take graphic designers for example. Some of them are purists dedicated to illustration and only illustration, devoting their careers to perfecting every pixel. And then there are the curious generalist types who’ll do anything from brand strategy to website design to illustration to printed brochures and animations.

The purists might frown upon them but clients often love them.

Being a problem-solving ninja comes in handy no matter what your job is.

My years as a consultant have given me a good, high-level understanding of many things related to communications and leadership. I can comment on things I don’t have in-depth knowledge of.

Don’t get me wrong, I won’t claim to be an all-knowing wizard. I won't fabricate qualifications or pretend to be someone I’m not. If I'm not the right person for the job, I'll happily connect my clients with someone who is.

Am I the best writer, social media content producer, team leader, yoga teacher, or motivational speaker? Unlikely. There’s always room for improvement and there will always be someone who can do something better.

But do I have the ability to build bridges and solve problems across various domains? Yes, I believe so.

That’s why I don’t use phrases like “This isn’t really in my job description” or “I can’t do this because I’m not an expert on it”.

Because here’s the truth that applies to so many things in life: most real-world problems don't require a Ph.D. or a 30-year deep dive into microscopic details.

Instead, most challenges are solved by looking at the big picture, listening and using practical problem-solving skills.

If you’re a generalist, become a great generalist by owning the holistic perspective you can offer.

#2: I get exposed to different types of people and thinking to boost my creativity

I meet people with decades of dedication to their specific field of expertise. I also hang out with people who rely on meditation for all life’s big decisions.

I have meetings with CEOs and creative freelancers. I sit in yurts with healers.

Diversity is one of my key drivers in life.

I get bored if I only meet people who represent a narrow view of life and aren’t curious to discover what lies beyond the obvious.

Exposing myself to randomness helps me challenge my clients to try something new. It also helps me bring in ideas that aren’t stolen from a competitor but from surprising contexts.

My experience is that clients in all fields appreciate fresh ideas, thinking outside the box, and finding references they aren’t familiar with.

Being a fresh breeze of air in a world filled with copying others is something that will make you memorable. It will make you a person people want to call and ask for an opinion.

If you’re a multipassionate person, you’ll already have a lot of fresh ideas.

You have a unique skillset that is hard to copy.

You might need a bit of courage and practice to introduce your wild ideas and connect the dots between seemingly different contexts.

But if you do it, it will likely pay off.

#3: I can empathise with people working in different roles and make life easier for them

Having had a few different roles and titles in my career, I can put myself in other people’s shoes.

I understand how busy leaders are. I take notice when they’re on the brink of burnout. I know the limitations of corporate cultures and can understand why people are afraid of listening to their intuition.

In my work – whether it’s writing, consultancy, coaching, communicating or teaching yoga, I have to speak to people’s insecurities, fears, fatigue and hopelessness. In order to do that, I need people skills – not a Ph.D.

Because you see, forcing specialist expertise onto someone who hasn’t got the time to grasp it is almost a violent act. Being picky with what you say and how and when you say it can have a much better impact.

The longer your career, the less your qualifications matter. Your talent becomes more about how you do your job than what you actually do.

Are you the team member people want to have DM access to? Can you navigate workplace chaos with the grace of a monk high on green tea? That's your real qualification.

Being a “good” teammate doesn’t mean you have to be the most extroverted, the best communicator, or even have the best thoughts and ideas.

Being proactive, curious, empathetic, and having a service mentality are invaluable skills that won’t go unnoticed.

Be the person who gives a damn.

In the end, your “speciality” is your style, your vibe and your presence.

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Key takeaways:

• Don’t limit yourself to thinking that your expertise on one subject is what counts.

• Say yes even when you’re not 100% confident about a specific part of a job. Not being an expert is your greatest motivator for learning. Plus, you’ll also have a fun life.

• Embrace your multiple passions and seek out hobbies and social circles that expose you to something random.

• Focus more on how you do things than what you do. The hows will become your signature style and draw people to work with you.

• Keep being a weirdo. It has more value than you think.

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Hope is not given to us but created within and by us. You can create it by embracing who you are.

Thank you for your time and presence.

With kindness,
Aurora

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If you liked this post, you might love one of these:

Are you a multipassionate generalist with creative ideas and a spiritual twist? Great, the world needs you.

What I do when I have too many random ideas

What to do when you don’t know who or what you are?

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