A human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher a hog, conn a ship, design a building, write a sonnet, balance accounts, build a wall, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders, give orders, cooperate, act alone, solve equations, analyze a new problem, pitch manure, program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight efficiently, die gallantly. Specialization is for insects.
-Robert Heinlein
Though my list wouldn’t be the same as Heinlein’s I agree with the spirit of this quote. And the last thing on the list is spot on. Unless you’re a pro athlete or a member of an elite unit (say a sniper for S.W.A.T.) you are only going to be hindered in your life and development from becoming overspecialized. As Heinlein says specialization is for insects not men. I see so many men who overdevelop in one area while completely neglecting others.
Sometimes it’s overcompensating, sometimes it’s just ignorance, and others time it’s something else. However no matter what it has the same end results defeat and destruction. While you should always be developing and getting better at the same time you should know when the ROI of something is costing more than it’s worth. Though it’s obviously overused and hackneyed the 80/20 rule applies a lot here.
Be Better, Not Best
Again unless you’re a professional performing at a high level. The only thing you should want to be the best at (other than father, brother, etc.) is developing yourself as a man. For example I’ll never be as big as Arnold, I’ll never fight as good as Jack Dempsey, I’ll never be a good a writer as Robert E. Howard, I’ll never be a better marketer than Dan Kennedy, and so on and so forth. And doing so would hamper my overall development as a man and being the best man that I can be. There’d come a point where it’d work against me.
For most things I simply want to be far above average (how far really depends on personal factors). For example in boxing I should be able to successful fight and win against 9/10 guys out there. I should be able to write copy better than 9/10 and so on and so forth. Don’t take the 9/10 too literally it’s more important that you understand the concept that I’m getting at. Other than a few choice things you should focus on being well above average but not worry about being the best (again because the ROI is going to work against you).
Shore Up Weaknesses
Many guys are like a castle that has one wall that is reinforced and built well while the others are made of crumbling wood. And they’re usually aware of this (at least at a subconscious level) and respond by simply strengthening the wall made of reinforced stone and 100 feet high. But obviously this isn’t what is needed. You have to be strong from all angles and be well rounded to succeed and win or at the very least prevent your destruction.
You need to look everywhere for any hint of weakness and destroy it before it destroys you. You should have a deep and all consuming hatred for your weakness. View every weakness as an affront to your most precious possession, your pride and honor. Look high and low for any weakness and then address it. Maybe it’s finances, maybe it’s the shape you’re in, maybe it’s you have an addiction, maybe it’s a million other things. These will be personal to you and it’s up to you to root them out and destroy them. Remember the castle analogy.
Summary
The point is in the important activities to become well above average and then maintain a lifestyle that will keep you at that level (never get complacent). Trying to be the best at many things is not going to work out well for you. The well above average jack of all trades beats the specialist in life. Don’t allow yourself to be weak from any angle, and I mean any angle. Be strong from all angles and you’ll be unassailable especially when bonded with strong brothers (your tribe).
If you have any questions you would like to see answered in a future post send them to me at charlessledge001 (at) gmail (dot) com. If you found value in this post then I would encourage you to share this site with someone who may need it as well as check out my books here. I appreciate it. You can follow me on Twitter here.
-Charles Sledge
