The reality behind "picking a niche"

Should you be a generalist or a specialist?

Let’s consider both…

On the one hand, creative people are curious and find it hard to just do one thing. It feels almost against our nature.
On the other hand, it’s much easier to make a career and talk about your business when you do one thing.

The truth is, there are problems with both.

1. Generalists

They can suffer from Squirrel Syndrome: distracted, lacking focus.
Many don’t finish things, switch too fast between interests, and don’t take the time to become proficient at any skill.

They feel like if they specialize, they will miss out on something else.

2. Specialists

They suffer from Tunnel Vision Syndrome: hyper focused.
They face two problems (and the second one is the one that blew my mind).

First, if their expertise becomes irrelevant, they are forced to start over from scratch.

Second, as you become a pro in one skill something interesting happens: there’s less competition but the competitors are more fierce and committed.

Think about this: It’s hard to get into the NBA. But once you are there, it’s even harder to stand out.

People who are elite are working 10 times harder than anybody else, may have better genes, resources, and luck than you.

Standing out among the best in one category is almost impossible.

So, what then?

I found the answer in this article. Go ahead and read it after you finish this.

Spoiler alert, the main idea is this: “Don’t become the best at one thing.
Instead, learn diverse skills that give you a unique combination.”

3. The hybrid professional

Most people who are good at drawing are not good with math.
Most people who are good at math are not good at drawing.
If you are decent at both, you create your own category.

Now add more stuff in there: public speaking, marketing, video editing, etc… How many people do you know who are decent (and enjoy) doing all that?

This is what it actually means to niche down.

So don’t pick one skill, pick a mix!

That unique mix is what makes you stand out from the crowd of generalists and specialists.
Plus, the more unique that combination is, the less competition you have.

I’ll explore this more in detail next week but, for now, I’d love to know:

What’s your mix?

If you don’t yet have one, dream for a minute. What would you like your mix to be?

Fresh Tip:

Don’t pick a skill to specialize on.
Pick a mix of skills that makes you unique.

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