Generalist vs. Specialist: Which Is Better?

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  • čas přidán 21. 05. 2024
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    In his book Range: Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World, New York Times bestselling author David Epstein defines generalists and specialists in terms of how people accomplish their goals.
    The book posits that in many fields, being a generalist is actually a more desirable and likely path to achieving success. After all, how many Mozarts and Tiger Woods are there in any given generation?
    Let’s look at the difference between generalist vs. specialist. Generalists dabble in many areas, also called “sampling,” and they possess a range of knowledge. On the other hand, specialists devote hours of focus, time, and energy into just one talent.
    A generalist himself, Epstein says you have to give yourself permission to fail, to choose the wrong pursuit, or to work in a job that’s not your ultimate dream career. These small failures are actually major learning experiences that will help you inch closer to greatness.
    See the full article on the difference between generalist vs. specialist here: www.freethink.com/videos/gene...
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Komentáře • 68

  • @Spokenwisdom1
    @Spokenwisdom1 Před rokem +36

    Be a generalist. Hire specialists. As a specialist, look for generalists that look for you to continue to specialize then you can take your pick.

    • @johabermuor
      @johabermuor Před měsícem

      I'm a generalist hired by a generalist team and It's wild.

  • @abbeyangevine1773
    @abbeyangevine1773 Před 4 lety +52

    As a former gifted kid, this explains so much about how I was taught.

  • @abeneyas
    @abeneyas Před 4 lety +60

    this is the most underrated channel on CZcams. great content.

  • @nellisterblanche8443
    @nellisterblanche8443 Před rokem +9

    I can very much relate to being a generalist. Example, I was very into self reliance in the garden. Researching alot seperately on composting and chickens, I had a great idea which turned out to be agrwat success by integrating a compost system and chicken coop. The result was what I called the '3bin chicken hopper'. This system produced healthy eggs and compost at an incredible rate, unprecedented to these two systems operated in isolation from each other. A structural engineering technologist, craftsmen and gardener. These different interests are combined to make me think wider.

  • @justnikkei_
    @justnikkei_ Před 3 lety +21

    Currently reading this book; it literally explains how I’ve always thought about life and education. Things are always changing and current models we have are fit for the “kind environments” - things that are cookie-cutter like and have repetitive patterns which you can get better at with muscle memory and practice. I’ve always felt wired to learn about multiple things from different fields and that I think the pursuit of specialization limits our way of thinking! This made me feel so much better about how I feel about myself.

  • @rawbacon
    @rawbacon Před 4 lety +15

    Specialist are often strange people and limited thinkers. I became a chess champion at 7 for the first time, I turned away from it because of it's limitations on thought. After a few years of defending my title I just couldn't see the point anymore.

  • @MrChopstsicks
    @MrChopstsicks Před rokem +2

    Work as a barista, team leader, burger flipper, outlet supervisor, property agent, now seller support. If there is a need to impress, hey, I can make nice latte art

  • @mikelahood9600
    @mikelahood9600 Před 4 lety +6

    Love the little character moment at the credits trying to catch the book :)

  • @GT-tj1qg
    @GT-tj1qg Před 2 lety +2

    This is quite genuinely insightful. There's so many CZcams channels full of pseudo-insightfulness, but this actually seems quite sensible and useful

  • @k1ngjulien_
    @k1ngjulien_ Před 4 lety +8

    Very nice! I agree that the time where you could only focus on one thing and do that for the rest of your life is definitely over. In today's age you constantle have to learn new skill and hone old ones to stay ahead.

  • @rationalthinker9541
    @rationalthinker9541 Před 2 lety +6

    "dont compare yourself that it isn't you, but compare yourself to yourself Yesterday.." wow.. I feel like it wasnt too late for me for a 37 y/o....

    • @jimmieraper5807
      @jimmieraper5807 Před rokem +2

      You would be surprised how much you can observe no matter how old

  • @bala8664
    @bala8664 Před 2 lety +2

    One of the best video I seen in CZcams

  • @Biomeducated
    @Biomeducated Před 4 lety +17

    This is a very very inspiring video for a young researcher like myself. Lateral thinking is key! GOT IT.
    Thanks a thousand!

  • @tommuller9401
    @tommuller9401 Před 4 lety +7

    Nice video, it was inspiring

  • @abbichoa145
    @abbichoa145 Před 2 lety

    This is exactly what i am looking for to discuss

  • @stuffostuff3323
    @stuffostuff3323 Před 4 lety +7

    I never saw a video of a child side by side with his future self doing the same thing.

  • @Shreyaagrawal_1657
    @Shreyaagrawal_1657 Před rokem +1

    David epstein and freethink for the win!
    Great video. Thanks freethink

  • @lohphat
    @lohphat Před 4 lety +15

    Binary choices are a false dichotomy. Both have value.
    An aircraft needs generalists to coordinate specialists to create something safe and useable. Each by the,serve could not execute it alone.
    The “us” vs “them” narrative isn’t generally a helpful way to initiate a dialog.

    • @Polymath9000
      @Polymath9000 Před 4 lety +8

      You are absolutely correct in your statement but the problem is that specialists are in charge of everything from school s to businesses to academia.

  • @solarityaj
    @solarityaj Před 11 měsíci

    I was kinda like a gifted kid with school, and im still am good at school and stuff, but i was also kind of generalist when I was younger too. Just doing a lot of things. Its honestly just my nature..

  • @Qaher
    @Qaher Před 4 lety +1

    great content.

    • @freethink
      @freethink  Před 4 lety +2

      Thanks for watching, Qaher!

  • @nightfury1591
    @nightfury1591 Před 4 lety +9

    Specialist : They are good at one thing
    Generalist : They are good at everything *(Your Mom)*

    • @pockpicket9360
      @pockpicket9360 Před 3 lety +3

      that's not how it works

    • @boxer6796
      @boxer6796 Před 2 lety +1

      Specialist - Expert - More in demand....Generalist: A Jack of all trades, but a master of none, less in demand.

    • @Stop1601
      @Stop1601 Před 2 lety

      That’s not true at all.
      Generalist: Knows a little about everything.
      Specialist: Knows everything about a little.

  • @TheLittlePenguinDude
    @TheLittlePenguinDude Před 2 lety +12

    I think the ideal is to be a generalist, where you are go in depth for 2-3 domains... for example, I am an engineer and have background in operations management, but also try to learn a bit of everything (finance, IT, sales, etc)

  • @sagarsingh4951
    @sagarsingh4951 Před rokem +2

    I want to be generalist with a specialization in 2-3 things

  • @sagarsingh4951
    @sagarsingh4951 Před rokem

    I think parents should give their kids at least some amount of generalized learning environment for the first few years of their initial lives. It is far more valuable to be able to think with various lenses to problems than upfront solving that problem using some preexisting knowledge. The zero to one transition is a difficult one if you can't think multidisciplinary way.

  • @aleksszukovskis2074
    @aleksszukovskis2074 Před 4 lety +27

    0:33 Epstein. I've heard that name before.

    • @k1ngjulien_
      @k1ngjulien_ Před 4 lety +2

      as you can see he's still alive and therefore did not kill himself :D /s

    • @Genci0
      @Genci0 Před 4 lety +2

      He just chamged form to an other body.

    • @JR-mk6ow
      @JR-mk6ow Před 4 lety +1

      *A GUY THAT DIDN'T KILLED HIMSELF*

    • @frafraplanner9277
      @frafraplanner9277 Před měsícem

      It's a common Jewish last name.

  • @crypto2633
    @crypto2633 Před 3 lety +2

    You can become a generalist at any age

  • @mid-
    @mid- Před 4 lety +10

    0:32 my spider senses tingeled when i heard epstein

  • @MattSaundersCoach
    @MattSaundersCoach Před 2 lety +4

    My trajectory as a designer was to be very general for along time. This helped shape my overall skillset but when it came to actually delivering projects and building a business, I needed some aspect of specialisation. Perhaps specialising is the thing that sits at the front of a broad skillset?

    • @uocommonsense
      @uocommonsense Před 2 lety

      That is exactly why I am here too. Specialists are preferred over generalists when it comes to delivering work. Not sure about building a business. Looking for a good answer. Have you made some progress ?

  • @DivineRight454
    @DivineRight454 Před 9 měsíci

    How would i fare if i was a generalist who made various different Artificial Intelligences that specialize in various fields of expertise how far could i go to add and progress to the already vast well of scientific knowledge cuz its kinda been a dream of mine to achieve for a while now

  • @jimmieraper5807
    @jimmieraper5807 Před rokem +1

    Slow money is better than fast money

  • @specialism640
    @specialism640 Před 3 lety

    I don't wanna be in this fight

  • @almaisakinudungsalsabila9590

    Generalist vs. Specialist: Which Is Better?

  • @zhio_16
    @zhio_16 Před rokem

    Should schools produce generalists or specialists? Defend your answer.

  • @ikemkrueger
    @ikemkrueger Před 11 měsíci +1

    The workforce is not promoting generalists.

  • @einmaniac3360
    @einmaniac3360 Před rokem

    by the way, this video is pro generalist.

  • @darcflame37
    @darcflame37 Před 4 lety +5

    So what's the message? Don't become a specialist? Or just be a better generalist? If you went through school, then you are a generalist, that would make us (young adults) *already* generalists. If I don't specialize in real life you take a salary hit in the mid game. So, we should just bounce around or do odd jobs? This opinion probably isn't for everyone. And this world (U.S.), is left in financial shambles (not the only thing) by previous generation. Not sure *I* would chance it on low prospects, but maybe other/older people would.

    • @KaramikoAlexander
      @KaramikoAlexander Před 4 lety

      There are some exclusions with your statement about jobs. Some jobs required a person to be more generalist ex: Product Management.

    • @jalenmacon
      @jalenmacon Před 4 lety +3

      I like to see it as a group thing. Humans are social creatures, so a group of ppl who specialize in different things will obviously go further than a group of generalists bc the generalists can all do the same stuff at a basic level but the specialists offer THE BEST of what each person does, which skyrockets overall success of the group far more than the generalist group.

    • @cluckoothechicken5721
      @cluckoothechicken5721 Před 3 lety

      @@jalenmacon but what I'm guessing he's saying is that new ideas require a single person to have a good knowledge of multiple fields.

  • @solidwaterslayer
    @solidwaterslayer Před 4 lety +4

    specialist?
    I think specialist is better.

    • @Rheinhart2
      @Rheinhart2 Před 2 lety

      tell me you're a specialist without telling me you're a specialist

    • @solidwaterslayer
      @solidwaterslayer Před 2 lety +3

      @@Rheinhart2 im actually an idiot

    • @felipeg9022
      @felipeg9022 Před rokem

      ​@@solidwaterslayer Aren't we all? Self-awareness is everything LoL

  • @mihiershastri4499
    @mihiershastri4499 Před 2 lety

    I am so fucking confused

  • @lowereastsideastrologist7769

    To a generalist, a specialist isn't generally intelligent. To a specialist, a generalist isn't intelligent at all.