How to Develop a Jack-of-All-Trades Mindset and Never Get Bored Again
Being a jack of all trades means never getting bored again . It also means building confidence, the ability to adapt and be a good leader, but this requires the right mindset. If you want to expand a little or are willing to do all of this, this guide will get you in the right direction.
Being a jack of all trades means being open to everything. Think about what fascinates you . Let curiosity guide you. If something piques your interest, throw caution and give it a try. If you’ve always been interested in carpentry, see what it really feels like – it’s safe to hold tools and build something. As “Jack” or “Jill,” you are not afraid to take on something new. In fact, you succeed in this. You know you won’t be successful at first, but you know that a little effort goes a long way. You have a “I’ll figure it out” attitude, so you’re always ready to dive into the business.
Learn skills that complement each other
As you learn and practice, look for skills that can complement those already developed. Think of the skill world as a web or tree, almost like character development in a video game or some complex flowchart. They diverge from each other to lead to more, and some complex skills are impossible to even master until you first learn others.
For example, if you’ve worked in IT, consider how learning the basics of networking, security, and software development can help you do your job better. Learning to sing and write music makes guitar playing much more rewarding. Or, if you’ve been in woodworking, learning metalworking, painting and technical drafting, you could take your DIY game to the next level. If you are not sure which skills will complement what you already know, or which direction you should be heading, try this exercise:
- List three things you think you are good at. You’re good at something, so don’t be humble here.
- Now choose the one that worries you the most. The rest are used for comparison to help you make a decision. One is likely to stand out.
- Write this skill on a piece of paper and draw three lines (or branches) from it.
- Now write down three skills that will help you master the skill you find most exciting even better. These are additional skills.
- From the three additional skills, pick the one you care about the most and see what you can learn about it.
With this simple exercise, you will see what additional skills can help you become better at what you are already doing and create a map of what your next step will be. Your horizons will be broader, allowing you to come up with new and different ideas. You can become a better employee and even take on leadership positions in the future. Who do you think they want to see upstairs? A pony with one trick or someone who knows the whole territory from different angles?
“Flirt” with extra work and passionate projects, but keep a serious “relationship”
You are unlikely to be able to make a living just by learning new skills. Nobody will pay you to sit and jump from one activity to the next. To be a successful jack of all trades, you need to devote yourself to some work, like everyone else. As David Mansarai put it, you must have a serious relationship with some flirty side-by-side relationships:
Every time I take on a new subject or try to develop a new skill, I like to think that I am starting a new relationship. At the end of the day, I have to spend a lot of time and put in a lot of effort. It sounds like a relationship to me … You won’t be able to establish a serious relationship with everything you try to learn because most of the time you will be flirting, testing waters, exploring new things. You often lose interest and want to move on. Here’s a tip I have: a serious relationship is extremely important, but as generalists, we will always want a little more, something collateral.
Your job that keeps you afloat is a serious relationship. It’s a commitment that involves great depth, attention to detail, and a strong personal bond. Think of it as a “jack of all trades, a master of his craft”. You need this foundation in order to expand. After all, branches grow from the trunk.
Of course, there is nothing wrong with looking for new opportunities , even if you are not ready to part ways with your current relationship. If you see something that you like, it doesn’t hurt to flirt a little. Read about it, find a part-time job to get a taste, or talk to people who are doing work that interests you. Who knows, you may discover your true passion in life. And if so, you will know what skills you need to start learning in order to continue.
If you’re unsure of where to start, volunteering can be a good way to flirt with new skills, and it’s good for the community as well. You can try your hand at different types of work that interest you, without the full return of the new job. It will look good on a resume, and you can even use the skills you’ve learned to make a career change . It is important to remember that many volunteer organizations may want to use the skills you already have, but it is still possible to find your way to something you haven’t done before. It never hurts to ask if you can do something specific, just don’t be discouraged if they need you to do something else. Keep up the good work and eventually you will be able to do something new. If you are unsure how to find a volunteer concert that you enjoy, we will help you get started . However, whatever you’re flirting with, just make sure you don’t turn down a serious relationship if you’re not sure you’re ready.
Make practicing new skills a hobby
You will only develop skills if you practice them. You can read hundreds of books to learn about something, but you have no idea how to actually do it. Practice allows you to learn and develop at the same time. Learn the basics and learn by doing . Don’t get hung up on what you want to do. Choose what excites you and get started. If you find that you don’t like it – great! This is one less skill than you should be doing. Marianne Cantwell of Undercover Recruiter is good at making a decision not to make a decision . You might think that you are just “leaving your options open”, dreaming of getting started, but you will never expand your skill list unless you actively pursue them.
However, practice takes time and you are probably a very busy person, so turn practice into your new hobby. Make reasonable sacrifices to make room for him. Take time each weekend to develop a new skill, attend online classes or on slow nights, and cut back on the less productive use of your time. Don’t cut back on all your lazy time, and leave only what you need to recharge the batteries. Learning a new skill should be fun and it will eventually come naturally. At some point you will have some free time and feel the urge to practice instead of splashing around in front of the TV.
Ask others for help
Being a jack of all trades does not mean that you will never need someone’s help. In fact, it is almost the exact opposite. Instead of thinking of yourself as a hero who knows how to “do it all” on your own, think of yourself as someone who wants to learn something from everyone you can. You probably have friends or family who know how to do something that interests you, so hurry up to them about it.
For example, I have a friend who brews his own line of beer. I don’t know anything about brewing, but I can’t wait for him to show me the basics the next time I visit him. Will his experience affect me over the weekend? No, of course not, but I learn about it firsthand. Then, if I want to try my hand at this, I have a little know-how to start with. So think about all your friends and family. Imagine that each of them has some kind of trading card with characteristics and skills. What skills do they have that you want to learn? They will likely be happy to teach you, and you may even be able to strengthen your relationship with them in the process.
If you want to learn a skill that no one you know has, at least find someone willing to learn the same skill. Just like training with a friend, when someone is studying with you, you can stay motivated and energized . You can push each other for the better, and you have an outlet when you want to discuss your victories or express your disappointment. A jack of all trades is certainly capable on his own, but he always sees value in helping others.
Know your limits
Even the best jack of all trades has limitations, so be aware of yours. You can get so caught up in learning new things that you burn out. Take your time and only focus on a couple of things at the same time. If you find that you are constantly low on energy, take a break from study and recharge. You cannot become Jack overnight, and you will never become Jack if you can never gather the energy to practice. These skills will continue to be available when you are ready to go.
Don’t waste energy going uphill with something you hate. There may be rare times when working hard on some terribly uninteresting skills can benefit your career enough to make it worthwhile, but for the most part, stick with what you enjoy. No one is forcing you to continue, and you will quickly lose motivation if you try to force it.
You also don’t want to overthink using the skills you learn. Think about how you might apply what you learn once. Anyone who only knows how to play the violin, fold origami and cook ham will have very limited career options. It’s the exact opposite goal of becoming Jack! You become the one to adapt and fit into almost any career that interests you. So don’t inadvertently limit yourself by going too much in different directions.
Finally, you don’t want to lose the mindset of the problem solver. Jack can easily look like someone with no idea what he wants to do in life. Forbes’ Liz Ryan gives an example of why it is important to know what problems you can solve :
“I can do a lot, but I don’t know how much pain I am getting rid of. I’m not sure what I especially want to do in my work. You are an employer – you know what to do! »Employers are in pain. This is why they hire people.
Always think about how you can use your talents to solve problems. It’s okay to learn funny things, but try to complement each other so that you can use them. You may not generally know what you want to do in life, and that’s okay, but you should make an effort to be useful. You may be a multifunctional tool, but you are still a tool. Remember, jack of all trades are not confused about what they want to do, they just know they want to do a lot.
Photos by Francesco Abrignani (Shutterstock), Johan Sonin , Daniel Thornton , Shane Gorski , John Lim , Jazzbek .