Google has an interesting way of hiring people.
They look for ‘T-Shaped People.’
For example, if they’re hiring someone in programming:
They look for people that have a BREADTH of knowledge around different programming languages (frontend, backend, C++, etc),
AND
They look for people that have a DEPTH of one specific skill (Python).
The top horizontal portion of the ‘T’ represents the WIDTH of knowledge,
The middle vertical portion of the ‘T’ represents the DEPTH of knowledge.
Someone who has specialty in one skill,
But also has general knowledge about an array of different skills.
My take on this is…
You should aim to be WELL ROUNDED (in everything in life),
But also have MULTIPLE ‘T’ legs. So multiple vertical portions going down.
(maybe 3-5)
You should read and learn about a BREADTH of knowledge around life.
And at the same time, I’m in the camp that you can be world-class at MORE than one thing.
You CAN be Da Vinci.
You CAN be Elon.
I’m against the idea that you have to “specialize.”
You can use the term “specialist” to position yourself for marketing, but not a fan of the idea of doing only one thing.
I think it’s a limiting belief, when we have tons of counterexamples of geniuses in multiple crafts.
Sure, you stick to one thing at a time for focus, but you can also be good at other things too.
Think about a brain surgeon.
He spends his whole life studying brain surgery.
So he has his 20,000+ hours into his craft.
But when he goes home –
he’s also the BEST husband in the world.
He’s also the BEST dad to his 4 year old daughter.
He’s also an incredible friend to his peers.
He’s also an expert at public speaking and gives presentations all the time on brain surgery.
He’s also a great leader at his hospital and his employees love him.
At night, he loves to paint to take his mind off surgery. He’s really good. He can make it a living if he really wanted to. In a parallel life, he might be considered a modern day Picasso.
And on weekends he plays basketball at his local gym and he’s the captain and lead point guard for his team.
On surface, he’s a ‘specialist’ but that’s only what society sees.
He’s good at SO MANY avenues of life, that it’s hard to pinpoint ‘what he is.’
Is he a brain surgeon?
Is he a father?
Is he a painter?
I love how Dan Koe puts it:
YOU are the niche.
When you put yourself into a ‘category’ you pigeonhole yourself, and your creativity and knowledge is boxed in within that ‘category’
So my take is:
Go with your natural curiosity.
You like painting, put hours into it.
You also like boxing, get a coach.
You want to create a business, get a mentor.
Be an octopus-like ‘T’ shape lol
But do it in a way that not only serves you, but can help others.
And most importantly OWN the things that interests you.
Because people LOVE passion – there’s a natural gravitas that presents itself when you align passion WITH confidence.
People are magnetized towards congruence and authenticity.
People yearn for it.
THAT’S how you should market.
It’s a much better, congruent and authentic way of building a business (and life), IMHO.
