YOU DON’T HAVE TO BE THE BEST. So often we feel behind. Other people have already figured out what they want. Other people got started earlier. They’re sure of the path they’re on. But that’s not necessarily a good thing. I would have never thought I’d end up where I am now. My whole life I’ve been a generalist. I’ve never been the best at anything. There was always someone bigger, faster, and stronger. But I had heart and vision, and I was willing to work just as hard. This allowed me to collect a lot of different skills. Those skills, even though they seem random, make me successful on the path I’m on now. If you take your time and follow your inspiration, you’ll end up somewhere you couldn’t have even imagined. On today’s episode of The School of Greatness, I talk about finding your perfect career path with an expert on fulfilling work: David Epstein. David Epstein is a New York Times bestselling author and a science and investigative reporter. He co-authored the story for Sports Illustrator that revealed Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez had used steroids. His writing has been honored by an array of organizations, from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, to the Society of Professional Journalists and the National Center on Disability and Journalism, and has been included in the Best American Science and Nature Writing anthology. David gives example after example of people who had diverse backgrounds that seemed unrelated to the thing they ended up being famous for. He says that his most important projects are things he never could have planned. So get ready to learn why setting rigid long term goals may actually hold you back on Episode 817. Some Questions I Ask: How do we know what our best skills are? (22:30) What advice would you give your son about figuring out his career? (23:30) How do we do the matching process for ourselves? (43:00) Why do we have an obsession with being the best? (57:00) How do we know when we’ve found fulfillment? (1:04:00) In This Episode You Will Learn: About the concept “skill stacking” (10:00) Why David wrote his book on generalists (11:00) About The Dark Horse Project (13:30) Why “self-regulatory learning” is the most beneficial (16:00) About the “end of history allusion” (25:00) How David uses a “book of experiments” (48:00) Why we get stuck in the rut of competence (52:00)
In this episode, Louis Howes interviews David Epstein, the author of "Range: Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World". Epstein discusses how science has proven that it is never too late or too early to start pursuing your dreams and why generalists have a remarkable advantage over specialists.
In this interview, David Epstein shares insights on the importance of creating range in your career, consistently learning about yourself, and why comparison can slow you down from achieving your goals.
The concept of skill stacking involves cobbling together different skills to make a mosaic and find success in different areas. The Dark Horse Project observed people who viewed themselves as coming out of nowhere to attain success, and found that they had cobbled together different experiences and skills.
Reflection on past experiences allows for individuals to update their self-assessments and learn new skills through trial and error.
A journalist discusses their path to working at a sports journalism outlet and their work fact-checking articles related to science and medicine in sports.
Late specialization in choosing a program for higher education allows for better fit and higher growth rates upon graduating due to the fastest time of personality change occurring between the ages of 18 and late 20s.
Mozart's musical talent was evident even at a young age, as he insisted on playing the first violin during a jam session with professional musicians in his home.
This episode discusses the Army's approach to career progression for high potential officers and the implementation of talent-based branching, where officers are allowed to change their career track to better suit their skills and interests.
Unorganized play can be a great way to develop broad skills such as anticipatory skills and movement diversity, which can be crucial in various sports. Multiple sports can help a child to find the sport they are best suited for and to acquire general skills.
The speaker discusses their dedication to sports in high school and college, and how they were outperformed by a teammate who was fully dedicated to their craft.
The podcast discusses how unstructured play allows children to develop a range of skills and creativity, as demonstrated by studies in Germany and research featured in the movie In Search of Greatness.
The idea of a sports academy that promotes unstructured play for children is explored by Andy Murray.
The speaker discusses how they transitioned their training approach as a runner to their professional life, by setting goals and working towards them. They mention how others may have underestimated the work they put in, but ultimately achieved success through a slow and steady approach.
Journalist, speaker and bestselling author, David Epstein, shares his journey of exploring new interests by attempting new things, conducting experiments and being open to learning. He shares his research on the correlation between forcing ourselves to try new things and accelerated learning.
The natural decline of openness to experience can cause individuals to fall into a rut of confidence, but actively working to stay uncomfortable can help combat this.
Education in the United States focuses on not letting kids fall behind, but not as much on those who are high achieving. This mentality is pervasive in the United States culture, but this can be a problem as those who are high achieving need to be challenged to continue growing.
The speaker views themselves as a work in progress as a writer, and emphasizes the importance of reflecting, zigzagging, and being willing to try new things. They also compare their approach to writing to the inefficient search done by inventors and VCs, where throwing a lot out there is necessary for some things to stick.
The episode features stories of technical malfunctions at an event where Farnam Street's The Great Mental Models project is discussed along with one innovator's approach of having different projects to work on.
Failure is celebrated in theory, but in practice it is not easy to get promoted because of it. A look at the role failure plays in productivity and advancement is discussed.
Accumulating credentials can lead to a narrow viewpoint of the world, resulting in a person fitting any story to their developed mental model. This can be dangerous, particularly for those with a narrow specialty for their career, as their judgment of the world can become distorted by their rigid mindset.
David and his guest discuss the importance of creating works of art to serve people facing challenges in their lives and finding meaningful obstacles to optimize personal growth.
This podcast is all about exploring different parts of oneself, finding purpose, and creating fulfilling relationships, regardless of one's location, resources, or struggles. With weekly guests sharing their inspirational stories, listeners can gain insights into improving their lives and relationships.