Specialization is the best way.......False!

“Specialization is the best way. False!” Stan Christensen said in a video about avoiding the wrong job. He encouraged us to not specialize but rather choose to be a generalist. This is something I have wondered about and at some point I thought of doing additional post graduate studies in Architecture. It now makes sense why not doing this was a good. He said that the more we specialize our returns are diminished. I never thought of it like that before. It was one of those light bulb moments. The amount of effort it takes to become an expert in something can be less rewarding that diversifying. Especially if what you are specialized in becomes irrelevant in an ever changing job market. This is in contradiction to the book we read called Mastery. Here the author motivates that we need to devote the time needed to be an expert. Taking these seemingly contradictory views I think you can become an expert in diversity. Learning anything brings you closer to self-mastery. Learning should be enough to be of value. Finishing what you start is definitely the mark of a master. It however may not be mastering more and more in a very specific field of study.    

It is often said that architects are terrible business people. This is true of other specialized disciplines like Engineers, doctors etc. You may be excellent but it require more than being good in one niche market to be successful.