From an adolescent age, I was passionate about new technologies. I wanted to know everything, try everything. The times were different, maybe less complicated, but like today, the world did not stand still. So I tried. Computer games, some form of programming, 2D / 3D graphics, composing music on trackers. Then came the topics around operating systems, their security or lack of it, the Internet, local networks, viruses… There was always more of everything than I was able to devote time to exploring a specific area… Even then, the “Inner Generalist” was waking up.

From the depths of the stories of “older” colleagues and the so-called role models, however, a clear message emerged. Only specialization will allow you to achieve success, climb the career ladder and get a lot of money! If you know everything – then you know nothing. Period. There was no discussion.

Inner Generalist is there for you

Life, however, showed a completely different side of “truth”. When I started working during my studies, it quickly turned out that the skills I acquired out of pure curiosity were reflected in reality. It appeared that someone even pays for Linux administration, Linux desktop configuration or even printer configuration. Then it turned out that working on Debian easily transformed into Knoppix and Ubuntu. I’ve been there already, little differences. I found myself in a team where various types of bio-IT computations were carried out on computing clusters. It so happened that I was also in clusters. I was extremely interested in OpenMosix which allowed to build clusters sharing CPU over LAN. Not like “grid computing” now, but the machine saw as if it had exactly as much vCPUs as all cluster nodes put together, something like “NUMA links”. Another random skill that allowed me to move on.

I could add a lot of these life stories. My conclusion is simple. Virtually everything I have touched, tested, curiously explored “without need” has turned into a wide set of experiences that are always at hand. Moreover, it has been used many times “in battle” at work, providing services to customers and then designing solutions.

Today I am sure that being a specialist is very good. A specialist is essential in any industry. However, planning and designing solutions often requires a person with a broad perspective, who can see patterns, apply good practices and sense threats. People who have seen similar solutions and participated in similar projects or implementations.

Inner Generalist. This is the role for him.

In the article on medium you can read about the famous and influential Generalists of our world: Elon Musk, Steve Jobs, Arianna Huffington, Ben Franklin, Leonardo Da Vinci, Marie Curie. These are people who were able to combine and use interdisciplinary knowledge, achieving great success.

I do not want to tell you which path to follow, or what is better. The legend of the “rich specialist” has to be relegated to the background.

I would like everyone to be able to find “that something” that guides their life. Maybe one will become an expert in one field, a virtuoso of a complex issue. On the other hand, a technology connoisseur, tasting technological innovations, checking what’s new in the world and tinkering with exciting solutions on his own.

If you’ve come across this article, you probably have an inner generalist in you. You are still looking for him, but you are close 🙂