i was driving home from hockey. it was a game with my city team and i played every position (except goalie). they have me playing wing generally, which is fine since i joined the team more than half-way through the season. but last night, i started on wing, played center the second period, wing again in the third, but defence any time we had a penalty (approximately half the game). i guess i'm what is known as a utility player.
and then i realized that this applies not only to hockey but to most aspects of my life. baseball is the same thing - i can play every position. the downfall though of being a generalist is that you're often not too good at any one position. at least in sports. and i say that because i don't think there's anything wrong with being a generalist, in general.
take knitting. there are people who knit up amazing sweaters and shawls and socks and other fancy things that involve more than just knitting and purling (the two basic knitting stitches) and then there's me. i'm quite content to knit a scarf or a blanket (= a very wide scarf) because i enjoy knitting. i enjoy that it's mindless and something i can do while watching tv. my life hasn't included hardly any tv watching lately, and practically no knitting. what i'm trying to say is that i couldn't be bothered to learn the trickier parts of knitting. i'm quite content to plug along in stockinette and crank out the scarves.
and then there's my complete lack of need to argue/discuss/debate. often in the lunchroom at work there will be lively debates about whatever (insert topic here) and i'll sit there, actively listening, but not wanting to share an opinion, if i even have one that is. and then i realized that it's my nature to please people, to not ruffle feathers and just go with the flow. it could have something to do with my complete lack of the ability to voice my opinions eloquently.
but that doesn't mean that i don't have opinions. i do. and i have a strong set of morals and values and a solid understanding of what's important to me. i just follow my rules my way. and as i get older (and possibly more mature) i realize more and more how important it is to be happy and to have people in your life that you actually like and who acutally like you. it's important to be doing the things you want to do. but most importantly, it's important to like yourself and to like yourself you have to know yourself. even a simple realization like the one i made last night helps me to better understand myself and why i do the things i do.
i'm sure there are many more things i have to say on the topic, but i can't think of them now and i really have to get to work. i just wanted it out there: i am a generalist and i'm happy about it!
ps. coke man is too:
3 comments:
I find I think along the same lines at times. It's so much easier to do a bit of everything and not put all your eggs in one basket. Unfortunately, the expression 'jack of all trades, master of none' is usually quite true.
My personal solution is to be a jack of all trades, but a master of some. That way I get the satisfaction of knowing that I'm really doing a good job at something, but there are always other options out there if I need them.
The downside? It takes time and effort to push beyond your instinctive level of ability in something, while keeping everything else on the table. I think this is the reason that some people refuse to try new hobbies/sports/etc. They just aren't willing to invest the time/effort. For some, that's a fair trade. For me, not so much. I just cram more stuff into my day.
I think I'd better invent a 30-hour clock, or an 8-day week.
I was just having this discussion with Dave over the weekend! Like, Department stores versus specialty stores, and how i don't understand how department stores make money by having a little of everything - i tend to go to the specialty stores if i need something because i know i can see a variety of the one thing i want. And then i realized that I'm a department store... I'm not really good at one thing, I'm okay at a lot of things... But, if I think department stores can't make money on their business model, what does that say about how i feel about myself? Hmmm? Ooh, existential...
So one: congrats on finally settling into YOUR house! That is fantastic, and I'm so happy for you. I love reading the daily anecdotes.
So two: generalists are great things to be. they are often the CEO's of companies, directors of projects, managers of people because they understand and can accomplish all facets of things. (isn't that a good generalization right there?) And yes, I too am a generalist. Welcome to the club. :))
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