If You Think You’re Supposed to Pick One Craft & Master It - Read This Post

This message is for creative types with an irrepressible urge to sample the arts and crafts spectrum...

… but who believe that the only way to be a “good artist” is to pick one medium and stick with it.

(Psst - be sure to check out the amazing resources I included at the end of this post for artists like you!)

In researching cool things to share with you, I’ve run across many sites touting this philosophy. These are industry experts telling you to be dedicated and laser-focused on one chosen path in order to achieve skill and success. They warn you not to get distracted - in fact, that exploring different fields is a tell-tale sign of amateurs and hobbyists.

If this sounds reasonable, that’s because it is… for a certain personality type.

But what if…

• What if you are wired a little differently?

• What if your creative passions routinely cycle or change?

• What if the thought of choosing one creative “thing” makes you panic, because you might miss out on something you’ll love even more?

• What if the best part of any new craft is, for you, the thrill of simply learning it? Or researching it? Or teaching it to someone else?

You see, mastery can take many different forms.

You can become a world renowned painter; people get that. Or a gallery-represented metalsmith; people get that, too. Even a kickin’ crochet granny; totally understood.

What our society struggles to understand is the multi-faceted mastery of the Renaissance person, a.k.a. generalist, a.k.a. polymath, a.k.a. “multipotentialite”, a.k.a. “scanner”. This is a mastery not of the craft itself but, rather, of learning, researching, adapting, and integrating. This type of mastery REQUIRES you to be an avid explorer.

Sounds cool, doesn’t it? Well…

There was a time when this type of intensely and intentionally curious personality held rockstar status - like back in Da Vinci’s day, and again when Ben Franklin was up to his many antics. But in our present age of extreme specialization and hyper-defined roles, it’s hardly surprising that the generalists’ real value has been shelved.

If YOU identify with the “jack-of-all-trades” label, know that, first and foremost, THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH YOU!! Deep-diving expertise may be the social “norm”, or even today’s romanticized “ideal”, but polymathic you has a creative arsenal that’s every bit as potent:

YOU have the ability to integrate different skill sets in entirely unique and unexpected ways:

You might be the one to combine lace-making with poetry to design a line of table linens sporting delicately crocheted verse. Or the one to partner photography, glass, beadwork, and science to create insanely cool, color point imagery that experiments with light refraction. (By the way, if you do one of these, I want to see it!! Please drop me a line!) Your brain is wired to create beauty from blending all of your amazing interests.

YOU have the ability to learn and adapt (significantly) more quickly than the average person:

You may have noticed that you pick up new skills faster than others… and sometimes get bored faster as a result. Your mind is hungry for knowledge, and lots of it; the faster it can help you get what you want out of an activity, the more quickly you will feed it something new and exciting!

YOU have the ability to both impact and relate instantly to a wide range of people:

Dabbling, as you do, in more than one field, increases your relationship network exponentially. You might find yourself connecting with the folk art crowd one day, photographers the next, and woodworkers the day after. This makes you highly relatable to many, MANY people whose interests intersect with your own, and gives you a chance to leave your mark in so many wonderful ways.

YOU have the ability to be downright fascinating:

Combine your fascinating, first-hand, multi-craft experiences with your resulting network of fascinating and passionate people, and folks will discover that you’re exactly that… fascinating!

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Want to understand more about why you can’t bring yourself to stick to one thing?

I’m including 5 links below that just might change how you see yourself!

1. “Refuse to Choose!: Use All of Your Interests, Passions, and Hobbies to Create the Life and Career of Your Dreams” by Barbara Sher
   An incredible book about OWNING your Renaissance spirit - this book changed my life, and the lives of many friends and family!

2. “Why Some of Us Don’t Have One True Calling”
   An outstanding TedX summary of being a “multipotentialite”, and the superpowers that go with it!

3. “The Rise of the Generalist”
   A gentle video on the recent rebirth of Renaissance mentality.

4. Ask Adam Savage: “Do You Lament Being a Generalist?”
   A personal introspection from MythBuster’s creative superhero on being a generalist in a specialist society.

5. “What to Do When I Want to Do Everything?”
   A video playlist with Barbara Sher, author of Refuse to Choose, on how to do all of the things you love… guilt-free!

So, fellow explorer, when your creative interests change course, roll with it.

The world will be richer - YOU will be richer - for following your passions.

“At what point do YOU start to lose interest in a craft? What is no longer there when you reach that point? ”

The answer to this will tell you what drives your passion! Be sure to share your revelations in the comments section below!

Note: I have no affiliation with, and am not receiving compensation from, any of the above websites. These are my personal recommendations.

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