A Polymath’s Predicament: Imposter Syndrome & Lack of Focus
“The ‘polymath’ had already died out by the close of the eighteenth century, and in the following century intensive education replaced extensive, so that by the end of it the specialist had evolved. The consequence is that today everyone is a mere technician, even the artist.”
~ Dietrich Bonhoeffer
What is a polymath? Well, what springs to mind with most people would be a character that is often seen as a “jack-of-all-trades” sometimes followed by “master-of-none.” Impressive figures such as Leonardo da Vinci or Benjamin Franklin may come to mind, but there have been countless polymaths that have never seen their full potential. As someone who has dabbled in a wide variety of disciplines, who has held numerous jobs requiring myriad hats, and who has many interests, I would consider myself among the polymath crowd. What does this mean for me? Fame, fortune, people lining up for blocks seeking my advice? Hardly. I can only speak for myself, but I would assume that for most like me, with all of my lifehacks (skills), there are equal measures of drawbacks (struggles). I suppose there’s a mastery of balance that needs to occur to make this entire thing work for me rather than work against me, but I have yet to discover the best formulas in which to yield more-favorable results. Needless to say, whatever I discover along the way will be well-documented.
It’s often thought that one with a wide-variety of skills would find their life’s journey to be much easier, but that’s not always the case. Having a certain bit of handy know-how in your tool belt can get you out of some jams but it could often lead to feeling overwhelmed in a different way as opposed to feeling overwhelmed because you’re not sure how to fix something. For example, you could either get tasked with at work or signing yourself up for too many projects at once thinking that “you’ve got this!” Maybe you do, but it doesn’t mean it’s fun. You’re not flexing in the mirror the whole time. You’re freaking out, thinking you’re an idiot, feeling like you can’t hack it, and wondering what it would be like to be free of all that responsibility. When it rains, it deluges. Once word gets around that you can handle yourself, look out!
Let’s segue into the “master-of-none” portion of things. Imposter syndrome is alive and well in many polymaths. This monster is continuously fed by the notion that your entire life has been fragmented between learning various skills, holding numerous positions, and sampling a number of fields. You’ve eaten the sampler tray of life, but have never experienced the full meal. Some of it is the fear of missing out imagining what it’d be like to be a total master at something and some of it is an attempt to find an identity. Some people just know who they are. They’ve grown up with a singular focus. “I’m going to be a teacher,” or “I’m going to be a doctor.” For some people, their calling is in lockstep with their entire being as it seems. For the polymath, a vocation can be like entering a maze of mirrors on acid. Where am I going? What am I doing? Who am I? What do I do with all these skills and interests that doesn’t conform to one coherent discipline? So, in many positions you feel like you don’t belong there because you don’t have the linear focus to master one field. There’s a constant tug-of-war—at some point in your career as you keep wondering “what if,” looking to satiate your other curiosities.
To circle back to the Dietrich Bonhoeffer quote at the beginning, perhaps this a symptom of our society’s regard for polymaths. I’m not saying, we’re some sort of oppressed group or anything, I’m merely wondering if the window of opportunities for polymaths within a society dominated by institutions, corporations, and standardization doesn’t often provide the best fit for polymaths. When you look back in history to the Benjamin Franklins of the world, they thrived mainly on their own. They had ups and downs financially, but in the end sheer determination of will and a little bit of creative integration of fields has made them the successes that we hear about today. Many of them had founded businesses, even countries, or made interesting discoveries and novel inventions! Polymaths often find themselves creating their own paths out of necessity. I would be surprised if there was a job listing out there that says, “Do you possess some skills in construction, engineering, design, debating, singing, writing, and artistry? Then this is the job for you!” Sometimes, you just have to choose all of the above or most of the above if you want to be fulfilled in your vocation. Until an alchemy of these disciplines has been established, many of us are taking on unfulfilling jobs while toolbox fallacies keep us in stagnation. Maybe that day will come and an opportunity arises that will allow me to scratch many itches at once under the umbrella of gainful employment, but I’m not aware of such opportunities.
Ultimately, people want to feel like their skills are being used without feeling used. They want the opportunity to derive value and worth from their accomplishments. No one wants to build a house that lasts two months. A sense of permanence, skin in the game, and a legacy is what gives us meaning. For polymaths, a legacy of half-started projects and unrealized potential is the ultimate nightmare scenario. That being said, a trail of half-started projects is better than one finished project in a subject that I’m particularly not excited about. Weird huh? I would suggest that younger polymaths do not necessarily take the path I’ve chosen. I’m middle aged, I’ve spent way too much time working for other people because I didn’t know what I should really be doing and how to make a living on my own. I still don’t. I have a plan and I’m trying new things, but there’s no guarantee where it will lead. It’s just something I know I must do or I’ll regret it for all time. Even though it’s never too late, the best days for experimentation are when you’re young, you’re eager, and you have more free time. Try your hand at entrepreneurship, come up with the next big idea, or enter the workforce working for other people to learn about certain skills and industries, but don’t stay too long if your heart is ultimately set on other things. The time will pass quickly. A polymath is a terrible person to waste. We may never know where we’re going, but we can choose one direction at a time and see where it goes. Just never be too afraid to turn back and start all over again on a different path. Sometimes, that’s what’s needed to narrow down broader interests. Even people with multiple talents and interests need to prioritize as we can’t do it all. It’s paramount to start younger so you have more time to double-back. I always encourage children to get caught up in meaningful timewasters: hobbies, skill-building, and tinkering. This is how people learn about what they’re good at, what they’re not good at, what really interests them, and how to proceed. No school will teach you this. No school will help you discover who you are and your vocation. If you’re a polymath, forget it. Every institution will try to force you into a box. Uniqueness isn’t their forte. You’re not just a dentist. You’re a dentist, botanist, herbalist, painter, antique-restorer, and yodeling master. You can hang up that white coat any time to try your hand at a career in those other things. Perhaps, you can develop a toothpaste made with all-natural ingredients that can also be used to make your antique furniture shine! It’s your life. If you can combine most of those hats into one, then you have an advantage most other people could never fathom. That’s special. That’s sacred. That’s something no one can touch. To all of the polymaths out there, God speed. To all of the specialists, God bless you as well. Your singular focus and mastery is your super power. We all have our gifts and unique combinations of talents that can give us our special edge. Let’s creatively go out there and make them work for us!
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