I’ve always had a curiosity for almost everything—tech, music, video editing, writing, marketing, psychology, philosophy… you name it.

Depending on my mood, I’d dive deep into any one of them, obsess for a while, and learn the basics. It felt natural. But as I grew older, I started hearing the phrase “a jack of all trades is a master of none,” and I began questioning if I was doing something wrong.

So, like many people, I tried to narrow my focus to fit in. But honestly, it felt like I was cutting off parts of myself. All those interests, when combined, are who I am. Trying to force myself into one box felt limiting, and eventually, I realized I was denying what made me unique.

Here is a side note. You should take every popular belief with a pinch of salt, especially when shaping your identity. Just because everyone believes something doesn’t mean it’s right. Question the status quo—it is a healthy habit.

Doing this led me to eventually finding out that the full saying is “a jack of all trades is a master of none, but oftentimes better than a master of one.” and the reason just made sense. A well-rounded person skilled in many areas can connect dots and solve problems creatively. They bring perspectives from multiple disciplines to the table.

This is the essence of a Renaissance person—a characteristic that’s becoming more crucial in our current reality.

We’re experiencing a shift. The way we work, the way we create is changing rapidly.

If you haven’t noticed it, you might be overlooking something significant.

Let me paint a picture of this shift so you see what I am saying

The renaissance parallel

The first Renaissance was a period of cultural rebirth, marked by the fusion of art, science, philosophy, and innovation. Thinkers like Leonardo da Vinci weren’t confined to one discipline; they were painters, inventors, scientists, and engineers all at once.

What made the era remarkable was their ability to blend ideas from different domains. Their interdisciplinary approach led to groundbreaking advancements that still influence our world today.

In the digital age, we’re witnessing a similar trend. The internet and digital tools have democratized access to knowledge. You can learn anything, master it, and build leverage through media or code.

You can be a video editor, marketer, a great SEO, writer, a gossip, and succeed when you put all of these skills together to start a blog that goes on to have millions in weekly impression displacing legacy media.

Back then they had the printing press, we have social media. They had mechanics, we have AI. The parallels is there, only the blind will choose not to see.

The rise of the polymath

We’ve moved past the need to limit ourselves to specific roles—a necessity in the industrial age when machines ruled. Now, the lines between roles are blurring. Yes, become an expert in a field, but also explore everything else that interests you. Don’t just learn—find creative ways to use your other interests to amplify your expertise.

Creators, influencers, and entrepreneurs are perfect examples of modern-day polymaths. They build leverage through media around their interests and use this leverage to sell their judgment and expertise.

This is the bedrock on which the creator economy is built.

Look around you—who are the ones making millions in revenue? What characteristics do they have? Elon Musk is an obvious example, with his ventures spanning space travel, internet access, electric vehicles, and social media. He may seem like a jack of all trades, but at his core, he’s a specialist in tech.

But then he is also very sarcastic, there is also an element of playfulness in there and all of that put together is what makes him unique.

But you don’t have to look that far. Generalists and polymaths are all around you. The creator you follow on Instagram, the entrepreneur with a personal brand on YouTube—they are everywhere.

The question is, how can you harness this power yourself? How can you become a modern day polymath that is the super power of those that are becoming modern millionaires?

Here’s how I’ve been embracing the generalist in me, and how you can start doing the same.

How to embrace the generalist in you

1) Self educate

As a kid you were really curious, you could decide to do or learn anything you wanted and you would, but as you grew that desire diminished. You began to conform to what society wanted, what your parent wanted, what people deemed the norm.

That is go through the education system, get a Job, retire.

They force you to conform to becoming a specialist because ideally, this is what the world needs, but not anymore. The pendulum has swung back to the times of the old. We are experiencing the modern renaissance and one characteristic that was important back then that is again today is the ability to learn anything and learn it fast.

Don’t be afraid to follow your curiosity. It will lead you to true freedom. But i get that it can be tough, where does one even begin?

The one skill you should learn

To thrive in today's world, you need to learn one skill. In this skill you have many other skills ingrained in it but ideally it is just one skill. This skill is what sets the millionaires of today’s world apart from the rest. What is it? Digital literacy.

In digital literacy you have writing, coding, video editing, marketing, persuasion, etc. but lets keep it as digital literacy. The term simply means the ability to pick up anything related to media or code and learn it because these two forms of leverage are what make the modern millionaires.

2) Exercise

There are reports from research that suggest that exercise improves mental performance. It keeps you focused and regulates your psyche entropy. I believe this is true because I have experienced this myself.

It is not enough to embark on the Journey of navigating your curiosity and building your mind. To become a modern renaissance man, you need to be committed to improvement in every areas of your life i.e. Which includes your body as well as your mind.

Exercise could be as simple as morning walks / Jogs. You just need to ensure you move your body and stay in shape.

The Future Belongs to the Curious

The future is for those who stay curious, who explore, question, and connect ideas from different worlds. Curiosity is your superpower; it’s what drives innovation and sets you apart in a world that’s constantly evolving.

So, don’t box yourself in. Embrace the things that spark your interest, even if they seem unrelated. Keep learning, keep experimenting, and let your curiosity guide you. The world is shifting, and those who are curious enough to explore beyond the obvious will shape what’s next.

The future is wide open, and it’s yours for the taking. Keep being curious, and you’ll find yourself ahead of the curve, ready for whatever comes next.

Thank you for reading and enjoy the rest of your Saturday.

~ Tolu