Living a Non-Linear Life
Why David Epstein was right, why I keep studying constantly, and why job hopping isn‘t as bad as it was 50 years ago.
Approach your own personal voyage and projects like Michelangelo approached a block of marble, willing to learn and adjust as you go, and even to abandon a previous goal and change directions entirely should the need arise. Research on creators in domains from technological innovation to comic books shows that a diverse group of specialists cannot fully replace the contributions of broad individuals. Even when you move on from an area of work or an entire domain, that experience is not wasted.
— David Epstein, Range
My academic journey so far…
I did my first Bachelor’s degree almost 10 years ago. It was a big challenge back then. Probably because the subject (economics) didn’t interest me at all.
Nevertheless, I finished it.
Why? Because I did not give myself any other choice.
Some time later, four years after graduating, I wanted to do a Master’s degree after all. Studying seemed to make sense to me, I should educate myself a bit more.
But the lectures were rather disappointing…
But who can I blame?
Since I had a Bachelor’s degree in a field I didn’t really want to continue studying, the Master’s was unfortunately not for me. I should have known better.
So I dropped out.
It took some time and overcoming to start all over again, so to speak — my second Bachelor’s degree in Business Informatics (part-time). A big challenge.
And here I am, now on the verge of graduation.
After this degree, however, I am thirsting for a Master’s in space engineering — a degree for which I need another bachelor’s degree, namely in mechanical engineering (or similar).
This means the knowledge of physics, statics, fluid dynamics, and a lot more is required so I can study in this field.
Is that a good idea?
Starting a new bachelor’s degree?
Because this is exactly what I would need to do.
I thought about it for a long time. There were many alternatives, like postponing the bachelor’s degree and studying something different in between.
But time is going to pass anyway, so why not start now?
I will definitely acquire a lot of knowledge that way too.
Nothing is lost.
If I’m interested later, I can do several master’s degrees in different fields!
A lot will change until that time comes. Then I will be prepared for the future. It will be easier for me to gain a foothold in a new industry. After all, I expect to work for several more years in a variety of industries too.
New technologies will emerge and I will be better prepared.
That was the general idea…
What’s the Future?
Now it seems that my general idea was not wrong at all…
A few years later, with more knowledge of their skills and preferences, choosing to pursue a different goal was no longer the gritless route; it was the smart one. — David Epstein, Range
So what does that all mean?
For me, studying after a long break was the best choice. For you, it might be something different.
For example, I wouldn’t go into debt to go to university.
I study for fun and personal interest.
I don’t need it for work.
But I know that new technologies will continue to grow (duh!). So it is obvious to deal with it (of course!). Of course, this will also help me at work.
But what I really want to say is that you shouldn’t worry about whether you should try something new or not.
Take a calculated risk!
Learn something new. Learn programming and become a developer (if that’s what you want). You will continue to work for many more years. So much will change and you will be able to use everything you learn in some way.
Learning for only one job or type of work and doing that for the rest of your life is very unlikely.
Should you go to university or not? That is not the point of my article. It’s more that you should study something new in general — maybe focus on new and exciting technologies. But above all, you should deal with what you don’t yet understand.
Especially if it is something complex…
To grow, focus on what seems most complex and unattainable currently to you.
Focus on the Complex.
Go where the majority won’t.
Develop a “Range”
As shown in his book, having a lot of different knowledge is actually an advantage, not a disadvantage:
When presented with different examples mixed together, students learn to create abstract generalizations that allow them to apply what they learned to material they have never encountered before.
— David Epstein, Range
But it makes sense. New technologies are also making greater demands on employees. It is no longer enough to be good at just one thing. You have better chances if you have dealt with many things. The world of work is changing and the winner is the one who adapts.
Focusing on “using procedures” problems worked well forty years ago when the world was flush with jobs that paid middle-class salaries for procedural tasks, like typing, filing, and working on an assembly line. “Increasingly,” according to Duncan, “jobs that pay well require employees to be able to solve unexpected problems, often while working in groups. . . . These shifts in labor force demands have in turn put new and increasingly stringent demands on schools.
— David Epstein, Range
But it’s not so much the work related advantage that’s in the focus here. It never was for me. It was simply important for me to broaden my spectrum of knowledge. So don’t focus too much on what brings you money, but what brings you joy in the long run.
And do not stop learning.
Always learn something new.
Always.
„The future belongs to those who learn more skills and combine them in creative ways.“ — Robert Greene
