Evan Carmichael and Anna Wintour argue that the only specialization worth pursuing is being yourself. Today's media rewards "fearless polymaths" with diverse interests who integrate their unique passions into one distinct offering, their "secret sauce," rather than copying narrow services like generic financial advisors.
Good morning, Believe Nation! Today's message is "Don't Highly Specialize." Over to you, Anna Wintour.
And I also know career-wise how important it is not to be too highly specialized. Especially these days in the world of media. It is crucial to have multiple interests and skill sets, to have tried and possibly failed at many different undertakings. The young people that we hire today at Condé Nast are fearless polymaths, hardworking and passionate, creative and curious.
I think the only thing that you should highly specialize in is being you, and I don't think enough people highly specialize in being themselves enough. Too many people are copycats of other people. And if you continue to explore, if you continue to pursue passions, if you continue to add your curiosity and learn new things and see what makes you come alive, then you'll find that you have multiple interests, multiple passions that no other person has. The way you can combine them is unique that nobody else can do, and that's gonna be your magic. That's gonna be your secret. When you can combine all the different things that you love into one thing that then can add value to the world. That's the secret sauce that nobody else can replicate. I don't think enough people spend time on that. I think too many people are exact copies of others, that there's not a lot of difference between one financial advisor and another financial advisor, but there secretly is because both of those financial advisors hate what they're doing right now because there's other things that they love but they haven't figured out how to incorporate it or the rules are such that they don't know how to incorporate it, or they just feel like they're restricted, but they're not. They put themselves in their own box that they feel they can't break out of, and then they have to rely on their hobbies and their side hustle and their other passions. But the secret, guys, the secret to making it all work is combining those things into one so you don't have to have a side hustle or other passions. You bring it into your work because that's how you will stand out. When someone asks you, at a networking event or at a party, what do you do? I want you to have a hard time. I don't want you to be able to answer that in one sentence. Because if you have a simple answer to that question, then you're living a simple life, highly specialized in being you. So the question of the day today is, I wanna know what is so unique and special about you? What have you combined that nobody else can do in the world? What's that mix? What's in your mixing bowl that nobody else has? Really curious to find out what's that combination. Put it in the comments below. I'm gonna join in the discussion. I also wanna give a quick shout out to Renaud Marshall. Thank you, Renaud, for picking up a copy of my book. It means a lot to me. For those of you guys watching, if you want a chance at a future shout out, make sure to pick up a copy of the book and email in your receipt so that we can add you to the list. Thank you so much for watching. Have an amazing day. Continue to believe And I'll see you again tomorrow morning for another shot of espresso. I wake up every morning, espresso keep me going.
