I truly believe that being a generalist is the secret sauce to success in our modern world. This definitely includes success in fitness, but it goes far beyond that. Let me explain.
OK, so I wrote an entire book on this subject back in 2019, and—oddly enough—I was just invited onto the news (yes, again!) to discuss the concept. Better late than never, right?
But let me give you the highlights.
So, what is generalism? Simply put, generalism is the idea of getting good to great—or at least fairly competent—at lots of different things, then combining those skills to create competitive and creative advantages in life. A generalist is someone who engages in skill-stacking to outperform hyper-specialists.
Does this mean just being a jack of all trades? Actually, no. There’s nothing about generalism that precludes being a master of many things. The generalist simply doesn’t care about being “the best” at any one thing (and there’s obviously quite a bit of space between mastery and being “the best in the world”).
I hope it’s not too immodest to suggest that I’ve mastered many things myself. On the writing front, I’ve published six books. In philosophy, I’ve authored academic articles in top-tier journals, earned my master’s, and am currently pursuing a PhD. I’m a martial arts black belt. You already know my fitness work. You can listen to my guitar playing and judge that for yourself. And I think it’s fair to say I know a thing or two about business and marketing.
In fact, many people consider me a specialist in some of these areas—but I’m really not. I’m a generalist who strives for competence across lots of different things. The point of this little list isn’t to brag but to impress upon you that generalism is not just about being a jack of all trades. Nothing about generalism precludes true mastery in skill development. In fact, I encourage it!
But generalism isn’t just about getting good at lots of different things. It’s about stacking skills—combining your talents in purposeful ways to forge creative and competitive advantages. This is where and how the generalist can frequently pull ahead of the hyper-specialist. Let me explain.
Imagine being in the fitness industry (something I know a thing or two about). It’s hard to stand out based solely on physique or performance because there are people out there who are just really, really good—and, let’s be honest, many of them are on all kinds of drugs. Fortunately, you don’t have to be “the best” to get ahead or stand out in a noisy industry. You just have to be different. You have to combine skills. Be fit plus a good communicator, comedian, or producer of quality content—or all of the above. Or be fit plus a good writer, storyteller, etc. It’s the combination of these skills that allows the generalist to grab attention and stand out—even when others are “bigger, stronger, faster,” or whatever. Skill stacking > hyper-specialization. It’s the way forward.
The same applies in music. There are countless truly brilliant musicians out there, but the ones who stand out often stack multiple skills. They’re good guitarists plus good video producers, marketers, or networkers. They intentionally develop these additional skills and layer them onto their musical talent to make a name for themselves. They don’t rely on being the best musician in the room—they know that’s not enough.
The examples are endless, and the more you study successful people, the more you see that the world is largely dominated by generalists. These are people who are, no doubt, great at something, but they’re also pretty darn good at other complementary skills that enhance their core abilities.
Even in general fitness, it pays to be a generalist. It’s the core philosophy behind Strong ON! We don’t care about being “the best” at any one fitness activity—we care about being impressively well-rounded. Being a generalist in fitness means taking a both/and rather than either/or approach. Strong and lean, muscular and mobile, powerful and iron-lunged.
While you won’t necessarily be taking gold in the next Olympics with this approach, chances are, if you’re a fitness generalist, you’ll outperform most people across a wide variety of fitness activities. Line up ten different challenges, and the generalist will often come out on top overall.
Another key advantage? Hyper-specialists tend to burn out or suffer major injuries. Generalists, on the other hand, are resilient. They don’t push themselves beyond obvious breaking points. For the generalist, fitness and health go hand-in-hand—they’re never at odds. (This is the exact opposite of what’s often the case for hyper-specialists.)
OK, enough rambling. Hopefully, you get the idea.
If you’re intrigued and want to dive deeper, here’s how:
- For the philosophy of generalism, check out my book How to Be Better at (Almost) Everything.
- For generalism (and minimalism) applied specifically to fitness, check out my latest book, Strong ON!, or CLICK HERE snag your $7 “all-access” pass to Strong ON!
Strong ON!
—Pat
P.S. As for how to acquire a skill—if not quickly, then at least more efficiently—I recommend using the three I’s: isolation, integration, and improvisation.
Start by isolating the specific aspect of the skill where you’re stuck—the trouble spots—and practice it on its own with intense focus. This will help you improve that area rapidly. SMALL BITES.
But as soon as you’re able, integrate that technique into a broader context—a lick, a song, a workout, an argument, or whatever applies.
Finally, learn to play with it—improvise. When you can be spontaneous with something, that’s when you truly “own” it.
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