How to become a Jack of all trades and Master of Some | Nicholas Grundy | TEDxGalway

Summary

The speaker shares his journey as a 'jack of all trades,' challenging societal norms that encourage specialization and stability at the cost of personal fulfillment. He recounts his diverse career, from being a Chinese-speaking army officer in Australia to a multifaceted professional in Ireland, emphasizing the importance of pursuing varied interests. The speaker addresses common concerns such as job stability and financial security, advocating for a diversified approach to income and life passions. He highlights the detrimental effects of overwork and job dissatisfaction, suggesting that a balanced, engaged work life is more conducive to success and happiness. The talk concludes with a call to action, encouraging individuals to overcome societal pressures and fears, and to embrace a life of diverse interests and skills.

Takeaways

• 😎 The speaker has had a diverse career path, moving from being a Chinese-speaking army officer in Australia to working in the United States military, engineering in Germany, and currently working as a photographer, videographer, translator, writer, and teacher in Ireland.
• 🧐 The speaker challenges the societal norm of committing to a single career or job, suggesting that a variety of roles can lead to a more fulfilling life.
• 🏠 The notion of a 'monumental mortgage' is questioned, with examples given of affordable housing options that can provide financial freedom and flexibility.
• 🤔 The speaker reflects on the fear of job instability and the pressure to conform to traditional career paths, despite evidence of widespread job dissatisfaction.
• 💡 The idea that one must follow their education or specialize in one area is challenged, with the argument that diverse interests and skills can enhance personal and professional growth.
• 🚀 The benefits of being a 'jack of all trades' are highlighted, suggesting that having multiple income streams can provide stability in an unpredictable job market.
• 🤷‍♂️ The speaker shares personal experiences of job loss and bankruptcy, using these to argue against the perceived safety of traditional employment.
• 🏞 The potential for a more balanced work-life is presented, with the suggestion that pursuing multiple passions can lead to a more engaged and less miserable work life.
• 🌐 The script touches on global issues like job-related depression and 'death from overwork', indicating a widespread problem with the current work culture.
• 🎓 The importance of overcoming societal pressures and expectations is emphasized, encouraging individuals to forge their own paths rather than conforming to others' ideas of success.
• 💰 The speaker calls for a reevaluation of what constitutes success, suggesting that happiness and fulfillment in work should be prioritized over financial gain and status.

Q & A

What is the speaker's background before becoming a photographer, videographer, translator, writer, and teacher?

The speaker was a Chinese-speaking army officer in Australia, started with the military in the United States, and later worked as an engineer in Germany.

How does the speaker describe their identity and work philosophy?

The speaker describes themselves as a 'jack of all trades and a master of some,' emphasizing the importance of variety, freedom, and flexibility in their work life.

What percentage of Americans are reported to be disengaged and miserable in their jobs according to a study mentioned in the script?

According to the study mentioned, 85% of Americans are reported to be disengaged and miserable in their jobs.

What was the speaker's initial hesitation in leaving the conventional working life?

The speaker's initial hesitation was due to negative messaging and societal pressure, questioning how they would survive as a 'jack of all trades' and the fear of quitting their job.

What is the speaker's view on the societal expectation of having a large mortgage?

The speaker challenges the societal expectation of having a large mortgage by pointing out examples of affordable housing and suggesting that questioning what we take for granted can open up opportunities for freedom and flexibility.

What example does the speaker provide to challenge the idea of needing a large mortgage?

The speaker provides the example of a young girl named Willow Tano who purchased her first house in America for $122,000 at the age of 14.

How does the speaker address the concern of job stability?

The speaker argues that being a 'jack of all trades' can actually provide more stability in the face of economic volatility, as having multiple income streams reduces the impact of job loss or bankruptcy of a single employer.

What does the speaker suggest as an alternative to the societal pressure of having a stable job?

The speaker suggests diversifying one's skills and interests, turning them into multiple income streams, as a more stable option in the face of economic change and volatility.

How does the speaker's friend David embody the concept of being a 'jack of all trades'?

David is an architect, special forces commando, builder, barista, avid mountaineer, and rock climber, showing that having multiple interests and professions can lead to a more fulfilling and less boring life.

What is the main message the speaker wants to convey about the relationship between money and success?

The speaker encourages the audience to redefine success not by the amount of money earned but by having a contented, engaged, and balanced work life, suggesting that one should pursue what they love rather than just financial stability.

What advice does the speaker give to those who want to make a change in their lives?

The speaker advises to say no to the fear of money, embrace the concept of 'and' over 'or', ignore societal pressures and negative messaging, and to try everything they are interested in to become masters of their own lives.

Outlines

00:00

🧑‍🎤 Embracing a Multifaceted Life

The speaker humorously acknowledges the perception of having an identity crisis due to their varied career paths. They recount their journey from being a Chinese-speaking army officer in Australia to a multi-talented professional in Ireland, encompassing roles such as a photographer, videographer, translator, writer, and teacher. The speaker reflects on societal norms and questions the necessity of committing to a single career or lifestyle, highlighting a study that shows 85% of Americans are unhappy in their jobs. They emphasize overcoming negative societal messaging and the fear of being a 'jack of all trades,' advocating for a life of varied interests and flexibility.

05:00

🏠 Challenging the Conventional Mortgage Mindset

The speaker tackles the societal expectation of having a substantial mortgage, using personal anecdotes and examples such as the story of a young girl named Willow Tano who bought her first house at 14. They discuss the changing property market in Australia and Ireland, suggesting that questioning these norms can lead to greater freedom and flexibility, especially for those with creative passions. The speaker also addresses the idea of becoming a part-time, stay-at-home father while working from home, emphasizing the importance of breaking through societal boundaries.

10:01

🤔 Overcoming Stability Myths and Fears

The speaker discusses the myth of needing a stable job, using examples from their own life, including experiences with bankrupt companies despite their dedication. They highlight the dangers of overworking and the negative health effects associated with it, such as job-related depression and death. The speaker suggests that diversifying income streams as a 'jack of all trades' can provide more stability and flexibility in the face of economic volatility. They also mention the importance of not limiting oneself to a single career path and the benefits of pursuing multiple interests.

15:02

🎓 The Value of Multi-Disciplinary Pursuits

The speaker dispels the notion that one must follow a single career path based on their formal education. They introduce a friend named David, who has successfully pursued multiple professions, including architecture, special forces commando, barista, and mountaineer. The speaker argues that having multiple interests can enhance one's skills in each area and lead to a more fulfilling life. They also challenge the societal pressure to specialize in one area, advocating for the freedom to explore various passions and the pursuit of a working life that aligns with one's interests.

💰 Redefining Success Beyond Money

The speaker addresses the final societal barrier to pursuing a multifaceted life: the fear of financial instability. They criticize the societal focus on money and material success, suggesting that true success lies in a contented and engaged work-life balance. The speaker encourages the audience to reject the fear of money and to embrace a life where they are doing what they love, thus eliminating the need for constant escapes or retirement. They conclude by urging those who wish to make a change to say no to societal pressures and yes to a life of diverse interests and mastery of one's own path.

Keywords

💡Identity Crisis

An identity crisis is a period of uncertainty and confusion in which a person's sense of identity becomes insecure, typically due to a change in their expected role in society, or a significant event that challenges their sense of self. In the video, the speaker mentions that people think he has an identity crisis because he has held various different roles and jobs, reflecting a broader societal expectation for individuals to have a singular, consistent identity.

💡Jack of All Trades

A 'jack of all trades' is a person who is skilled in many different areas, rather than specializing in just one. The speaker uses this term to describe himself, emphasizing his diverse skills and interests, which include being a Chinese-speaking army officer, an engineer, and a photographer. This concept is central to the video's theme, which challenges the societal norm of focusing on a single career path.

💡Disengagement

Disengagement refers to a state of being uninterested or disconnected from something, in this case, one's job. The video cites a statistic that 85% of Americans report feeling disengaged and miserable in their jobs. This keyword is significant as it underscores the video's argument that many people are unhappy with the traditional 9-to-5 work structure and are seeking more fulfilling and varied work experiences.

💡Negative Messaging

Negative messaging refers to discouraging or pessimistic comments that can influence a person's self-perception or decision-making. The speaker mentions that he was held back by negative messaging from society questioning how he would survive as a 'jack of all trades.' This concept is tied to the video's narrative of overcoming societal pressures and pursuing diverse interests.

💡Mortgage

A mortgage is a loan secured by real estate, which represents a significant financial commitment for many individuals. The video challenges the societal expectation of obtaining a large mortgage, suggesting that smaller, more affordable housing options can provide greater financial freedom and flexibility. The speaker uses the mortgage as a symbol of the financial burdens that can limit one's ability to pursue varied interests and careers.

💡Stable Job

A stable job is one that is steady and secure, often providing a predictable income and long-term employment prospects. The video discusses the societal pressure to have a stable job, but questions the cost of this stability in terms of personal fulfillment and work-life balance. The speaker argues that the pursuit of a diverse range of interests can be more stabilizing in the face of economic volatility.

💡Overwork

Overwork is the act of working excessively long hours, which can lead to stress, burnout, and health problems. The video mentions the phenomenon of 'karoshi' in Japan and 'guanxi' in China, where workers literally die from overwork. This keyword highlights the video's message about the dangers of an unbalanced focus on work at the expense of personal well-being and other life interests.

💡Diversification

Diversification is the process of spreading investments or resources across various types of areas to reduce risk and increase potential gains. In the context of the video, the speaker advocates for diversifying one's skills and income streams as a strategy for achieving financial stability and personal fulfillment. This concept is central to the video's argument against putting all one's 'eggs in one basket' in terms of career choices.

💡Creative Passions

Creative passions refer to interests or pursuits that involve creativity and self-expression, such as photography, writing, or music. The video emphasizes the importance of following multiple creative passions, suggesting that this can lead to a more fulfilling and balanced life. The speaker contrasts these passions with the more traditional, and often less satisfying, career paths.

💡Fear of Money

Fear of money refers to anxiety or unease related to financial stability and the belief that more money equates to success. The video challenges this notion, suggesting that a contented and engaged work-life balance is a more meaningful measure of success. The speaker encourages viewers to overcome their fear of financial instability in order to pursue a more varied and fulfilling career path.

💡Success

Success is the accomplishment of an aim or purpose. In the video, the speaker redefines success not as the accumulation of wealth or status, but as a state of contentment and engagement with one's work and life. This redefinition is key to the video's message, which encourages viewers to pursue their varied interests and passions as a path to true success.

Highlights

The speaker has had a diverse career path, including being a Chinese-speaking army officer in Australia, an engineer in Germany, and now a photographer, videographer, translator, writer, and teacher in Ireland.

A recent study showed that 85% of Americans are disengaged and miserable in their jobs, highlighting the need for more variety, freedom, and flexibility in work.

The speaker overcame societal pressures and negative messaging to become a 'jack of all trades', pursuing his varied interests and passions.

Questioning societal norms around needing a large mortgage led the speaker to discover more affordable housing options that provide financial freedom.

The speaker argues that having multiple income streams as a 'jack of all trades' provides more financial stability than relying on one job.

Following multiple creative passions allows you to break through societal boundaries and explore different areas of life.

The speaker's friend David exemplifies the benefits of having diverse interests and professions, becoming better in each one than he would have been by specializing alone.

Formal education is not the be-all and end-all - you don't need a certificate to pursue your passions and turn them into income streams.

The speaker's own experiences with job stability - working for three companies that went bankrupt - showed him the importance of diversifying his skills and income sources.

Rather than striving for more money and status, the speaker advocates for creating a fulfilling, engaged work life that eliminates the need to constantly escape on vacation or wait to retire.

The speaker encourages listeners to say no to the fear of money, the word 'or', and societal pressures, and to pursue their varied interests and passions.

By choosing the word 'and' instead of 'or', you open up the possibility of pursuing multiple paths and interests in life.

The anxiety of having to choose 'or' between good options can lead to procrastination and stagnation, preventing people from pursuing their dreams.

The societal pressure to specialize in one area and choose between options is a barrier to pursuing diverse interests and becoming a 'jack of all trades'.

The speaker's friend Willow Tano purchased her first home in the U.S. at age 14 for $122,000, illustrating that the societal norm of needing a large mortgage is not a given.

The speaker's own journey from disengagement and misery in his work to becoming a 'jack of all trades' shows what is possible when you challenge societal norms and pursue your passions.

Transcripts

[Music]

as you heard before from Jerry there uh

I do a lot of different things right and

so a lot of people think that I have

some sort of identity crisis or

something because they see me and they

think he's got some sort of com uh fear

of committing to just the one job in

Life or even just to the one accent and

perhaps

[Laughter]

you obviously you've heard it already

then but uh to to make it more extreme

at this time seven years ago I was a

Chinese speaking army officer over in

Australia however I actually started off

with the military over in the United

States before later working as an

engineer over in Germany so please

forgive me if is off deor without even

realizing now uh 7 years later that

brings us here to Ireland where I

currently work as a photographer

videographer translator writer and

teacher and given that all of the cells

within our bodies completely replace

themselves once every seven years

perhaps by the year 2023 this sort of

commitment phobia will have spiraled all

out of control and I will also find

myself working out wested as a fer in

Kera and that's because what I am is a

jack of all trades and a master of some

not a master of none as the saying

normally goes but a master of a few

chosen interests in

life however a recent study showed that

precisely because most people's working

lives are currently lacking this sort of

variety and freedom and flexibility that

85% of Americans are reporting that they

are disengaged and miserable in their

jobs well if so many are suffering

through utter misery in the biggest part

of their lives why are so so few people

actually questioning the norm and trying

to make any sort of real

change well for me personally the thing

that held me back for a number of years

from leaving the normal working life and

trying anything and everything I found

interesting to become a jack of all

trades was a whole bunch of negative

messaging which I let get stuck in my

head because in society I kept running

into

Bots and some of them are other people's

Bots but not anatomical but right the

word

buut uh but how will you survive as a

jack of all trade at

trades but surely you can't quit your

job what do you mean but no you can't do

that so the first hurdle that I had to

overcome in order to actually get away

from a working World in which I was very

much disengaged and miserable was to

realize that as I said this before these

were other people's Bots projected onto

me due to their own uh insecurities and

fears about their own working lives so

tonight we're going to question the norm

and challenge six spots to see if they

really need to be true for everybody or

not and we're going to start off by

looking at one here which was said by

concerned family and friends who said

but how on Earth will you pay your

mortgage we say that only two things are

certain in life death and taxes however

with the recent Panama paper Scandal we

now know not every every body has to pay

their taxes unfortunately the rest of us

still do and I thought that there was

always a third given in life as well

which is that we all had to have a

Monumental mortgage this is because I'm

coming more recently from Australia

where the the mortgages are quite

Monumental but then uh only recently I

came across the example of a young girl

called Willow Tano who at the age of

only 14 purchased her first house in

America for

$122,000 and this isn't some gross

exception to the rule with the property

bubble in Australia beginning to

recently burst a bit around around the

edges there's a number of decent homes

in decent but remote towns which only

two years ago were selling for almost a

million dollars and can now be snatched

up for under

180,000 it's much more obvious still

here in Ireland where on this exact day

two years ago I was off on my first

assignment here to photograph a three

bed property three bet apartment within

commuting distance of gway

city and it had a final sale price of

€20,000 so if we question what we take

for granted and discover that for less

than the deposit required on a tued in

the city you can live further out

completely rent and mortgage free for

the rest of your life it can open up

great opportunities and freedom and

flexibility in your life and especially

in your working life

which is very much pertinent if you're

the type of person who wishes to follow

multiple less lucrative creative

passions such as abstract photography

creative writing or

music and at the same time it can also

allow you to break through more societal

boundaries as well and do something I

hope to achieve in the coming months

which is to become a working from home

part-time stay-at-home

father now the next but was more so

exclaimed by confused co-workers who

said but you're already a good army

officer why on Earth would you quit well

seriously so what Harrison Ford was a

great Carpenter but if he'd stuck with

that just because he was good at it we'd

have no Han Solo and no Indiana Jones

and yes maybe I will always be a better

engineer and army officer than I am

photographer and videographer and all

the rest but I'd say that Harrison Ford

loves being Han Solo just as as much as

I love trying anything that's

interesting as a jack of all trades so

all you've really got to ask yourself is

do I want to be Han Solo or

not the next butt is heard uh fairly

often throughout Society from family

friends co-workers and it's but you need

a stable job and it's true we all need

to support ourselves financially in this

one short

lifetime yet despite the fact that most

of us recognize by adulthood that it is

one remarkably short

lifetime we're seeing more and more

people without needing to doing so much

overtime all around the world that it's

leading to shocking rates of job related

depression suicide and even sudden

death it's become so bad that more and

more countries around the world have a

term for this phenomenon kosi in Japan

and guu in China where tens of thousands

of people each year as the term

literally implies die from overwork each

year and before you jump to conclusions

here this is not people slaving away in

sweat shops for one/ Tenth of minimum

wage in Asia and here in the west this

is predominantly mid to high level

managerial positions with very large

disposable incomes people who by no

means need the extra

work so it's almost like we're tipping

so precariously over on this work life

balance seesaw into the work side now

that it's like some sort of obsession or

or

epidemic but what it really is is a fear

about not having enough money not having

a stable job and losing that Financial

stability and my I myself once had that

issue as well I used to have a couple of

stable normal jobs in fact the first one

out of University I really put all of my

eggs in the one basket at the exclusion

of all other employers all other

potential career paths in life and I had

the company in Germany completely

sponsor me over there for both my Visa

and my

apartment and then after putting in 30

straight weeks of 70 hours a week the

company informed me they were going

bankrupt in a few months

time so suddenly I found that no longer

did I have even an income but I was also

now B to become homeless and would not

have a visa to even stay in the

country so what did I do well I thought

I was a bit worried about stability so I

went and I found another similar state

job and guess what happened to that

company they went

bankrupt and so what's the definition of

uh stupidity again doing the same thing

time and time again and expecting a

different result somehow so what did I

do the third time I went to another

similar supposedly company and the

department that I was put into went

bankrupt now you might want to joke with

me like my friends do and say hey you're

that guy that we hire if we want our

company to go

bankrupt

but to my defense I will point out that

I was far too Junior each time to bring

the ship down with me and on the second

and third occasions I jumped ship about

6 to nine months in advance because I

saw all the warning signs coming yet it

still took me suffering through these

three periods of utter misery to realize

that instead as a jack of all trades

should one of your employers go bankrupt

you might just be down to 80% of your

income the same goes for structural

unemployment whereby one of your five

income streams becomes obsolete say

through the computerization of German

translating in the future again should

this happen you might just be down to

80% of your income and can easily build

this up again so in this day and age of

great change and volatility especially

in the Working World is it perhaps the

more stable option to try whatever

you're interested in try to turn it into

an income stream and diversify as a jack

of all trades and and a master of

stability now you might find it hard to

believe the next bot but a friend

seriously asked but won't you get bored

leaving your routine to follow multiple

creative

passions it it was I don't know anyway

it works well in the talk I don't know

why I asked

it there's another friend of mine and

former colleague who certainly does not

get bored though trying multiple things

and his name is David and he's built

like a bit of a cross between Rambo and

Arnold

Schwarzenegger if I can say so myself

he's quite tall dark and handsome and

with his Rippling military physique

you'd think that he must be some sort of

Special Forces Soldier or something well

here's a photo of the sort of buildings

he designs as an

architect but I'm going to show you a

photo of his second job now and you may

have guessed it he's a special forces

Commando as well and he has also worked

as a builder to refurbish an old

Warehouse to make a co-working space

while at the same time building a bike

powerered coffee shop so that he could

work as a barista and on top of all this

he has somehow also managed to travel to

30 plus countries around the world as an

avid Mountaineer and rock

climber and that's because David said to

himself I don't need to listen to this

societal pressure all of these butts and

everything out there I can instead

choose to realize it doesn't need to be

true for everybody and certainly not me

and I can opt to have a working life

that's quite out of the ordinary and far

far from

boredom now the friend who asked about

the bordom made it remarkably easy in

tonight's talk by immediately following

up with another butt when he said but

you didn't study photography surely you

have to do what you studied which is the

engineering or if you want to be a

photographer videographer writer and all

the rest you've surely got to go back to

University for four years for each

profession well if we look back at my

friend David again he didn't limit

himself to his architecture studies he

realized that study formal education is

not the be all an end all and that we

don't all need a certificate to put up a

shelf or a bit of paper to show that

we've done the training to cycle a bike

powered coffee shop in terms of health

and safety or

whatever but most importantly he

realized that for a lot of people by

having multiple interests and multiple

professions you can actually become

better in all of them in each area than

you would have been in just one had you

only specialized in the one area alone

although all of his different income

streams might seem very different at

first

glance perhaps while he's raiding

buildings in Afghanistan this gives him

a great sense of spatial awareness of

the built environment helping him as an

architect which helps him learn how to

refurbish old warehouses which helps him

learn how to build a bik powered coffee

shop and now more obviously cycling this

monstrosity up the steep hills help

helps immensely with his health and

fitness for his next tour to Afghanistan

and for his mountaineering so it's

really the perfect cycle in more ways

than

one yet despite all of this there's

still one bot remaining it's the biggest

butt being waved around in our faces all

the time throughout society and my own

wife was faced with this one when she

was meeting with prospective clients in

Berlin a few years back and it's because

she gave them the society incorrect

answer because she told them well I I'm

both a web designer and a programmer and

after a moment of stunned

silence then came forth all of the bus

as expected but but no but why but how

but you need to specialize in the one

area surely you can't be good at both

you have to be one or the other what is

it are you a or are you

B and maybe that's a big part of the

problem yes it's great that nowadays we

tell our kids they can be whatever they

want when they grow up they can be a or

b or X or Y but the problem is this word

or which brings about with it an

inherent sense of anxiety because it

implies that by choosing option b only

we exclude the other good options in

front of us out

there and like my friend khil standing

in the photograph behind me here when we

are spoiled for choice and presented

with all these amazing Pathways opening

up in front of us in life it can

actually be quite daunting and

overwhelming and this anxiety about

excluding the other potentially good

options can in many people lead to

procrastination as we heard about just a

moment ago we can stagnate and

deliberate sitting in the sand for weeks

months years looking at these good

options in front of us and making no

choice during this time and following

none of our dreams until a later

date and then eventually we do the

normal thing which is to choose just the

one option at the exclusion of the

others and why is that well it's because

we listen to this word or in the same

way we listen to all of the six buts you

know but you studied it but you're

already good at it well I've got to do

option b because I don't know I'll

somehow get bored otherwise and I can't

specialize in options b and a I can only

specialize in option b and most

importantly I'm worried about not having

enough money to pay the big mortgage and

for the flashy car and to have regular

Financial

stability so once we've said no to the

word or and replaced it with the word

and and once we've ignored the societal

pressure around us all these butts that

we hear repeated from family and friends

and

co-workers the final hurdle really when

starting this process if you want to try

something different is to get past this

fear of money as well because all too

often in society we equate money with

success instead of equating a contented

engaged far from miserable work life

balance with

success we're forever striving up and up

and up towards earning more money and

having more status recognition Fame

Fortune success all the

rest but if we are part of this 85% of

people who are disengaged and miserable

in our working lives all of this stuff

that we're striving for is often just so

that we can have an extra week of

vacation next year or retire one year

earlier so that we can then do those

different things that we missed out on

that we now want to try later in

life but what about instead of striving

towards all this we try to create a a

life a working life in which we don't

feel this need all the time to escape on

vacation and a working life from which

we don't need to retire because if

you're already doing what you love and

what you would be doing in retirement

anyway then you you don't need to retire

or maybe you're even already retired now

sort

of so as many people have asked me over

the last few years if you are

dissatisfied with the way things are

going and you want to make a change the

first thing to do is to say no to the

fear of money say no to the word or and

yes to the word and and say no to all

these butts and negative messaging to

give it a go even if it's just for a

short period of time to try anything and

everything you're interested in while

becoming a Jack or a Jill of all trades

and a master of your own life thank

[Applause]

you