Range

David Epstein

Life is full of wicked (not kind) environments, i.e., the rules are unclear or incomplete, patterns may not exist or be obvious, and feedback is often delayed, inaccurate, or both. To prepare for wicked domains, it's better to have broad interests rather than domain-specific expertise alone. Specialization made sense in prior centuries but less so now. Maximize match quality (degree of fit between your work and your personality/skills) by trying new things, reflecting, and adjusting our narratives. Instead of working back from a goal, work forward from promising situations. Most successful people do this!