Lately, I’ve been thinking about something that might not be mathematically airtight, but feels true based on life experience: being better than average at a bunch of different things might actually be more useful than being perfect at just one.
Hear me out.
If you’re better than average at, say, five things, you’re probably more versatile, more adaptable, and more useful in a range of situations than someone who’s only excellent at a single skill. Even if that person is world-class in that one thing, it kind of boxes them in. Most real-life situations — especially careers — demand a mix of skills, not just brilliance in one.
Let’s take a field like dental nursing. Obviously, being a strong dental nurse matters. But what if, alongside that, you’re also pretty good at reception work, time management, patient communication, IT systems, basic business stuff, even things like meditation or language learning? That combination might make you more valuable than someone who’s an absolute genius at just the dental side.
Even within a single career, the wider your skill set, the more options you have. You could move into team leadership, training, admin, management — or pivot into something adjacent if the job market shifts or your interests change. You’re not stuck.
Now — if your dream is to win Olympic gold or take home an Oscar, then absolutely go for it. Seriously, chase it with everything you’ve got. But don’t fall into the trap of thinking that if you can’t be the best in the world, then there’s no point trying at all. That mindset shuts down so many paths before they even begin.
Maybe you’ll never be a world-class athlete or a famous actor — but becoming better than average at fitness, performance, storytelling, or anything else that interests you can still massively enrich your life. You don’t have to be “the best” to be better than most, and better than you were yesterday.
It’s not about being mediocre at everything either — it’s about being better than most at several things. That edge, even if it’s not dramatic, starts to compound. If each skill puts you in the top 30% of people, and you have ten of those, you’re in a very small club.
Plus, there’s something to be said for how this approach feels. It’s mentally healthier. When you’re chasing perfection in one area, it’s easy to burn out or feel like a failure. But when you’re stacking skills — getting curious, exploring, trying things — it’s fun. You grow more organically. You evolve.
Now, to be fair, I might completely change my mind about this later. Maybe I’ll end up thinking mastery is the only thing that really matters. But for now, this “multiple skills, better-than-average” idea feels like a good way to live. At the very least, it’s more forgiving. And maybe even more powerful.
So take this with a pinch of salt — these are just my thoughts today. Who knows what I’ll believe next week?