I have a theory that one skill rules them all: problem solving. Any task can be broken into tasks that can be further broken into sub-tasks. All these tasks are problems waiting to be solved.
In life you can either have studied a specific subject and spent a few years learning in advance how to solve specific problems you’ll encounter later in life, or, you can learn-as-you-go and problem solve on the fly as these problems arise. The former is essential for certain disciplines, for example if you are a lawyer or a doctor, but the latter can be applied to a surprising amount of professions.
In other words, the power of Google searching
As long as you can break down a task into smaller and smaller chunks, they can all be solved either by logical reasoning, or when knowledge is lacking, by Google searches (I wrote a little article about the Power of Google Searching).
I’ve gotten jobs where I had to do things which I had never done before (using Photoshop for graphic design, building complex website and email marketing strategies, building sets for festivals, even accounting), but quickly learned how to do it by doing, by diving in head first.
For most, if not all, of these tasks I didn’t have anybody to tell me how to do it. I was just given a task and had to figure out, and that’s what I love the most about working: figuring things out.
The power of curiosity
I am by nature a very curious person and enjoy figuring out how things work. When I was 17 I decided to learn piano, this year I started growing plants and caring for them (edit: not great at it). In between I’ve spent my free time developing new skills like programming apps (I’m loving Ruby on Rails at the moment, I was playing around with Node.js before that), designing websites or furniture, tinkering with electronics and machines, filmmaking (actually that’s my current job, it’s my not-free time), and some sports like ski, badminton and beach-volley.
Really a screenshot of my browser bookmarks should say it all… actually, that’s not a bad idea, here it is.
The power of combining these powers
Combine all these powers and you have a Swiss Army knife human.
Seriously though, if you have the curiosity to explore different subjects, the skill to study them and the drive to understand them, the sky is the limit… and legally practicing as a doctor, I guess.
It does come with its limits though. As the saying goes, Jack of all cards but Master of none. Learning multiple skill can be fun, and useful, but it can also be counterproductive. Can you get by by only knowing bits here and there? Yes, that’s what I’ve been doing, but I think at some point becoming better at less things might be more beneficial, but until you’ve found what you want to know, explore…
P.S. (Post Scriptum, not Power of Scriptum)
You might notice that I like to joke around and not be too serious.
I don’t think everything should be taken so seriously, even your CV or portfolio. What you write will say a lot about who you are, and if you’re not a horrible person it shouldn’t stop people from wanting to work with you.
Joking around is not incompatible with being serious. Seriousness is something you can switch on when it’s needed.