The Polymath’s Advantage: Why Being Good at Many Things Isn’t a Flaw
Pamela Larde • May 5, 2025
Know Thyself
I’ll never forget the moment I was told to choose.
More than a decade ago, I was attending a high-powered business mastermind. Each participant was asked to present a challenge they were facing in their business. When it was my turn, I brought forth a very real and complex challenge: I was running both a publishing company and a coach training academy. My question was how to differentiate their branding while maintaining a cohesive identity. How do I unify without diluting? Differentiate without creating confusion?
Before I could even finish explaining, the facilitator interrupted, “You need to let one of those go,” he said. “You’re doing too much. Pick one and get really good at it.”
The rest of the room began to chime in to echo his advice. His words landed with the weight of so many others I’d heard throughout my life: Focus. Pick a lane. You can’t do it all. But deep down, I knew this advice didn’t fit me. I was already deeply committed to both ventures—and they were thriving. They weren’t distractions. They were extensions of my calling.
I chose not to follow his advice. Instead, I successfully ran both businesses side-by-side for over 12 years, until I decided I was ready to move on. And in doing so, I learned to embrace what I now fully own: I am a polymath—and that is not a flaw. It is my superpower.
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What Is a Polymath?
The term polymath comes from the Greek polymathēs, meaning “having learned much.” It refers to individuals who pursue mastery or deep engagement in multiple fields. Think Barack Obama, Octavia Butler, Maya Angelou, or Neil deGrasse Tyson—people whose brilliance could never be contained within a single domain.
But being a polymath doesn’t require fame or exceptionalism in the traditional sense. It simply means being curious, adaptable, and multidimensional. It involves weaving together a life that honors all of who you are. In a world that often celebrates specialization, polymaths live in the intersections—where art meets science, where business meets storytelling, where coaching meets publishing, where sports meets advocacy.
Debunking the Myths About Polymaths
Despite centuries of polymathic brilliance, our culture still clings to myths that discourage multidimensional living. Let’s examine a few of these myths—and why they don’t hold up.
- Myth #1: You Can Only Succeed If You Specialize
We’ve all heard it: focus on one thing and get really good at it. The problem with this advice is that it equates depth with singularity. But depth can come from integration just as much as specialization. Modern researchers are challenging the myth of the “specialist is always superior.” In his bestselling book Range: Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World, David Epstein argues that people with diverse experiences are often more innovative and successful—especially in complex, rapidly changing environments. Epstein references studies from sports, science, and technology that show how generalists, or polymaths, are often better at navigating uncertainty and synthesizing ideas from different fields. In other words: sometimes, breadth creates depth.
- Myth #2: Polymaths Lack Focus
This myth assumes that if you have multiple interests, you must be scattered. But many polymaths demonstrate intense focus—just not forever on one thing. Psychologist Barbara Oakley, author of A Mind for Numbers, speaks to the value of “interleaved learning”—a process where learners switch between different subjects or skills. This approach actually improves long-term mastery because it engages more cognitive pathways and increases flexibility. We aren’t unfocused. We are dynamic.
- Myth #3: Jack of All Trades, Master of None
Let’s set the record straight. The full version of that quote is: “Jack of all trades, master of none, but oftentimes better than master of one.” This longer version tells a different story—one of integration, adaptability, and expansive capability. And it aligns with a growing body of research showing that interdisciplinary thinkers often outperform narrow experts when it comes to creativity, innovation, and systems thinking. We are not people who haven’t found their lane. We are building our own roads.
The Science of Multipotentiality
Psychologist Emilie Wapnick popularized the term multipotentialite to describe people with many interests and creative pursuits. In her viral TED Talk, “Why Some of Us Don’t Have One True Calling,” she suggests that multipotentialites thrive when they embrace their diverse passions—and that trying to suppress them can lead to boredom, burnout, or lack of fulfillment. The science supports this. Here’s why polymathic people tend to excel:
- Cognitive Flexibility: Polymaths are skilled at adapting, shifting between different modes of thought, and making connections across fields. This is linked to enhanced problem-solving and emotional resilience.
- Transfer of Learning: Skills gained in one discipline often transfer to others. For example, coaching improves communication. Writing enhances critical thinking. Sports teach strategy and perseverance.
- Multiple Intelligences: Howard Gardner’s theory reminds us that there isn’t just one way to be smart. Polymaths often activate many of these intelligences—from interpersonal to kinesthetic to intrapersonal.
- And perhaps most importantly: polymaths are not just knowledge gatherers. We are meaning makers. We bring together disparate threads to create something new, something whole.
The Joy of a Polymath Life
For me, being a polymath is one of my greatest expressions of joy. If two ventures was too much, that mastermind crowd would gasp if they saw all that I am doing today.
Joy is not something I chase at the edges of my work; it is infused in all that I do. It shows up in the alchemy of creativity and connection. It lives in the moment when a student has a breakthrough, when a coaching client reclaims their agency, when a book finally goes to print, when I take the field and feel fully alive in my body. Joy is the glue that holds it all together. It is what allows me to navigate complexity with purpose and to flourish in the richness of a multifaceted life.
One of the most important findings from my research is that joy isn’t not a fleeting emotion. It is a practice, a framework for living, and for many of us, a strategy for well-being. In my EPIC Joy model, joy is sourced from four elements:
- Establishing well-being
- Positioning people
- Integrating practices
- Creating change
For a polymath, this means:
- Cultivating well-being across multiple domains rather than forcing a choice between physical, creative, emotional, or professional vitality.
- Surrounding yourself with people who honor your complexity rather than trying to simplify you.
- Integrating joy into your routines rather than waiting until everything’s perfect in one area to feel fulfilled.
- Creating change from a place of inner clarity, where all your gifts align to make an impact.
You Are Not Too Much—You Are Multidimensional
If you’ve ever been told you’re doing too much… If you’ve ever wondered whether your many passions are a liability instead of an asset… If you’ve ever tried to shrink yourself to fit into someone else’s model of success… This is your invitation to stop.
You are not too much. You are multidimensional.
And the world needs more people who can see across disciplines, connect the dots, and bring all of themselves into the work of healing, leading, creating, and transforming. Rather than cutting parts of ourselves away to meet external expectations, let’s ask a better question: “What brings me joy, meaning, and vitality—and how can I create space for it to belong?”
If we can make space to do the grueling work of sending emails we don't want to send and sitting in meetings that make our stomachs turn, surely, we can make space to push forth the parts of ourselves that are exhilarating, inspiring, and life-giving to the world. Integrating our gifts, lived experiences, and deepest callings is how we turn complexity into creativity—and purpose into power.
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