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NaBloPoMo – Day 25

Day 25

Do you think it’s better to be a recognized expert for one thing, or known to be really good at lots of things?

In the regular business world, it’s probably better to be known as an expert with a specific niche: you’re the motivation person, the management person, the software design person, whatever.  You get yourself recognized, people pay you for your expertise, you deliver it, everybody’s happy.  That becomes who you are.  At least until or unless you decide to make that u-turn and go do something else.  Then you start building your next identity.

In the arts, you can get known as an expert at one thing or good at several things.  If you’re going to go the latter route, people say you should first get known for, I guess, your main thing.  Playwriting, painting, collage, acting, singing, whatever.  And then if you have interest, passion, purpose, or talent, or whatever, branch off to the next thing.

The difference between the arts world and the business world is there is usually more leeway for you to jump and play around in the arts world.  In the business world, they’ll pidgeonhole you.  In the arts world, the bottom line is to share the work and make yourself known because you can be known as more than one thing.