Dive Deep, Not Wide

Ever heard of the "T-shaped skillset"? It's all the rage in the business world. A horizontal bar symbolizing a breadth of knowledge, and a vertical line indicating depth in one specific area.

But here's the thing...

Depth crushes breadth.

There's a parable in Japan of an old man who dedicated his life to making bamboo baskets.

Every single day, for seventy years, he meticulously crafted these baskets, each one just a bit better than the one before.

Did he get bored? Maybe.

Did he stop? Never.

He believed in the power of mastery, of honing a single skill to the point of perfection.

There's something to be said about that.

In a world of shiny distractions, we're told to chase every opportunity, to master every trending skill.

But if we run after every glinting new idea, we're just skimming the surface of potential.

Depth, though, is where the real magic happens.

Look at Michael Phelps. His arena? The pool. His tool? His body. The result? Unmatched Olympic glory.

Or consider J.K. Rowling. One book series, seven masterpieces, an eternal legacy.

The world doesn't remember jacks of all trades.

It remembers masters.

Depth breeds mastery, and mastery leaves a mark.

An old adage says, "I fear not the man who has practiced 10,000 kicks once, but I fear the man who has practiced one kick 10,000 times."

Bruce Lee knew what he was talking about.

So next time you're tempted by the siren song of a new idea, stop.

Take a breath.

Ask yourself, "Am I spreading myself thin, or am I digging deep?"

Breadth may give you a playground, but depth gives you a kingdom.

Here's the secret:

Rather than chase a thousand different ideas, become the best in the world at one core skill.

Remember the Japanese basket weaver, and the impact of his lifelong devotion to a singular craft.

The world may not need another jack-of-all-trades, but it will always have room for a master.

So, dive deep, not wide. Depth crushes breadth, every single time.