Inspiring Life Lessons
Here’s Why I Believe Anyone Can Be a Polymath and 3 Tips to Become One
It is not exclusive to elitists to become polymaths, and there is no reason to conceal this valuable ability to demonstrate knowledge, curiosity, and willingness to serve
Purpose of the Article
This article defines a polymath. It introduces the technical and non-technical skill requirements based on a review of the literature, observations, and decades of leadership research in the field. I also cover why it matters and common misconceptions.
What is a polymath, and why does it matter?
Polymath simply means that a person’s knowledge or expertise covers multiple disciplines to create integrated solutions.
For example, a sales expert who understands technology and leadership well and integrates these three domains to create unique customer solutions can be considered a polymath.
Many people desire to become a polymath for various reasons. Some people get a better professional life. Some people improve their quality of life by leveraging integrated knowledge. And some spiritual people want to use it for altruistic purposes to empower communities.
Polymaths are necessary for society as we need their skills and capabilities to create unique solutions to address sticky problems. They invent, solve complex problems, and lead us to a better future.
Millions of leaders in different industries and disciplines are polymaths, even though they don’t use the term.
I met hundreds of polymaths when researching exemplary and distinguished leaders, especially in the technology and science domains. During my investigation and interactions, I captured specific cognitive patterns in polymaths that I covered in subsequent sections.
Misconceptions About Polymaths
I want to clarify a common misconception about polymathy. Some people believe that a polymath needs to know about every discipline. Humans can’t know about everything considering the limited lifetime we have. However, it is possible to be an expert in a few areas and create synergistic solutions.
Another misconception is the expectation of polymaths to have multiple degrees. Even though formal education (e.g., undertaking degrees) can contribute to knowledge accumulation, formal education is not essential to becoming a polymath.
For example, I met knowledgeable people with multiple doctoral degrees and people with no college degree. Some self-taught polymaths achieve remarkable results. This is evident in society. For example, technology leaders like Bill Gates and Steve Jobs did not complete their tertiary education.
There is nothing wrong with promoting polymathy.
I read some interesting comments on social media about people shaming others by putting polymath in their profiles.
These comments reflect negative sentiments about polymathy. For example, the comments allude that people must hide them. Polymathy must not be mentioned publicly. The common sentiment is self-promotion and bragging.
Of course, publicly bragging about any skill or capability is not a positive behavior. However, people promoting their skills in an appropriate language and tone within the proper context and on the right platform is a decent act, in my perspective.
Using the term polymath in a profile is an individual matter. Some people proudly add it to their profile. Some people don’t want to use it. Either case is fine. It is a personal choice. Criticizing one for adding or praising one for neglecting it is irrelevant.
What Does it Take to Become a Polymath?
After reviewing many books and articles about polymaths, I noticed that there are three fundamental requirements to become a polymath. I cover them in subsequent sections. I also include additional (non-technical) skill requirements.
1 — Cover Breadth.
Covering breadth means learning about multiple disciplines in an amount that you can understand and articulate the concepts to others as valuable information.
For example, I met entrepreneurs who started and ran at least three different types of companies. A polymath and entrepreneur friend has successfully run his business in food, technology, and digital marketing domains.
His forte was food. However, through deep-diving technology and digital marketing, he augmented the value of his services and created a multi-million dollar integrated business with multiple products in a few years. These three domains created a synergistic effect for his success.
2 — Dive into the Depth.
Usually, specialists cover only one single domain. This is very common in the medical field. For example, endocrinologists mainly focus on hormones. Nephrologists look after the kidney. Cardiologists concentrate on the heart. Optometrists spend their time on the eyes.
However, these specialists also completed at least six years of studies in medical school and learned about biology and human anatomy. I also met general medicine doctors who are considered specialists, but they cover multiple disciplines.
However, to be a polymath, we don’t have to be a specialist in a domain unless we earn our living working as a specialist like a brain surgeon, an eye, a kidney, or a heart doctor. The key point is to learn the fundamentals, link ideas, and use the knowledge to create valuable solutions.
3 — Integrate Disciplines.
The third aspect of being a polymath is integrating multiple disciplines. Just knowing about a domain is not enough to become a polymath. We need to find ways to link those disciplines and create synergistic solutions.
For example, another entrepreneur friend who had a biotechnology company further studied genetics and pharmacology informally (not in college). She delved into textbooks, completed training programs, and attended conferences.
Leveraging her knowledge and integrating these three emerging disciplines, she created outstanding business solutions for her clients. We see her as a genuine polymath as she walks her talk with confidence.
Since she covered both depth and breadth in these three domains, she seamlessly integrated them. As an owner of her multi-million dollar company, she did not do all work in these three distinct disciplines. However, she leveraged the power of numerous specialists in three different disciplines.
Her knowledge helped the company grow fast and sustainably because she was able to hire people who had relevant skills and nurture them. She served as a linchpin in the industry. Thus she gained the trust and support of her peers, employees, partners, and clients.
Her knowledge of biotechnology, genetics, and pharmacology gave her the confidence to articulate issues to all stakeholders, such as technical employees, business partners, salespeople, marketers, and prospective customers.
Key Requirements for Becoming a Polymath
Apart from technical knowledge in multiple fields, polymaths also possess multiple non-technical skills.
From my observations, all polymaths I met have an open mind and growth mindset with curiosity, concentration, and perseverance.
When I was researching exemplary and distinguished leaders, they all had five critical skills that I documented in an article titled If I Had Another Chance to Live in the Modern World, I’d Reinvest in Five Skills.
Interested readers might check the article. However, in summary, here are these critical skills that contributed to them becoming polymaths.
1 — Strategic and Tactical Planning
2 — Effective Problem Solving
3 — Information and Knowledge Management
4 — Influential Networking & Synergetic Collaboration
5 — Effective Communication to Think on One’s Feet
Problem-solving in any discipline is vital. As I earn my living with problem-solving, I documented my perspectives in an article titled Here’s Why Problem Solving Is the Most Valuable Skill of the Century.
Another critical skill for everyone, including polymaths, is communication skills. To highlight the importance of this fundamental skill, I posted an article including a case study titled. Mastering a Powerful Skill Made Matilda a Champion.
Leadership is a critical skill to becoming a polymath. Accumulating knowledge but not using them for the benefit of society is futile in my perspective. Knowledge is power, but action is vital for success.
As I documented 26 characteristics of exemplary leaders and 12 characteristics of distinguished leaders in the attached articles, I won’t repeat them here.
Conclusions and Takeaways
Being a polymath requires time and effort to gain multiple skills in multiple fields. However, being a polymath might bring many benefits to individuals. Thus, it is worth the effort.
We need more polymaths in our society to invent and produce unique solutions to our debilitating problems. We need polymath leaders covering multiple disciplines and leading others to produce effective results collaboratively.
Being a polymath does not mean knowing about everything. But it means knowing enough about several things to create meaningful and synergistic solutions. Humans can’t know about everything due to their limited lifetime. However, they can be experts in a few areas and create integrated solutions.
I know polymaths not only succeed in their business but also take charge of their physical and mental health. They have a holistic approach to health and well-being.
Interestingly some polymaths in my circles learned so much about health that they even knew more critical information than the average healthcare professional. Some of them, as sensible biohackers, healed their conditions and transformed their health to the next level.
In addition to their profession also, their hobbies and lifestyle choices contributed to them becoming polymaths.
I documented my observations of some polymaths in my circles who are healthy, wealthy, and happy. I provide a link to the story Here Is What I Learned from Healthy, Wealthy, and Happy People.
Our health and capabilities matter. However, I also met disadvantaged people who became polymaths despite their challenging conditions. For example, a deaf friend of mine was a polymath and lived for over a hundred years.
I’d like to conclude this piece by providing a few takeaway points to summarize the key messages of this story.
Takeaways
1 — Extend your knowledge to multiple disciplines.
2 — Create depth in these chosen disciplines.
3 — Integrate your knowledge to create unique solutions.
4 — Gain non-technical skills to communicate and collaborate.
5 — Remain persistent, optimistic, curious, and open-minded about options.
6 — Always work in a flow state.
7 — Improve working memory, focus, cognitive flexibility, RAS, regulate emotions, and use meditation as a powerful tool.
8 — Refrain from perfection, instead, grow pragmatically and gradually.
9 — Be proud of your polymathy, respect other polymaths, and support others kindly to become one.
As a polymath, you might be able to link disparate ideas and create new meanings and solutions some people call magic. You simply illuminate in darkness.
In my perspective, diversity, collaboration, synergy, and serendipity lead to insights that our society needs on this problematic planet.
Thank you for reading my perspectives. I wish you a healthy and happy life.
Thank you for reading my perspectives. I wish you a healthy and happy life.
As a new reader, please check my holistic health and well-being stories reflecting my reviews, observations, and decades of experiments optimizing my hormones and neurotransmitters. I write about health as it matters. I believe health is all about homeostasis.
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Sample Humorous Stories
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