I Had No Niche, Then This Became My Niche

Having no niche makes me feel miserable.

You must have a niche. This is proclaimed by everyone who made it to fame here on my beloved writing platform. I feel terrible at times. I exist for over 60 years already and do not have a niche yet. Can not even think of one.

A niche is a recess or hollow in a wall, as for a statue, bust, or vase

Ok, that hollow in the wall is not for me.

The word niche has its roots in an old French and Latin word and has been associated with “nest” or “making a nest”.

Like a nest, a niche is a place where you feel comfortable, feel at home and know you are at the right place.

You will know when you have found your niche if something suits and fits you perfectly well. Usually it is a smaller part out of a bigger one. Consider it as a kind of a specialization. You might even have a passion for your niche, stand for it and perform well in it.

But for me most of the days I feel like a sparrow among a herd of penguins. I can not find a nest either. I am also not a writer and I also do not have a recess in a wall. After all, why am I here then? What fascinates me to be on Medium and what makes me even dare to write?

Sometimes I am inspired simply because I want to know if I can master something which I have considered out of reach for the whole of my life.

I was educated as an IT guy and at high school one of my teachers told me that my essays were the worst he ever read. These are not the best preconditions to aim high as a writer here on Medium.

Umpteen times I was told that everyone is good at something and everybody has their strength. And this strength can be your niche. Is it really so? When I assess myself I have my doubts. That something is nothing, or everything, for me. Am I the only one who is confused?

I have a bit of a tendency for irony and sarcasm. But can that be considered a strength or a niche?

Otherwise, I have an interest in almost everything the planet is not hiding from me. But I never go deep in my research. I scratch the surface just. Once I think I understand the concept I move on and get enthusiastic about the next big thing lined up in a queue. Could this be my strength?

I like to explore and get a glimpse of everything. That must be my niche. I have no other choice, roaming around, that fits me well.

At least the sparrow can fly and watch the penguins from above. But I think it is time that the sparrow finds its nest.