We’re often told in different ways that the key to success is specialization, and that being a generalist is inadvisable. Yet, many of the smartest individuals that have ever graced the earth are renowned for being polymaths with skills across multiple subjects.

The modern workplace and companies are increasingly reliant on polymathic individuals to bring them success, making it imperative for us to diversify our skill set instead of simply mastering one trade and sticking to it.
But what exactly is a polymath? Howard Gardner’s theory of multiple intelligences might be useful in answering this question. He lays out seven different intelligences that include musical, spatial, linguistic, and other abilities that we all possess. A polymath is simply someone who has developed three or more of these intelligences.

Continue reading “Deconstructing Polymathy”