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I think you nailed it. In a world in which so much routine work has been and continues to be automated, originality is becoming more and more essential for suc
by ScottBurson 15y ago
I think you nailed it.
In a world in which so much routine work has been and continues to be automated, originality is becoming more and more essential for success. But originality can't be taught -- it has to be nurtured.
Yes, in order to do original work, you need mastery of a medium, whether that be lacrosse, tuba, or mathematics (to borrow your examples). But people think that the mastery is the whole point, when it's actually just the toolchest. Without originality to guide the use of those tools, you're just a mechanic -- and we don't need many mechanics anymore.
- kenjackson 15y agoOriginality really isn't the right word. I've been original my whole life -- almost everyone has by definition. I can do a lot of original dumb stuff. I think what you want is closer to ingenuity. And this is why mastery is important. And its also why mastery of certain things is important. I was one of the most original (and skilled) Gorf players of my day -- no one really cares. Had I been equally skilled at chess I probably could have gotten into Harvard on that alone. Both relatively equally non-transferrable skills.
- ScottBurson 15y agoJust happened across a blog post on this topic, more or less: http://www.forbes.com/sites/michaelellsberg/2011/07/22/life-lessons-from-a-fire-breathing-stilt-walking-billionaire/ http://www.forbes.com/sites/michaelellsberg/2011/07/22/life-...