The following is an editorial and does not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of the Drury Mirror. 

The Jack-of-all-trades – a mysterious person who seems good at everything they try. Of course, their end result probably isn’t as refined and detailed as the professional’s, but it’s good enough to pass. You aren’t amazed by the glorious products of their works, but rather at the shear volume of skills they possess. None of them honed, but still sharp enough to work with.

The professional, on the other hand, is nothing but a single, sharpened skill. Whatever the thing is that they do has been utterly perfected. Their work is pristine – and they know it. You know it to. It’s the thing that they’re famous for. It’s what defines them.

So, which is better: the Jack or the professional?

The pros and cons of both of these paths truly depends on your own perspective. For some, like doctors and scientists and musicians, the professional might be the only option. But for the rest of you, consider this: versatility is a skill.

Versatility defines the jack-of-all-trades. They can do anything and, by extension, have the mental tools to solve any problem. They have taught themselves just enough of everything that they can usually figure out how to do anything.

This makes the Jack an incredibly important facet of society. We are amazed and rely on the people who can both fix our computers and write a fantasy novel. The people who can build a house and also sew curtains for it.

Human beings are innately versatile. We are born with the ability to learn anything and therefore can become anything. Every person has a multitude of interests that they may be pursuing at any given time – even the professional has a hobby. But the difference between a normal person and a Jack is that the jack-of-all-trades specifically does not pursue perfection.

The Jack is looking to understand, implement and figure it out as they go. They seek to be well-rounded in all areas of life. The professional may be like that to an extent, but they don’t have the time the Jack does to devote to it. They have trained themselves to think in a certain way because that is what their profession requires. The Jack has no such restraints.

Culture dictates that you find a career and stick to it forever. You have one purpose in life, find it, and make money, it says. The Jack says no to that. So the next time someone asks you what you want to do with your life, consider this answer: “Everything.”

Written by Afton Jagels.