How To Be A Generalist (Without Burning Out)

Read time: 4 minutes

I get the whole “be a specialist…do one thing…narrow your focus” thing — but it’s not feasible when running a business.

Nearly a year ago, I wrote about the critical mistake to avoid when switching from employee to entrepreneur (or solopreneur).

I won’t keep you in suspense — the mistake I shared was “believing the skills that got you here will be the skills that make your business successful.”

The reason is because of your direct impact on the big picture:

• as an employee, you never see the whole organization’s picture

• as a business owner, you see and impact everything

This requires the business owner to hold two identities:

• An inward identity of a generalist (keeping the business going and growing)

• An outward identity of a specialist (making it clear to customers how you can help them)

And the fewer people in your business, the more split those identities must be. This means the owner of a one-person business needs to be both, while the owner of a 100-person business can be more of a specialist (because they can offload specific duties to others).

But no matter what — every business owner still must have that generalist skill set…hence, why I said what I said in the first line.

Being dynamic is exhausting. That’s not a complaint by any means — it’s simply that switching mental focus taxes energy levels.

That said — I have never explained “how” to be a generalist. Despite many iterations, I developed the four pillars (or core skills).

These are the four pillars of being a generalist without burning out:

• Think Like a Strategist

• Operate Like a Machine

• Create Like an Artist

• Connect Like a Human

Let me show you what I mean.

Think Like A Strategist

You can’t just “do” the work and expect to make progress — you need to see the bigger picture.

This is the role of the entrepreneur – always looking ahead, conjuring up ideas, and making decisions toward growth (or optimization). It's not just about the 'now'; it's about connecting the dots between where you are and where you want to be.

Thinking like a strategist means being able to craft strategic insights by building the habit of always considering these three questions:

1. What does “the information” mean?

2. Why does “the information” matter?

3. How can I put “the information” to use?

Thinking should be action-oriented — and strategists always consider how to get from here to there.

Operate Like A Machine

When it's go-time, you need to switch gears and focus solely on taking action.

Despite the importance of clear thinking, I’ve learned that you shouldn't think and do simultaneously. It’s messy and slows things down. So, conjuring the image of a “machine” is intentional because they are designed to operate within a set of rules.

Specific inputs, systems, and processes.

Machines don’t worry about making the right or wrong move at the moment—instead, they rely on thinking beforehand and re-assessing afterward.

This means establishing routines, automating where you can, and being intentional with your energy.

Create Like An Artist

Learning to be different is more durable than trying to be the best.

The goal in business is not to “win”—it’s to keep playing. It’s less about competing with others and more about competing with older versions of yourself.

While most creativity is associated with the marketing side of business, there is also creativity in the process — which means both outside-the-box and inside-the-box thinking.

You do this by fostering creativity and authenticity.

But you can't rely on being so good that people can't ignore you; you've got to make them pay attention. This is a business, after all (and you need customers).

Besides — artists share their work. They put it out in the world. They tell the story, evoke emotion, and build a brand (and trust).

So should the business owner.

Connect Like A Human

Whether you play this game of business solo or with others — the truth is business is (and will forever be) a people game.

Human connections fuel your business.

• Customers (or clients) keep you going

• Partners push you to think and operate

• Professionals offer the advice you need

• Coaches (or mentors) teach you how to improve

You could list so many more — but the clear takeaway is business requires a network of high achieving humans.

It’s easy to be a faceless entity, but over the long haul, that will harm you more than it will help you. People buy from people. Your business is not just about what you sell; it's about who you are and who you connect with.

Despite the idea that we can be rational — humans are emotional.

Thanks for reading,

Peter

Results From Last Week’s Poll

• 85% said the length of these posts is good as is (2-5 min reads)

• 80% said they want these posts to “make me a high-IQ business thinker”

• The preferred writing style was split among “how-tos,” lessons learned, and making you think differently

P.S. If you didn’t get to vote (or want to share more), hit reply to tell me how I can make these weekly posts better for you.

Missed last week’s post?

Last week, I wrote:

The Posturing Trap: Why The Urge To Impress Backfires

It’s about how communicating with the intent to impress instead of informing reduces our status. Whether you realize it or not, we all play the “status” game.

For anyone who is trying not to look stupid, it’s a good read.

Read it here.

When you’re ready — there are 2 ways I can help you:

Hi, I’m Peter, a former Harvard strategist turned entrepreneur — I help business owners and entrepreneurs uncover the actionable insights that move the needle for your business (without unnecessary complexities).

• If you’re a left-brained business owner (who overthinks), click here to break free from wasteful thought patterns and shorten the gap between thinking and action to propel your business forward.

• If you want to grow profits and the overall value of your small business, click here to turn your business into a well-oiled machine with simple operating and finance strategies so you get more for every ounce of effort you put in.