#31 Be a generalist
You can literally learn anything.
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Be a Generalist
About two months back, I mentioned about getting back to coding. I did, and managed to create a Figma plugin.
Variant Annotator plugin lets Figma users annotate variant properties to their component instances. This can be especially helpful when you’re creating specs for developers or creating design system documentation.
It has felt empowering in ways more than one. I did not have any prior education in development or coding. Thanks to the internet, we have things like Youtube and FreeCodeCamp at our disposal. Even design and content creation tools are now completely online, opening up a new realm of collaboration and inclusivity. This has eliminated hardware as a constraint to learning or creating just about anything. And, just like how the best camera is the one you have in your pocket, the best computer is now the one you already have.
This brings me to the title — be a generalist. In a world full of specialists, be a generalist. Be the person who can create just about anything, can solve just about any kind of problem, or if not, knows someone who they can work with to get the problem solved. It’s liberating.
No one is asking you to be great at everything. But be good enough so that you can filter through what’s great and what’s not great. Learning to code? Understand what’s good code vs bad code. Designing? Try to see the difference between good design and mediocre design. It will enable you to build your own ideas without the need of relying on someone else. You get to test ideas faster, iterate more often, and build your own skill stack. That skill stack will be a valuable asset that will differentiate you from the rest.
This is not to say becoming a generalist should come naturally to everyone. Some of you might be exceptional at that one thing you do so well that you’re hard to replace. Nothing wrong with that. But, all that I am saying is, keep your avenues open. Today, everything is a click away. Once in a while, it’s good to be outside your comfort zone. You never know what you’re capable of.
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Good Reads
On Creativity: A modest guide to being more creative — Generate lots of options. Refine the best ones until you have something you like.
A short history of iOS App icons — iOS applications have been primarily identified, embodied, and personified by a single piece of artwork: the app icon.
Why do we call it breadcrumbs? — A deep dive into one of the web’s most commonly used UI components.
Other things
Browser Extension: Eesel
Eesel filters your browser history to show the documents you need for work right in your new tab. See recent docs, filter by app or search by title or content. All in one place.
Fun: Earth Clock
Earth Clock is a digital clock assembled from views of Earth from above that resemble numbers. It also can be downloaded as a Mac screensaver.
App: Liist
Liist is the better way of saving places you discover on Instagram. Simply take a screenshot of a post or DM it to Liist - we’ll save it to a map for you instantly.
App: Until
Track the more meaningful events of your life.
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