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The topic of "Becoming a Modern Polymath" has been a relevant one in recent years, with rise of AI, and the ability to learn anything you want online. A while back I asked ChatGPT various questions, and prompted it to help me become a modern version of Da Vinci (my hero). It came up with a variety of answers, and I had a few chats saved for ages.
Eventually I realized these chats would make for an interesting blog post, but knowing how people feel about AI - I thought it would be wise to add my own two cents to the various tips.
In this post we'll learn what it means to cultivate the Spirit of Da Vinci, and it sort of aligns with the book "How to Think like Leonardo Da Vinci".
Why the "Modern" aspect to becoming a Polymath?
Now when people hear the word polymath, they often don't know what it means. Some people even say we need to use a different word like multipotentialite or multipassionate, but that simply is not true.
When you look at all the terms and what they mean, the usages of them clearly indicate a life of polymathy. As the POTENTIAL to do many things, is not the same DOING those things. It doesn't matter if you are passionate about many things because to be honest that's not really that uncommon. To learn more about the spectrum of polymath people check out: Using The Multi-Disciplinary Spectrum!
Everyone has multiple careers over the course of their life, hobbies come and go, and sometimes you get interested in more than one thing at a time. That is a lot more common than you might think, and that is okay. It doesn't dilute the effort that polymathic people have done towards their goals, and it doesn't diminish the level of passion you might have.
Now a polymath is someone with 3 or more areas of deep knowledge/expertise, and an insatiable curiosity.
That is the most refined or simplistic answer at least in this post. There are other people trying to define what it means more. Some on the r/modernpolymath, or some doing research into the field of polymathy, etc.
The modern coinage is simply due to the fact that we are not in the Italian or Arabian renaissance anymore. One could argue we are in a digital renaissance, which I do often! Thus the idea of a modern polymath comes to be.
AI's explanation of the defacto polymath Leonardo Da Vinci:
Leonardo da Vinci, with his remarkable achievements across multiple disciplines, stands as an icon of intellectual versatility and creative genius.
While emulating someone as extraordinary as da Vinci may seem daunting, it is indeed possible for individuals today to embrace their own version of polymathy and embark on a multidisciplinary journey.
By adopting certain principles and cultivating specific habits, one can develop the spirit of da Vinci and become a modern polymath.
Da Vinci was a unique case, and great example of something to strive towards. My last count he had 15 areas of deep expertise, and truly was a "Universalist or Renaissance" level polymath.
While emulating him is something that we can do, there is a point to make about doing your own thing. Carving your own path. Using modern tools, not just ai, to learn ever faster. Imagine what he would be like if he was here in the mode
He would delve into the technology I would assume as soon as possible. Make the most of the potential in front of us. Most of us only imagine what it would be like, and with his mindset he would leap at the opportunities.
Here are the ten things you need to do to embody the polymathic lifestyle!
While the post is inspired by what AI generated, these would have been the same topics I would have came up with as well, it just sped up the process. Moreover now YOU as the reader get the benefit of having both of our words together.
Please take a moment and option your mind to each item!!
1 - Embrace Curiosity:
The foundation of polymathy lies in an insatiable thirst for knowledge. Embrace curiosity as your guiding principle.
If you aren't learning then you aren't on the journey. Simple as that, and sometimes we dip in our learning modalities. That is okay, but it is important for us to remind ourselves about the importance of curiosity. Someone the Polymath PolyCast even told me that "curiosity is a skill", and that really stuck with me.
Be curious about the world, explore diverse subjects, and actively seek out new experiences. Curiosity ignites the desire to learn and fuels intellectual growth.
There are SO many things to explore: countries/geography, economics, artificial intelligence, content creation, global trade, how computers work, and countless other topics. If you are curious about SOMETHING, then I can't help you.
Pick a topic, go down a rabbit hole, use ai to fill in the gaps, spend 20 hours on it learning, and then repeat the process. Stop until you find one you really like spending time with, then put more effort into the narrow/serialized focus for a while.
2 - Pursue Diverse Interests:
Don't limit yourself to a single field or domain. Instead, explore a broad range of disciplines. Delve into arts, sciences, literature, philosophy, technology, and more.
The cross-disciplinary web of knowledge is infinite. There are so many dual-expertise fields we have yet to discover, and maybe YOU are the person who finds the next. Mastering one field is good, but it limits your world view. "Seeing everything as a nail, if you are a hammer.", and limiting your scope potential.
Develop a genuine passion for different areas of knowledge and allow them to intersect, enriching your understanding and perspectives.
The transcontextual knowledge is something that will not only help you learn faster, by making bridged connections yourself between two fields. It also helps you discover new unique pathways as well!
3 - Cultivate a Growth Mindset:
Adopt a growth mindset, believing in your ability to learn and acquire new skills. Embrace challenges, persevere through setbacks, and view failures as opportunities for growth.
We often underestimate ourselves, and it is even worse for polymathic people. Imposter syndrome hits us more often, and its usually not even true. We have a harder time scaling in our heads how deep of a level we are in a given field. Ironically compared to a specialist, the generalist usually has more of an idea of what level a given expertise is.
The journey toward polymathy requires continuous learning and a willingness to step outside of your comfort zone.
The 🎓 Self-Education - Modular Degree isn't just about gaining a skill for a job, or getting an alternative to college. It is about life long learning, and having a system that adapts over the course of your life. This was made intentionally because of polymaths.
4 - Develop Strong Learning Habits:
Effective learning techniques and habits are essential for mastering multiple disciplines. Practice active learning by engaging in hands-on projects, discussions, and self-reflection.
We must master: learning, unlearning, and even relearning.
The skills of learning are not commonly taught, and that doesn't also include the ability to gauge yourself without ego how far along you are on a particular field.
This is often why people get mad when I say a multipotentialite are not polymaths. They are the precursor (far back removed), to the pathway to polymathy. Once they learn deeply in their fields of potential, then they are a polymath.
Embrace lifelong learning by reading extensively, attending workshops or courses, and seeking out mentors who can guide your intellectual pursuits.
The modular degree incorporates all of that, and truly brings in multiple different aspects to the "source" of learning material. It is pretty agnostic of where you get the information just so long as you have it.
5 - Foster Interdisciplinary Connections:
Seek connections between different fields of study. Look for underlying patterns, shared principles, and interdependencies.
Not only do we find those connections naturally, but we can actually go out of our way to find them. The more we do, then the easier it is to learn the other discipline, and communicate the ideas.
By making interdisciplinary connections, you can generate innovative ideas and approach problem-solving from unique angles.
6 - Embrace Creativity:
Like da Vinci, cultivate your creative spirit. Embrace experimentation, open-mindedness, and unconventional thinking. Allow yourself to explore different mediums of expression, whether it's art, music, writing, or design.
Don't let societal norms block you from pursuing your passions, and don't let yourself stop you either. Either with imposter syndrome, or personal bias.
We have a lot of potential, and it is imperative we don't waste it.
Creativity is the bridge that connects disparate disciplines and allows for fresh insights and novel approaches.
7 - Develop Time Management Skills:
Balancing multiple areas of study requires effective time management. Prioritize your pursuits, create a structured schedule, and allocate dedicated time to each discipline.
This is an area I think is very important for polymaths. I even created a few posts about it for this purpose. Focus = Time.
Dustin Miller | PolyInnovator
Set realistic goals and deadlines to ensure consistent progress in your various endeavors.
8 - Emphasize Depth and Mastery:
While polymathy celebrates breadth, it is crucial to achieve depth and mastery in at least one or a few areas.
To be multi-faceted is to simply have many interests, or skills in many areas. To be polymathic is to try and go for mastery in those areas, or at least a few of them at first. To be a polymath is to have 3 or more expert level knowledge areas.
You can be an expert generalist, with many areas, and one expertise too.
Choose a few disciplines that resonate deeply with you and invest substantial time and effort into honing your skills and understanding.
Achieving mastery in a field enhances your ability to contribute meaningfully and make significant connections with other domains.
Jacks of all trades tend to have a dozen or more interests, still gaining traction with them, sometimes MAY have one specialty. However usually its medium to low knowledge levels, but when one of those areas stick.
They level up to a T-shaped person, or eventually the aforementioned expert generalist. It is about quantity of skills, and the depth of them.
9 - Collaborate and Connect:
Seek collaboration with like-minded individuals who share your passion for multidisciplinary pursuits. Engage in discussions, join communities, and participate in collaborative projects.
This is where we are seeing many different groups or tribes of polymaths form. It is one of my dreams to unite these different groups together.
One polymath already brings in multiple expertise, and even if the next one has overlap. Their point of view and history will be different.
There is a multiplication effect as well with each additional polymath added to a group or company.
The exchange of ideas and perspectives can amplify your learning and inspire further exploration.
10 - Embody Da Vinci's Principles:
Beyond his diverse talents, da Vinci embodied certain principles that are worth emulating. These include keen observation, attention to detail, relentless curiosity, and an unwavering commitment to excellence.
Striving for excellence is imperative, but one caveat I want to add:
As a polymathic person you will tend to embody perfectionist tendencies, and these will hold you back. One of the few negative things I would say about Leonardo is that he "failed" a lot, and would constantly be late to deliver commissions, and this was mostly due to his perfectionism.
He would observe how birds flew, how water flows, how the eye works, and even how light refracts. Discovering things about physics that the rest of the world wouldn't discover for far longer.
Strive to embody these principles in your own journey toward polymathy.
Keep a keen eye for new things, an opportunistic mindset, physically able, emotionally resilient, mindful learner, and spiritually aligned with yourself and the world.
Do you have what it takes?
I genuinely ask this, and I don't mean it in a condescending way. If you do then I want to connect with you. I've been putting together a community for polymathic people, and interviewing them for years.
Becoming a modern polymath requires dedication, perseverance, and a genuine love for learning. Embrace your unique combination of talents and interests, and let your intellectual pursuits flow freely across disciplines.
This isn't a short window thing, even in a decade, and this will take DECADES of your life. If not quite possibly your WHOLE life, and that is okay! Let it be a journey, and try to make the most of it along the way.
Even if you become a polymath quickly somehow, the real important you should focus on is WHAT areas? You are a unique combination of skills/expertise, and that matters way more than when you become a multi-expert.
By cultivating curiosity, fostering interdisciplinary connections, and embodying da Vinci's spirit, you can embark on a transformative journey that unleashes your full intellectual potential and brings the spirit of polymathy to life in the modern age.
I hope this post inspired you to emulate Da Vinci, and embody his spirit of curiosity and exploration!
