Every semester I have students that are enamored with the concept of being a "renaissance" soul. This is a person who leaps from one career path to the other in pursuit of satisfying their diverse interests.
While renaissance souls make for interesting party guests, and generally, can speak with intimate familiarity on a wider array of vocations, there is one serious drawback: a weaker network.
I've learned as a career specialist that there are essentially three types of capital. 1) Human capital (the talents we bring to a work situation, 2) Psychological capital (the mental elements that enable us to succeed in work context, and 3) Social Capital (the relationships that we have with others).
I can't deny that we live in a time where it behooves all of us to pursue a multiplicity of activities to generate multiple income streams, but we have to be mindful of how this is accomplished.
When we stay on course, committing to an activity (or related activities), a profession, or industry, we are granted the opportunity to build, expand, and deepen relationships with those in our networks.
Networks often get fragmented into communities, and when you stay on course, you put yourself in position to reap the rewards of the network that you are a part of. This is how careers evolve, and are sustained. The people within your community freely exchange social capital for the enrichment and edification of the network.
This only happens when you stay on course. So diversify your activities you renaissance souls, but remember, it's Social Capital that we cash in on as our careers progress, and our lives evolve.
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