Wide or Deep

A while back at a presentation, one of the panellists asked an intriguing question to a colleague - do you want to go wide or deep? 

That question was very poignant given that it was hinged on whether one wanted to grow expertise in a particular aspect of the job or build competence across several domains. The import of the former is that one needed to narrow down to a particular area and stay digging and growing mastery. The alternate that the latter represents was being adept at a lot and that wide meant what many see as most balanced in a world where change has become commonplace. 

Many argue however that in the process of really going deep, and especially to go really deep, the surface area covered must be wide, as such, they believe that in the process of pursuing expertise in a domain, the twin option of width can and will be achieved. For such, the choice is going deep. The width crew however counter this claim by first pointing out that going wide is not necessarily staying on the surface, but rather indicative of a mind that is fertile enough to understand and see the world from a varied prism. The contestations go amok with one chiming that - 'the jack of all trade' tirade. 

All right, I get and agree with both parties actually. And in this case, it is beyond the easily flunked perspective basis. Nope, I actually see an interesting slant to that conversation now. Those thoughts are situated in the purpose that follows every search. Let me break it down. So I think that we are all products of our purpose and that whether we are simply playing a surface game or a very deep introspective pursuit; the purpose is what makes the difference. It means that it does not matter where one plays, if the purpose can be found - value will emerge. 

And interestingly, it is that value that results from the process of purpose that we actually get rewarded for. Thus, whether you prefer deep or you choose wide, all that matters really is what purpose you are driving behind. That is what makes all the difference. 

Nugget: Value is the oil that derives from the waves of purpose. Hold on to purpose enough and someone will come knocking.