In business, finding a niche is a powerful thing. Being the best in your specific field carries tremendous advantages over being average in several areas. But to become that kind of market leader requires focus. It requires saying no to opportunities that would take energy and resources away from your area of expertise.
The same is true for us as individuals and our skill sets. Having a niche, and becoming a master of a specific craft—whatever that craft may be—requires focusing on that one thing. But choosing a specific area to specialize in can be a difficult thing, because it means there will be other areas that we will not master. The irony is that not choosing a specialty to focus on doesn’t help us master anything in the end—in fact, it ensures that we won’t.