The generalist vs specialist debate hides the truth of real career growth

Have you ever wondered whether you should become a generalist or a specialist to get ahead in your career?

I used to think I had to choose. Either know a little about many things or know a lot about one thing. It felt like picking between being useful everywhere or being excellent somewhere.

Over the holidays, I found the answer in a book called The Almanack of Naval Ravikant.

Naval is a serial entrepreneur and angel investor — founder of AngelList and early backer of companies like Uber and Twitter. He worked his way up from a poor immigrant family in Queens to become one of the most respected voices in Silicon Valley. What makes him different? He’s successful and happy. He deeply understands how to build a meaningful career — not by grinding harder, but by working smarter with leverage.

Here’s what the book taught me: You don’t have to choose between generalist and specialist.

You need to be both. But not in the way you’d think.

Let me explain.

#1: Become a specialist in something only you can do

Naval calls this “specific knowledge.” It’s the area where no one can compete with you — because it’s uniquely yours.

Think about it like this. If you and a hundred other people can do the same job, you’re replaceable. But if you have a combination of skills, experiences and interests that’s hard to copy? That’s your edge.

Reid Hoffman, the founder of LinkedIn, calls this your “competitive advantage” in his book The Startup of You. McKinsey researchers say the same thing: to rise to the top, focus on building skills that set you apart.

This isn’t about being the best in the world at one narrow thing. It’s about finding the intersection of what you’re good at, what you enjoy, and what’s valuable to others.

How to find your specific knowledge:

Ask yourself these three questions:

1. What did you do as a child that felt easy to you, but impressed others?

2. What feels like play to you, but looks like hard work to everyone else?

3. What combination of skills and experiences do you have that would be hard for someone else to copy?

Don’t worry if the answer doesn’t come immediately. This takes time. Today is just the starting point.

#2: Become a generalist in the foundations

Here’s where things get interesting.

Naval also says you need to know the basics — really well. Not trendy skills that change every year. The foundational skills that never go out of style.

Why? Because knowledge in most fields changes quickly. New tools, methods and best practices. If you only know the latest thing, you’ll always be catching up.

But if you understand the foundations? You can learn anything. You’ll never be scared to pick up a new book or tackle an unfamiliar topic.

Think of it like building a house. The foundation stays the same even when you redecorate the rooms. Strong foundations let you adapt to whatever comes next.

Three foundational areas Naval recommends:

1. Basic maths — Arithmetic, probability, statistics. These help you understand risk, opportunity, and how small gains compound into big results over time.

2. Microeconomics — How value moves through society. Supply and demand. Incentives. Once you understand these, most human behaviour starts to make sense.

3. Psychology — How minds actually work, including your own blind spots and biases. This helps you see reality clearly, instead of seeing what you wish were true.

You don’t need a degree in these subjects. You just need to understand the basics well enough to apply them in your work and decisions.

The bottom line

So, generalist or specialist?

The answer is both.

Become a specialist in the unique combination of skills that only you have. That’s your competitive edge.

And become a generalist in the foundations — the timeless skills that help you learn, adapt, and grow no matter what changes around you.

Start with one question today: What feels like play to you but looks like work to others?

Your answer might surprise you.