Brainstorming session

How can my knowledge/skills be put to good use in fields that don't need me?

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Darko Savic Aug 26, 2020

How can my specific knowledge have the most impact on a goal which is outside of my area of expertise?

Over time everyone develops their unique skillset and knowledge based on life experiences, education, personality, environment, and even genes. 

However, in today's rapidly changing world people might find themselves interested or even develop a passion for new fields outside of their area of expertise. By joining late they could be years or decades behind the field experts in knowledge/skill. This makes a significant, breakthrough contribution to the field less likely (but not impossible).

How can field-outsiders increase their odds of making a significant contribution? Maybe we could come up with a set of guiding principles.

creativity knowledge

Creative contributions

Find your optimal angle and keep iterating

Dragan Otasevic Aug 26, 2020

This is simpler said than done but there is no way around it. If you are serious about contributing to a field you will need to:
consider what you are good at (unique knowledge/skill set)
figure out a way how your knowledge/skill can have an impact on the field
go for it, reassess, iterate

Understand the scope of your profession

Anja M Aug 29, 2020

Well, there are no easy solutions to these, but I believe there are solutions, and here is one.
Either coming from us as individuals or from our teachers (in formal or informal education), we have to understand our line of work is probably not only what the current market portrays it to be. As a professional in humanities, I can verify this.
So basically, this is a literal "thinking outside the box", where, e.g. what Aristotle was talking about categorization of animals, can be implemented in the broader scope of understanding the principles of categorizing, and then implementing them in a particular field.

Reinvent

Shubhankar Kulkarni Sep 03, 2020

You have a unique skill-set (experience from your field of expertise) shared by very few (or none) in the new field you are trying to enter. You start by going through the basics to achieve the goal (the latest mind-boggling question in the field). You have the latest technology to perform your basic research, which makes the process time-effective. You start solving easy problems or the initial steps that lead to the current goal. You find that some things can be performed differently, for example, simplifying the design, to make them more effective than the current version. Your past experience may help you here. By reinventing, you also avoid dependency and you can add features that you think are useful. Most importantly, you understand the stuff better by reinventing it. The insight you get can be greater than that most people from the field have. If nothing else, you can call yourself the master of two!

Think from first principles

Darko Savic Nov 09, 2020

The field might not need you (yet), but what does it need? Try to come up with a list of things that would expedite progress in the field. Then for each of the items, try to come up with ideas that would make the maximum impact in the positive direction. 

Now, can you do something that will launch any of those ideas into action?

Keep learning and practicing

Darko Savic Aug 26, 2020

Don't put pressure on yourself. You don't have to be the best. You don't even have to be good. You just have to start learning/practicing. Don't compare yourself with anyone. You are studying/practicing because you are driven by passion. You are upgrading yourself regardless of the end result. It should be fun.

Darko Savic9 months ago

Surround yourself with people who are experts in your field of interest

Darko Savic Aug 26, 2020

Find a way to be around experts in your field of interest. This might not be easy. Being a genuinely good person sometimes doesn't cut it, so find ways you could be of help to them. Never ever waste their time.

How can my knowledge/skills be put to good use in fields that don't need me?

Creative contributions

Find your optimal angle and keep iterating

Understand the scope of your profession

Reinvent

Think from first principles

Keep learning and practicing

Surround yourself with people who are experts in your field of interest

Add your creative contribution

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General comments

ByDarko Savic

How to jump-start creativity and get good ideas flowing

ByDarko Savic

What do creative thinkers struggle with?

How can my knowledge/skills be put to good use in fields that don't need me?

Creative contributions

Find your optimal angle and keep iterating

Understand the scope of your profession

Reinvent

Think from first principles

Keep learning and practicing

Surround yourself with people who are experts in your field of interest

Add your creative contribution

Sign up or Login

Guest sign up

General comments

ByDarko Savic

How to jump-start creativity and get good ideas flowing

ByDarko Savic

What do creative thinkers struggle with?

Sign up or