Create your own trail with Salman Ansari

Salman Ansari is — ummm let’s stick to — a newsletter creator. He has varied interests, pursued as and when he feels like tuning in to a new frequency.

And he talked about his non-thematic adventure on The Newsletter Nerd Show, a podcast hosted by Akshaya Chandramouli. He talked about his polymathic mindset, what it feels like to explore new skills, and how good it is to enjoy all the (other) worldly experiences.

This article summarizes that podcast episode. Keep reading…

Be a master of none

You, most probably, have heard a jack of all trades is a master of none. Salman says that’s what you should strive for. Why? Because a jack of all trades is often better than a master of one. Yes, that’s the complete saying.

“A jack of all trades is a master of none,
but oftentimes better than a master of one.”

By being a generalist, by exploring different paths, you get to mix and combine different skills.

Do stuff because you want to

Salman gave an example of how people try to grow their follower base around a theme. They get some success. And one day, they feel exhausted. They go out of topics. They don’t even feel like talking about it anymore.

Yes, you can do anything you want. You’ll succeed too. And then, you’ll like to have an omni-directional growth too.

But, do it not because you see a growth opportunity, not because people want it, not because it’s trending. Jump into it because you are interested in it, and you’ll never run out of steam.

Do it because you enjoy doing it.

Love what you do

Now, just enjoying something isn’t sufficient. You also need to figure out the things you’ll love doing and exploring for long.

When you work on stuff that you find fun, and engaging and invigorating, nothing else matters. You can work for three hours straight, without even realising. But when you don’t love what you do, even ten minutes feel like an hour.

Salman started his newsletter by collecting and sharing different links. He couldn’t do it for long, and just gave up. You too, might not be able to settle on the first thing you tried. So, enjoy the pursuit; be persistent. It can be quite stressful, but also liberating and fun.

Subscribe to Quick Brown Fox, Salman’s newsletter on creativity, curiosity, and his journey of self-discovery while balancing multiple pursuits.

Choose your way of laziness

Salman then brought up the topic of the recent trend of employees voluntarily leaving their jobs. As per him, people found time to think about their jobs during the pandemic, and their choices. And those who realised they have better options, chose to resign from their job.

The fact is that when you’re doing something you love, you feel productive even if you aren’t spending long hours. So, choose what you want to work on and for how long.

Make some free space, try new activities, and see how things pans out.

Put your energy in the right things

Another thing Salman discussed was about managing your energy. When you’re pursuing multiple interests, you need to ensure you don’t spread yourself thin.

He mentioned how overwhelming it gets sometimes when he’s mentoring online, working on his book, and writing his newsletter. And he does it all while working part time in a startup.

So, you need to keep a watch on how different things make you feel and re-evaluate whether to continue doing them or not. Of course, you’ll need to do a few things, no matter how stressful they feel. But you can make them a bit more playful.

Stay away from best practices

When you do something just to grow and earn, you attract a lot of anxiety and unwanted pressure. You’re constantly running behind the numbers, implementing the best practices, and trying to improve your performance with every step.

So, choose to do what comes naturally to you.

You can take inspiration from Salman’s newsletter itself. It’s about everything he does, instead of focusing on a niche. It’s his way of engaging with people. He shares some philosophy, some stories, and some drawings among other stuff.

If an unconventional way feels more comfortable, go with it. You don’t have to adhere to best practices. Who knows your unique way differentiates you in the crowded market?

Create your own specialty

Everyone you know will have an opinion about your work; what to do and how to do.

But you can be, like they say, your own boss. You can have a combination of many skills and a different definition of success. You can take up different jobs, handle projects from varied industries, or cultivate a diverse mix of hobbies.

It’s about embracing a polymathic mindset. It’s all about understanding that it’s valuable to combine skill sets from different industries, which will allow you to stand out.

But then, it’s also not (at all) about doing a bunch of random things. Instead, be in a field long enough to gain valuable insights, before you pursue something else.

Remember to take a break

And while you’re trying out different things and getting excited to learn and experiment, also find time to get off the grid. You might not have the choice to do so at your will, but you can give yourself some attention whenever you’ve a bit of freedom.

Rest is important. If you don’t, it gradually affects how you’re going to show up. Take a break so you can be available when it’s needed.

And that’s all you need to know to become a successful independent creative professional. But yeah, remember you’ll have some trade-offs. So, be conscious of what all matters to you before you go all in.

Listen to The Newsletter Nerd Show on Spotify for the full episode.

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