[beat]

Start by comparing yourself to yourself, not to others. Don't worry about matching others for their strengths. Just be a better you tomorrow than you were yesterday.

Next, distinguish between depth and breadth. Are you a generalist by nature, or a specialist? I'm a total generalist. I've achieved basic competence in a truly shocking variety of different subjects, but the main thing I'm an expert at is being a generalist. I've gotten very good at picking up new skills whenever I'm interested in them.

Other people are specialists. They find something they're passionate about, and they get good at it. Really good. They go deep. They may not know a whole lot of things, but that one thing they know, they know so well it's hard to even comprehend from the outside.

So are you a generalist by nature, or a specialist? Do you want to be one or the other? Pick a direction and start walking.

[sahilkhosla]

Is one better than the other?

[sudshekhar]

IMO, its best to be a Generalizing Specialist (T-shaped individual[0]). How to become that is another matter altogether.

I would also suggest reading Mastery by Robert Greene. Though the book is unnecessarily long, the points he raises are pretty good. Reading the anecdotes is also quite interesting.

0 - https://www.forbes.com/sites/andyboynton/2011/10/18/are-you-...

[beat]

Good book. I'd also add Pragmatic Thinking and Learning, by Andy Hunt. Different, but a very useful approach to "how to learn".

[beat]

No.