There is a Greek poem that tells the story of the Fox and the Hedgehog 1 that is
“the fox knows many things, but the hedgehog knows one big thing”
The principle of the poem is to highlight two world views. You can live your life with one big idea that defines everything you do or you can have the view the world is full of ideas and options.
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The one big idea is something obvious like a religion, an employer or specific interest that is their passion and comes to define everything about them. For other people, it about finding new ideas and considering each one. Maybe it about travelling for new experiences and see new things, new places and new people.
For myself, I believe I tend to the “many ideas” view. I work on many different technologies (although I once specialised). I embrace the uncertainty of travel. I like reading off topic content in design and finance. Sometimes it’s confusing to myself when I “change ideas”.
But then, nothing stays the same. Living my life with just one “big idea” through obeisance to some gods or a single lifelong hobby or having the same job year after year just doesn’t make sense to me. Mind you, it would make for a much simpler life that could equally be enjoyed.
I like that idea. One big idea or many idea. You can have both.
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p>You can live your life with one big idea that defines everything you do or you can have the view the world is full of ideas and options.
Max Mortillaro
Thank you for this post. I define myself as many ideas, my mind keeps traveling on a neverending landscape of changing patterns, shifting interests, ideas and thoughts. While others may prefer focusing on a single idea like their alpha and omega, for what it’s worth, I almost feel like a grasshopper, hopping from one idea to the next one. It is sometimes confusing, sometimes even angering, on the other hand it gives the satisfaction of embracing the world and life in its full diversity.