Copia Magazine: Feature: Factotum

"What, pray tell, is a Factotum," you ask?

It's a Jack of all Trades! And the way I look at it, it's a way of life. And one that is more
fulfilling than being a Gold Medal Olympic swimmer, or a Concert Pianist, or a Rocket
Scientist.

What do those three professions have in common? A lot of hard work, determination,
and wasted time! While the swimmer is doing laps 5 hours a day and at the gym for
another 5, you could be out learning how to water-ski. While the Pianist is tirelessly
banging away at those ivory teeth, you could be painting you first picture. While the
rocket scientist is reading the latest technologies from the monthly dork journal (I'm a
dork, I can say that), you could be building a birdhouse, or a chair, or a car!

Take a minute to think about all the different things there are to do in the world. The
number is astronomical! Think about the small number of people who actually become
"experts," "specialists," and "award winners." Now think about all the people who
spend time trying to be "the best" in any field. Very few people make it from those who
are "trying" to those who are "unsurpassed."

I'm not saying that you shouldn't follow your dreams. I'm just saying that you shouldn't
dwell endlessly on one subject matter. And why limit yourself to the things that you are
good at? Just because you aren't good at something doesn't mean you aren't going to
enjoy it! I started cycling recently. I am not the fastest, I don't have the most endurance, I
don't climb hills like Lance Armstrong, but it is the most fun thing I've ever done! Before
I even started I knew that I would never be any of those things, but I'm so glad I did! Now
you can find me taking 5-6 hours out of a day to ride out into the country to a new town
or park, just to see the country side. If I followed my head--- "you're not athletic, why
would you try to ride a bike for 50 miles at a time" --- I would never have known how
much fun it is!

And because I am a Factotum I don't spend time trying to get faster. It doesn't bother
me that I may have to walk my bike up a hill or two. Because next week I'll be golfing, or
painting, or snowboarding, or flying my kite!

Be a Factotum! Try everything! Do everything! Have more hobbies than you can
remember! Because some day you will be able to say."I got the most out of life!"