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You know, there's a phrase that’s haunted people like me – and possibly like you – for years.
“Jack of all trades, master of none.”
Oof.
It’s usually flung at someone who dares to be good at more than one thing. Or someone who can't quite fit into a single box. Like, heaven forbid you're both strategic and creative, both people-focused and commercially minded. The horror!
But what I found out recently is that most people don’t know the full quote. The original version. I didn’t. And this version is the gamechanger.
Are you ready for this?
“Jack of all trades, master of non, but oftentimes better than master of one.”
Thank you. I rest my case.
That second half? It’s the plot twist. The redemption arc. The truth. It reframes the phrase from a slight to a badge of honour. Because what it really says is: there’s power in versatility.
Now, let me take you behind the scenes for a moment.
In the five years that I’ve had my business, I’ve received some very well-meaning advice from marketing experts – and I’m using “well-meaning” here the way you might use “bless your heart” when someone’s being a bit of a numpty.
People said:
“You really need to pick a lane. Is it business consulting? Is it neurodiversity? Is it coaching? You’ll confuse people otherwise.”
I thought, "Great. I’ve spent my whole life being too much of everything and now, apparently, I’m doing it professionally as well."
But here’s the thing: I’m not confused.
And neither are the people I work with.
In fact, Think Exceptionally came about because I couldn’t separate those threads. Business, neurodivergence, coaching, systems thinking, professional speaking – it’s all connected.
To ask me to “just focus on one thing” is like saying, “Sure, your brain’s great… but could you switch off half of it?”
Let’s be honest: this idea that we should all narrow ourselves down to one thing is based on an outdated model. The industrial-era idea of expertise. One job. One role. One path.
But the world we live in now? It rewards the integrators. The dot-connectors. The ones who can zoom out and zoom in. Who can hold complexity without falling apart – because, let’s be real, we’ve spent our whole lives navigating complexity, both internally and externally.
Being a Jack (or Jill) of all trades doesn’t mean you’re scattered. It means you’re adaptable. It means you’ve got range. It means your brain can do the equivalent of spinning plates, herding cats, and solving a Rubik’s cube – sometimes all before lunch.
A lot of people use the word ‘holistic’ to describe the service they offer, but don’t deliver in such a manner.
I once had a client say, “Lisa genuinely provides a holistic service.”
Which, honestly, I’d put on a T-shirt if I could get the right font.
What they meant was: I bring strategy, structure, empathy, and neurodivergent insight all into one space. And sometimes what makes the biggest difference for a client isn’t one big intervention, but the fact I can switch lenses – from business model to mindset to team dynamics – without breaking stride.
That’s the power of a well-integrated “Jack of all trades.”
You see things specialists miss.
And look, I won’t sugar-coat it – a lot of us who are neurodivergent have been trained to believe that our broad interests, non-linear thinking, or tendency to leap between ideas is a flaw.
When in fact, it’s often a strength.
We can’t always explain how we know what we know – it’s just there, connected through a thousand invisible threads. And while that might look chaotic from the outside, inside it’s often deeply intuitive and strategic.
So when someone says “Just do one thing,” we’re not being demand avoidant when we resist – we’re being honest.
I remember a workshop I once ran – a mix of founders, and a few “accidental entrepreneurs” (you know the ones who started a side hustle and suddenly had a VAT number).
Partway through, someone asked me what I actually do. (Which is code for “I can’t pigeonhole you and that’s making me uncomfortable.”)
So I smiled and said:
“I help people and businesses stop trying to be what they’re not, and start making the most of everything they are.”
They blinked. Then they grinned. Then they wrote it down.
That’s when it clicked. We don’t need simpler selves. We need more sophisticated ways of talking about the richness of who we are.
So what if we stopped seeing "Jack of all trades" as a cautionary tale…
…and started seeing it as a compliment?
What if we said:
“Yes, I’m multi-talented. Yes, I’ve had more than one career. Yes, I care about people and profits. Yes, I want to coach, consult, and speak. And no, I’m not confused. I’m integrated.”
What if your unique combination of interests, skills and identities is exactly what’s needed in a world that’s crying out for more nuance, not less?
Think Exceptionally exists because I think exceptionally – and so do my clients. And I know my community is full of people who have been told to shrink, simplify, or “pick one lane.”
So let me be the first to say:
You don’t have to choose one thing to be taken seriously.
You can be focused and flexible. Strategic and empathetic. Deep and broad.
That’s not a flaw.
That’s the future.
So the next time someone tries to box you in, give them your best smile and say:
“Actually, I’m a Jack of all trades.
Master of none.
But oftentimes better than master of one.”
And then walk away like the brilliant multi-dimensional legend you are.
Thank you.
Are you a multi-dimensional legend but struggling to fit in?
Let me help!
Whether you're looking for ADHD Coaching, Autism Coaching, or Coaching to support any other neurodivergent condition, I'll work with you to develop strategies and tools to draw on your strengths and manage your challenges so you can be your best self.
I'm ADHD, Autistic and gifted myself – twice exceptional – but I've often just felt like the exception, so I truly get the challenges that neurodivergence can present in your personal life and in the workplace. This is my Why for becoming a neurodiversity Coach – so I can give others the support I didn't even realise I needed but so wish I'd had.
Find out more about coaching with me here.
