Everyone should try to become the best possible version of themselves. In the world that we currently live in everyone stresses the need for hyper-specialization as a way to get ahead in life. College students narrow down their knowledge in order to satisfy a niche. Sadly, this kind of thinking is slowly eliminating the once popular ideal of becoming a well-rounded person.

I believe that people should have a certain level of expertise in multiple areas of study and they should work to strengthening themselves in every way possible. If someone is extremely smart, this doesn’t mean that they should let their physical health suffer. They should balance out their life and exercise. Achieving excellence in one area should not take attention away from the pursuit of new skills.

The ideal of becoming a Renaissance Man is based on the belief that a man’s capacity for personal development is without limits, competence in a broad range of abilities and areas of knowledge should be every man’s goal and is within every man’s grasp.

Knowledge

Gaining knowledge is the main goal of all renaissance men throughout history. It is at the core of the renaissance man ideal. In order to become a renaissance man, someone must obtain a diverse range of knowledge in multiple areas of study. The traditional Renaissance Man was seen to possess not only a general understanding of many topics but rather a display of expertise in at least two or more of these areas. Science, literature, mathematics, grammar, cultural history, and politics are a good place to start.

You live in a time where magic is possible. Try to think of anything you would like to learn and I have a friend that knows how to do that exact skill, that friend is google. Never before in history could you not know something but have the power to learn it in the palm of your hand.

In order to gain knowledge in multiple areas, you should increase the amount of new information you are exposed to. Sign up for podcasts that you can listen to while you are in the car, it won’t cost you any extra time and you will be gaining new information.

If you wish to learn how to use technology better or you want to learn how to code, a great resource that I use for this is Lynda.com (learn how to get a lynda.com membership for free in this post that I wrote). If you must watch television then try to watch shows that will improve what you know instead of wasting your time.

If you wish to gain knowledge in multiple areas then I highly recommend you check out some of my previous posts about learning.

Physical Development

Not everyone is a superb Athlete, but that is not an excuse to allow your physical health to suffer. Exercising is just as important as exercising your mind. In fact studies show that both types of exercise go hand and hand, people that are more physically active usually have a higher IQ than those that aren’t.



Many people consider Leonardo da Vinci to be the ideal renaissance man. He was known to have been a brilliant scientist, inventor, painter, and musician. He was also said to have maintained an impeccable physique throughout his life.

Most people don’t need to be physically active for their job anymore. So people must discipline themselves to exercise on their free time. It is also important to maintain a proper diet and monitor your intake of unhealthy food. While you are exercising try to find activities you actually enjoy doing so you will be more motivated to do it.

Create personal goals for yourself (ex. do 50 pushups without stopping) and increase these goals as you achieve them. Make sure the goals are easily achievable but still hard enough to make you push yourself, you don’t what to make a goal that is too hard for you to achieve because that will increase your odds of giving up on exercising completely. Find some other people to do this with so they can hold you accountable. The physical changes you will witness will surely have a positive effect on all other areas of your life.

Social

Having a well-adjusted social life is another important part of becoming a renaissance man. It helps people keep their personal sanity and mental health. Not to mention the fact that strong interpersonal skills make a man an appealing candidate for both friendship and relationship. It is also a man’s responsibility as a citizen to make a significant contribution to his community throughout the course of his life, whether it be through time or money or both.

One’s social life begins with their own personality. You must realize what you have to offer to others and constantly work to increase your contribution. You should try to work on your listening skills so you can actively be involved in the conversation. Try to become a good conversationalist. Show interest in what others are saying and also share something about yourself in the process.

Arts

Most people think that artistic pursuits are only attainable by people with natural born talent or by people with lots of money and free time. The Renaissance man ideal argues that this shouldn’t be the case. Galileo painted and played the lute alongside his mastery of science and philosophy. Thomas Jefferson was an accomplished architect and designed innovative furniture and fixtures for his personal home throughout his illustrious political career.

When asked almost 9 out of ten adults wanted to learn how to play an instrument but not many of them actually do. Most of them think that they don’t have enough time so they don’t even bother trying. If all they do is get started in learning an instrument they will realize that it is probably easier than they thought. So if you want to learn how to play an instrument start now.

This same mindset applies to almost any artistic skill (Drawing, singing, dancing, painting etc) all you need to do is make some time for it and get started.

Jack of All Trades, Master of None OR True Renaissance Man?

Due to an increase in information and the creation of new fields, it is impossible to become an expert in every field. Some people argue that those who aspire to gain extensive knowledge in all fields do not master any field, they say that only a few individuals can truly become a polymathic Renaissance man.

The truth is that you can master anything that you are passionate about and seek out expertise in many areas. The true benefit comes from making the attempt, not from achieving perfection. By simply aspiring and seeking knowledge and wisdom in fields that impact all of our lives, you will become a better person, and certainly, have a shot at being an indisputable Renaissance man.

If you enjoyed this post then you may also be interested in my Free Step by Step Guide to Improve Self-Discipline. You can download it below