identity crisis.

Throughout my travels online, I keep running into the above image. I’ve seen it in blogs, and through my RSS, I’ve even seen companies using it when they post new job positions. It got me thinking. I know that my range of experience is a bit more complex then most. I’ve dubbed my situation “deep pockets” since I know a lot of stuff about a great many things. My small boutique experience at Helios, taught me that I needed to be flexible and open to learning the tools ad-hoc on a per project basis. Amassing block of information along the way similar in fashion how I used to collect Lego when I was a kid. Using said block on each new project always adding to my collection and moving forward.

I quickly realized that my bag of tricks sometimes overshadowed jobs I was applying for, or in some cases wasn’t specific enough for some people in one area. Was I spread too thin? Did my new found love for motiongraphics keep me from progressing in flash actionscript? Did my love for code overshadow my design abilities? What I have found is that my skill sets shift as I use one more than another. What I’ve forgotten in AS3.0 I relearn quicker each time I have to dive back into heavier scripting projects. My patience for rotoscoping goes up the longer I keyframe my way through a piece of footage, and my designs get tighter and more true to my ideas the more I spend time in photoshop/illustrator. This floating approach has its benefits and its weaknesses and for now I’m left wondering if its better to focus on one thing and let some slide by the wayside or spend enormous amounts of time and effort to keep myself sharp in all situations.

I’ve given some thought to focusing on one thing specifically, determining that one thing has its hardships since I love every aspect of what I do, and while most things are equal spending time with one more than the others makes me feel like I’ve stopped feeding one of my pet fish (i don’t have any pets) would that fish just die? That’s something I’m not prepared to accept. Then there is the part of me that wants to learn more, heaven forbid that I want even deeper pockets than I already have. The though of getting into new things is intriguing all the time, I know it spreads me thin but at what cost. When does the quality of what I produce lessen enough to make it not a good product due to having my hands in too many pots? What happens when I’m expected to do it all on the time line of 8 people doing it separately? And would staying with these pockets of mine satisfy me the way I need them too? Will these new found skills add to my love of what I do day in and day out, or will it just add to the burden of being a guy who can accomplish alot?

I’m open for suggestions, i’m debating with myself the merits of focus vs loving everything. I find both appealing just not sure I can handle both. Maybe I can… but who knows.