ESSAY

Experiences with Choice and the Human Condition

PROMPT: Jeanne Heydecker wrote: There are so many disciplines involved in developing a good web site: [list of 12 specialties and duties omitted]

I could go on... Everyone working in this industry has a certain specialty within this range, maybe even four or five, but nobody has received formal academic training on all aspects (because schools don't get it), nor does anyone have actual real-world experience in all of these.

Rebecca Replies:

I think sometimes when we ourselves feel limited, we have a hard time believing that anyone could possibly exceed the limitations we set up for ourselves.

Once upon a time, I was invited to a restaurant called "The Bayport Cookery" as apart of a training celebration with one of my corporate clients. It was truly the best restaurant I'd ever been to and the finest dining experience I'd ever had.

All my life, I have been attracted to talented people, so I asked one of the waiters about the chef. It turned out that the chef never set foot in a school; he was completely self-taught. The chef was also the owner of the restaurant. Years later, he sold it for lots of money. He was a talented chef AND business person.

These were lessons for me, that talent comes from mysterious places and in mysterious combinations.

People generally possess more unrealized talents because they put themselves (and others) in a box or they ignore what they already have developed because they spend their time looking outward instead of inward -- because it's comfortable to do so. (I know because I was there at the very beginning of my web design career.) Once, I thought that if I just specialize in web design, everyone else would be diluting their skills....but not necessarily so.

Shortly thereafter, I met several excellent programmers who were also excellent graphic designers. It blew me away! And then I met a guy who was a good designer, project manager, business consultant, producer and writer! What can a person do but change their thinking?

Today, I have actual real-world experience in all but 2 of the items on your list...plus one more not mentioned: e-business consulting.

Don't sell yourself too short, okay?