Last Week Of July

It's day 208 of documenting 2025.

A new week....

Another Sunday to relax and unwind...for most people who were working for the whole week.

But for people like me, Sunday is just "one of those days".

I still get to relax and unwind for the rest of the week 😁

Schools all around my area have vacated, so teachers will understand what I mean right now...

Anyhoo, it's the last week of July.

By Friday, we would be wishing ourselves a happy new month.

It's all good over here.

Still windy with a teeny bit of sun...

But no power; another thing that would piss me off on a normal day.

It's okay tho...I'm sure it's not a longtime thing.

Besides, my power bank still has enough bars to charge my phone for another 5 hours or so.

It's cool 😎 

Let's get into Highlights...and I'll share an interesting chat I had with my AI assistant today.

Quick question....

Would you generalize or specialize?

Think about it 🤔 

365 Days With Self-discipline 

📌 On Profiting From Your Losses

"The most important thing in life is not to capitalize on your gains. 

Any fool can do that. The really important thing is to profit from your losses. 

That requires intelligence; and it makes the difference between a man of sense and a fool."

Quote by William Bolitho

In an ideal world, everybody would succeed more often than fail. In reality, failures are more common than triumphs, and so it means that the key skill is to learn how to profit primarily from your losses, not your successes.

And how do you do that? Simple. Whenever you fail, don’t just shrug it off and try again; carefully analyze what happened, what worked well and what didn’t, and what ultimately led to a failure. 

If you fail to do so, you’ll miss out

on a valuable learning experience and probably repeat your mistakes in the future.

Don’t discount the value of a failure. There’s a hidden treasure underneath each setback and struggle. Dig it out and use it to help you get closer to your goals.

No comments here 🤐

This is pretty understandable....but most people don't do it.

That's what makes the difference between someone who succeeds after one try and one that succeeds after lots of trial-and-error.

So, I asked a question earlier.

Which you would prefer in specializing or generalizing?

Well, that's what the chat with my assistant was all about.

Here's how it went:

Me: Is it better to know a bit about several things or just to know much about one thing?

ChatGPT: Knowing a bit about many things helps you connect ideas; knowing a lot about one thing gives you depth. 

It depends on what you value more; breadth or mastery.

Me: In this ever changing digital world, which is better in terms of application?

ChatGPT: In today’s fast-moving digital world, breadth with focused depth wins. 

Being versatile opens doors, but deep knowledge in a relevant area gives you an edge.

Me: An edge? 🤨

Over what?

ChatGPT: An edge over generalists who can’t execute deeply, and over specialists who can’t adapt. 

It means you can solve real problems with skill 'and' switch lanes when needed.

Me: Hmm 🤔 

So the real debate is being a generalist versus being a specialist, right?

ChatGPT: Exactly. It’s about whether to go wide (generalist) or deep (specialist). 

But in today’s world, the real power often lies in being a 'versatile specialist'; deep in one thing, broad enough to adapt.

Me: A versatile specialist...

I like that term 🙂

Can you give an example in a known field?

ChatGPT: Sure 🙂  

Take digital marketing. A versatile specialist might be 'deeply skilled in SEO' but also understands content strategy, social media, basic design, and analytics. 

They can lead with expertise but adapt across the board.

Me: Oh! I get it now!

A field that has separate aspects...like medicine for example, can have someone specializing in one area but still knowing a bit about the others.

ChatGPT: Exactly! 😌 

A cardiologist, for instance, may specialize in heart health but still understand general physiology, pharmacology, or even mental health factors that affect the heart. It makes them more holistic and effective.

Me: What of the line of thought that encourages young people to 'dabble' in several fields...to be able to find out their area of interest. Is that correct?

ChatGPT: Yes, that’s valid. Exploring different fields helps young people discover what energizes them, what they’re naturally good at, and where they want to go deep. 

Dabbling isn’t wasted time; it’s how clarity is often born.

Me: Hmm...

Clarity born by dabbling.

That's a nice way to put it

ChatGPT: Glad you liked it! It’s like trying on different shoes before finding the perfect fit. 

Exploration fuels insight. What fields are you curious about?

Me: Writing in general 

But I'm trying to learn about its several aspects.

ChatGPT: That’s smart! 

Writing has so many sides; fiction, poetry, essays, journalism, even screenwriting. Exploring each can really help you find your voice. 

Which part draws you the most so far?

Me: Blog, copy and research article writing...as well as fiction.

But I'm also interested in the other aspects as well.

Not so much tho...

Could you give a summary of our discussion so far?

ChatGPT: You’re exploring various writing styles like blogs, copy, research articles, and fiction, aiming to find your unique voice.

Dabbling helps build clarity about your interests. Being a versatile specialist; deep in one area but aware of others; is a strong approach in today’s world. 

It’s smart to balance depth and breadth to adapt and stand out.

Me: Nice 🙂 

How about a suitable conclusion...poetry style?

Something short but impactful.

ChatGPT: 

In pages wide, I roam and write,  

From facts to dreams, I seek the light.  

A path unfolds with every try,  

To know my voice, I must first fly.

Me: This refers to my own interest in writing.

How about something else for the debate on dabbling versus specializing?

ChatGPT: Sure! Here’s a short poem for that debate:

Try many seeds, let some take root,  

In varied soil, find what’s truth.  

Specialize with heart once known,  

But first, explore; make all your own.

There you have it! 😊

That's a whole chat on specializing versus generalizing.

You can share your thoughts in the comments (even as anonymous...) or just think about it.

Would you generalize or specialize?

That's all for today's post.

Thanks for reading 🎀 

I wish you a wonderful week ahead.

And don't forget to rest when you need to....burnout is no fun.

I'm Duon Ada.

I'm documenting 2025,

And I'll see you tomorrow.

Ciao 💕