There are two basic types of people who venture into the outdoors, the “specialist” and the “generalist”. It’s pretty easy to define the specialist, that person who does one thing superlatively. Many know “that person” who excels in one activity. For example, there is the bird watcher that knows the plumage, shape, silhouette, vocalizations, and habits of any bird that could be within 1,000 miles of where they are watching. But what about the generalist?
Sometimes, at least in the business world, that generalist is referred to as a “scanner” (Barbara Sher), a “polymath”, a “multipotentialite” (Emily Wapnick), or a “Renaissance person”. But that seems like quite a bit of pretentiousness for someone who engages in a wide variety of outdoor pursuits. Using the old phrase “jack of all” might be applicable or just plain “general outdoors person” may be the best choice. In any case, I’ll stick with generalist today.
Often the skills of one outdoor pursuit can carry over into others. For example, the observational skills of the bird watcher can easily carry over into hunting. The patience of the wildlife photographer definitely has application to fishing. The stamina of the hiker could certainly be a part of walking a trap line and carrying pelts. And the ecosystem knowledge of the forager enhances deep woods camping. For many of us, applying skills and habits from one outdoor activity enhances the enjoyment of other activities.
Being a generalist, especially one who uses a number of skills regularly across many activities, is often a significant component of the joy we receive when interacting with the natural world. We can see how skills acquired and honed in one area can be utilized in others. Beyond that, just spending time in the natural world, for whatever reason, has proven benefits for our mental and physical well being. Go outside and see how you can adapt the skills you have in new ways and new activities. You just might surprise yourself, and discover a new way to enjoy the outdoors.