A Jack of all trades. But a master of none.
To be a master in one thing or to be balanced in many?
You’ve heard the quote:
“A Jack of all trades but a master of none”.
I bet this was the first time anyone told you the full quote.
“Jack of all trades, master of none, though oftentimes better than master of one”
Is this true?
I consider myself a bit more of a “jack of trades.”
I always liked the idea of being able to handle myself in a variety of situations.
I enjoy being handy, knowing how to defend myself, having intellectual conversations, cooking, as well as having an understanding of politics, religion, and culture.
But could I achieve more and go further if I were to “trim my branches”?
I try to do it all. However, as I always say,
I’m like a guy carrying a bunch of groceries in my hands,
I keep dropping them, and every time I pick up what I dropped,
I drop something else.
So, there is some truth in focusing on mastering something.
But sacrificing all else to do one thing?
Perhaps not the right path for everyone.
Two to three core focuses sound right to me. Right now, Copy and MMA are my life.
We’ve all heard of monk mode.
Cliche, I know.
I decided to commit to a 60-day period of practising monk mode:
No social media, no drinking, exercise daily, eat only whole foods and write daily.
of course im’m only human and have slipped up a couple of times.
It has been outstandingly productive for mastering copywriting,
Removing distractions to force focus has worked wonders for me.
Since I decided to enter this phase of my life,
I’ve accomplished more in 40 days (20 to go) than I would have in months otherwise.
Which leaves us where?
To be neither a Jack nor a Master?
Or work towards mastery in two or three things while ensuring you are still competent, balanced and not a complete social outcast.
That sounds good to me.
Ask yourself: what are the two to three things I'd like to work towards mastering?
(P.S. That is kind of the point)
Working towards something and having a goal makes life tolerable.
As Peterson would say, “aim up.”
Set yourself a monk-mode period.
Pick a goal, remove all distractions, and aim at it.
You’ll shock yourself with just how far you’ll progress.
After this 60-day bout, I’ll enter three-week monk mode and one week of “regular life.”
Three-week pushes at a time with a week where I get to enjoy the parts of life you’re supposed to as a human,
A night out with friends for wine and dinner.
A Whiskey, or Guinness.
A weekend trip.
Whatever it might be.
Work hard and focus, and then when it’s time to recover and relax, go at that with the same focus—ready to push again.
Consistency is what matters in my writing.
Creating 2-3 pieces of copy, even if it's just practising every day.
Working on getting this newsletter out weekly—that has been my sweet spot.
Avoid the Jack-of-All-Trades Trap in Your Copy
When you start out copywriting, finding clients, and learning everything there is to know about copy, it can be very tempting to try to do it all.
Call me Admiral Ackbar because,
It’s a trap.
Your clients don’t need you to be able to do every single thing,
If they do, they probably don’t know why they need to hire you, so proceed cautiously.
Pick a niche and a specialised service, and then find the people who need your help.
I love email campaigns—that's what got me into copy.
Iman Ghadzi’s emails are phenomenal.
Chris Williamson does a great weekly newsletter,’
Alex Hormozi sends out short, digestible emails called Mozi Money Minutes.
I focus on providing that service. I may offer two other services, but I always emphasise that my job is to send emails that create compelling narratives and build relationships, helping customers move down the sales funnel.
The same thing applies to your actual writing.
Do not try to appeal to a broad, vague audience.
What’s the one thing you want the reader to take away?
What action do you want them to take?
Eliminate any copy that doesn’t contribute to that goal.
For example, I worked with a fitness coach.
Now, I might be tempted to write copy that appeals to everyone—from pro athletes to casual gym-goers.
But a true master of copy knows that focusing on a niche (e.g., busy professionals who struggle to fit workouts into their day) Will create deeper resonance and higher conversions.
I know it seems scary, and you’ll miss out on more leads and sales.
You won’t.
Reframe it. Call it qualifying.
If your service is not suitable for that person, then in the long term,
It's not good for your business. You won’t get repeat, loyal customers. You’ll get stress, headaches, and problems to fix.
It’s easy to fall into the scarcity mindset trap.
Just a reminder, there are more than eight billion people on Earth,
You will find people who need your services.
Find your niche, specialise in a single service, connect with people who need that service, and build up your client list.
Then, branch out and try new things.
In the beginning, don’t do more, do less, better.
(Bonus points if you can tell me where that quote comes from.)
I bet you didn’t see this coming…
Big reveal…
Another quote.
"The art of living is more like wrestling than dancing; it, too, demands a firm and watchful stance against any unexpected onset."
None other than my favourite character in history, Marcus Aurelius.
If you haven’t read meditations, seek professional help.
Or buy it for like ten bucks—a treasure trove of insight.
I like this quote because I said to remember to dance the other week, but being the meathead I am, I like the martial arts reference
and have always considered it a kind of dance.
So this week, I’ll say,
Remember to wrestle with life,
And pin that son of a bitch.
Big Love,
James