We have all been there. You join the football team and in a moment, you are suddenly completely enrapt in the sport. It becomes your life. Or perhaps you join a band and all you do with your spare time is rehearse and play gigs. It becomes your life. Then there is the all too common obsession with a major. While there will always be certain things you must do, and while it is important to follow your passion, I encourage you to try new things and learn new skills. Be self-sufficient. Be interesting. Be a Renaissance man.

I see it all too often; the man that can tell you everything there is to know about accounting cannot figure out how in the world to change a lightbulb. But this sword cuts both ways. I also see people that can fix anything you put in front of them that cannot get through reading a whole book. Both of these skills are important to have as human beings. These, along with a myriad of others, lead to a well-rounded life.

My intention is not to insult anyone, but to point out the potential every single person has. The most important passion to have, one that comes before any other, is the passion to learn. Do not confuse the word “learn” with memorizing vocab terms or math equations. These are such a small part of the potential knowledge out there. You must learn to play soccer, or to change the oil in your car, or even to speak in front of a crowd of people.

According to Merriam-Webster’s online dictionary, a Renaissance Man is defined as “a person who has wide interests and is expert in several areas.” This is the type of person who is truly fulfilling their potential as a human being. They understand that if they put the time in they can learn anything and acquire skills in whatever area they wish. As with most aspects of life, it is a proper mindset that allows the Renaissance man to move beyond the rest and become great. To the Renaissance man, every situation is an opportunity to learn. From asking your father to teach you how to change a tire to reading a book about how to garden, there is a world of knowledge waiting for you. Go out and seize it.