General Overseer of the International Central Gospel Church (ICGC), Dr Mensa Otabil, has cautioned that being multi-skilled often perceived as an advantage can in fact present significant challenges, particularly for young people trying to find clarity in their life’s direction.

Speaking at the Next Great Leader Summit 2.0: Wisdom at the Helm of Affairs held at the University of Gold Coast (UGC), Dr Otabil described multi-skilled individuals as being at a disadvantage compared to those with fewer abilities, noting that the abundance of talent often leads to indecision and lack of focus.

“People are multi-skilled, and it’s always a hazard to be multi-skilled,” he said.

“Life is easier when you don’t have many skills. Life is very complicated when you have a lot of skills, because then you have to make a choice as to which skill you are going to work with,” he continued.

Dr Otabil explained that individuals with limited skills often have no choice but to focus and refine what they possess giving them a clearer path and stronger sense of purpose.

However, he noted that those with multiple talents frequently struggle to decide which direction to pursue, despite being perceived as exceptionally gifted.

“My observation is that a lot of people who are multi-skilled go through life sometimes not able to settle on what to do,” he noted. “Multi-skilled is not a blessing from my point of view. Only a few people are able to manage it.”

He further advised that the most effective approach is often to focus on a core skill and then build “adjacencies” complementary skills or opportunities that branch out from a well-developed core discipline.