# I Want to Be a Renaissance Man

By Randall Degges · May 30, 2011 · https://rdegges.com/2011/i-want-to-be-a-renaissance-man/

> Skateboarding, video games, programming, fitness: I've always gone deep on just one thing. Now I want to stop limiting myself and be a renaissance man.

![DaVinci Sketch][]


Throughout my life, I've been extremely interested in several different things:

-   **Skateboarding.**  When I was in elementary and middle school, I was
    obsessed with skateboarding.  I remember falling asleep every night
    dreaming about skateboarding, waiting for school to end so I could
    skateboard, and scheming up new ways to get money to buy skateboarding
    equipment.
-   **Video Games.**  When my family got our first computer system, it was
    preloaded with [Wolfenstein 3D][], Tyrant, and several other games.  I was
    immediately addicted to them.  My brother and I would go to extraordinary
    lengths to extend our daily computer time beyond the 1 hour my parents
    alloted to us, and we would eventually dominate both games, and unlock all
    the fun cheat codes.  And don't even get me started on Diablo II and
    Starcraft.  I played those games so much that I seriously consider them a
    large part of my youth.
-   **Programming.**  After video games got old, programming engulfed my life.
    Since learning my first language, I've spent countless hours reading
    programming blogs, books, and tutorials.  I've written hundreds (if not
    thousands) of individual programs (in numerous languages), and quite a few
    technical articles on various topics.  In high school, I gave my first ever
    technical presentation to the computer club, describing what
    [one-time pad][] encryption is, and showing off my C implementation.
-   **Fitness.**  In October 2009 I decided to change my appearance.  I got rid
    of all junk food, started exercising, and haven't looked back.  Ever since
    I got started with my new lifestyle changes I've been learning more and
    more about diet, nutrition, and exercise regiments.

Unfortunately, I've always considered myself something of a single-minded
person.  I often associate myself with the stereotypical computer geek--
spending 24 hours a day on the computer, unable to cope with social situations,
and obsessed with computers.  *I don't want to be that person anymore.*
Instead of being capable in only a few target areas, I want to be great at
everything.  I want to be universally knowledgeable, and be able to have a
great impact on whatever I decide to participate in.

**I want to be a renaissance man.**

What I've realized is that I've been limiting myself.  Instead of challenging
myself to grow and learn new things, I've placed artificial borders around
myself.  Instead of trying new things in my life, I've rejected them because
they don't seem to be something a computer geek would do.  No more of that.

I really enjoy learning things.  All sorts of things.  Over the past few months
I've been increasingly interested in personal development, organization,
bodybuilding, music, travel, astronomy, business, entrepreneurship and design.
From now on, I'll allow myself to explore new things, learn as much as possible
about them, and develop my skill sets.  There is no reason why I should limit
myself to being an expert in only a few areas.  If I step up my game--live with
strict discipline and organization, then there is no reason I can't learn
everything there is to know.

As I begin to build my new life, I'll be sure to write about it.  The
adventures are just beginning!


[DaVinci Sketch]: davinci-sketch.jpg "DaVinci Sketch"
  [Wolfenstein 3D]: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wolfenstein_3D "Wolfenstein 3D Wiki"
  [one-time pad]: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/One-time_pad "One-time Pad Encryption Wiki"