Be Really Good at One "Useless" Thing episode artwork

EPISODE · Aug 23, 2026 · 25 MIN

Be Really Good at One "Useless" Thing

from NonTrivial · host Sean McClure

Most people try to become useful by learning skills the world has already decided are valuable.But there may be another path: become exceptionally good at something you’re naturally drawn to, even if it seems “useless,” and let the useful application emerge later.In this episode, I explore why unusual abilities often become valuable only after they’re developed deeply enough for other people to recognize what they can do with them.Maybe the mistake is trying to predict usefulness too early.Be really good at one “useless” thing. Let society figure out what it’s for.Support the showBecome a Member at dekyon.io/seanmcclure/nontrivialPremium members get access to the full member app. This includes data visualizations of the core concepts in each episode, a Study Space for learning fundamentals, and premium articles on Techniques and Mindsets.Members can also save personal notes, explore episode summaries and transcripts, search across episodes, track watch history and progress, and participate in the community forum. Premium membership includes ongoing support.

Episode metadata supplied by the publisher feed · Published Aug 23, 2026

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Most people try to become useful by learning skills the world has already decided are valuable. But there may be another path: become exceptionally good at something you’re naturally drawn to, even if it seems “useless,” and let the useful application emerge later. In this episode, I explore why unusual abilities often become valuable only after they’re developed deeply enough for other people to recognize what they can do with them. Maybe the mistake is trying to predict usefulness too ea...

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Be Really Good at One "Useless" Thing

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