We all have a niche that we have expertise in. Whether it’s a day job or a hobby, there is something that you excel at, relative to everything else you do. And if you’re anything like most people, you stick with what you know. You stay within the confines of your expertise, because that’s what you’re good at.

But when we stay in our niche, we force ourselves to operate in a bubble of sorts. Everything you do is influenced by and built for people just like you. And that’s okay… sometimes. While staying in your niche can help you get better at it, exceptional value is often discovered when your expertise meets an unsolved problem in another niche.

The problem with a niche is that you have a limited perspective, and a limited view of the world. When you cross boundaries and experience something new, you will learn of new ways to lend your expertise to solve someone else’s problem, and you will gain new insights that will make your own niche richer and more valuable.