We often consider specialization positively. The common belief is one should narrow down her path to excel in an area and one only.
Today, though, the polymath has a place in the entrepreneurial world.

Problem of specializing

Specialization is seen as a positive path as a person grows to become an expert in an area developing a deep knowledge. The problem here is that when one concentrates so much a tunnel vision inevitably removes all potential to think about unusual scenarios. That person effectively loses the ability to reason with creativity. With specialization it seems creativity is applied to details but the bigger picture is lost.

Perceived problem of the polymath

The polymath on the other hand could quickly be considered as a person with no particular skill. A jack of all trade and master of none. It's easy to imagine someone switching frantically between tasks never achieving much in anything.

Benefits of becoming a polymath

If you were to develop an expertise in a field, then move to another, and so on you would have a capacity to solve problems much wider. You would effectively think "outside the box". Leonardo Da Vinci was an obvious example. He thought of devices, tools, and machine that would be built only decades later but he also came up with some useful for his time.