That is true. I am a very good applied researcher, particularly in the area of machine learning/"AI". It's similar to a "glass cannon" build for certain video game characters. I'm uniquely talented in that the class of people like me can only do some things that people like me do, but the range of conditions that I succeed in is much much narrower.

I had a really hard time near the end of my last job, for example, as the startup changed from research to deploying the built up backlog of research, and I could not pivot to work with a software team. I did my best, but because of how paralyzing thrash is to me, with many tasks in an already unstable environment changing 3-4 times in flight (not outrageously, it was the pace of the project), I was too overwhelmed to work well, and we didn't have enough ML work left that was suited for me to work on.

Thankfully I learned that I was autistic during the year-long or so sabbatical I've taken afterwards to just clean things up a bit. Now I know, I can get accomodations and choose my jobs accordingly. Thankfully I'm good enough to be able to fit into those very specialist jobs, which is a plus.

Thanks for your comments, I appreciate your thoughts and think it was a good one. Thank you for making me think. :) <3