An artist tries out different style to find his own. An analyst/portfolio manager/trader does the same. He tries out techniques, including fundamental, technical, statistical, liquidity, quantitative, and he finds his own unique style. Just like my Russian art professor told me: for important concepts and tools, which are those the best professionals in the field found useful, we cannot ignore. We can learn it, and after that we can reject it. But we cannot refuse to learn them.