So you want to know if you’re a multipotenialite…
Are you someone that can’t seem to keep up with all of your passion projects?
Do you have a varied scope of interests and pursuits, that aren’t often interrelated?
Have people described you as a Jane of all Trades?
When you find a new project or topic you’re interested in, do you dive all in and get obsessive until you’ve learned all there is to know about a subject?
Do you – or loved ones – get frustrated that you hop from one endeavor to the next?
Are you someone with a history of different occupations – spanning various fields and roles.
Do you feel like you have never been able to pick one industry or topic and stick around long enough to become a complete “expert” in that field?
If any of that sounds like you, then you may be a multipotentialite (like me!).
And don’t worry – it’s not a bad thing. It’s totally okay for your interests to be all over the place.
To accept yourself for who you are and how your brain is wired, it’s super important that you embark on an educated journey towards self-discovery.
Otherwise, you’ll feel like having multiple interests is a frustrating nuisance that leads you down rabbit holes.
I know how it feels – the excitement I felt to learn something new, the commitment and drive I had in learning that new thing… and then – poof – , I would ghost that endeavor, and glide on to something else that attracted my eye.
Do you have multipotentiality?
You don’t feel fulfilled with just one interest or passion. You often feel like there is something more after you’ve dabbled in a new endeavor. A new conquest appears, and off you go to explore that unchartered avenue.
Is that you?
If you don’t feel fulfilled with one interest or passionate, there’s nothing wrong with you. You’re just a multipotentialite.
Learning is your soul’s calling. Having multiple passions is what balances my heart and mind.
Learning, whether it’s inspired by passion or knowledge, is food for your soul. Sounds nerdy, I know… but there’s nothing wrong with that.
If the signs of being a multipotentialite don’t vibe with you, maybe you aren’t this way.
But I bet you know someone who is a multipotentialite.
Many bibliophiles or literary people are actually this same way. Learning that there was nothing wrong with me all along has been life-changing for my mindset and self-empowerment.
What is a Multipotentialite?
A multipotentialite is someone who is passionate about various things, and isn’t able to choose just one. A multipotentialite is also known as a “scanner.”
The term “scanners” was coined by Barbara Sher, author of “Refuse to Choose.” Sher states that a scanner is “someone who loves so many things that you’ve never succeeded in choosing only one and forsaking the others.”
I always chalked myself up as not having a singular passion. When people ask me, “Well, what do you love to do?” I can’t produce a simple answer.
In a society where “specialists” and “subject matter experts” are prized and emphasized, I just felt scattered before realizing there were people like me that existed. It seemed like everyone around me had a true passion… that one thing that lit their soul on fire. And since I didn’t have that ONE thing, I felt like I had nothing. That I was passionless. That I was a jack of all trades, and would never be a master at one.
Today, I know that my passion is in learning. Whether it’s learning about myself, other people, systems or processes, I love to learn. #NoShame
When I came to accept that, it all sort of fell into place. Literacy, or reading and writing, is one of my biggest passions, and it makes sense because it fits with my love of learning. Reading and writing fuels my scanner nature because it allows me to learn about things that interest me, and share that knowledge.
Now, this doesn’t mean I love learning about anything. I only enjoy learning about things that intrigue me and spark my curiosity.
And the same is true for other scanners – you may have many different interests, or passions. Does it mean you are passionate about everything? No, but you also don’t have one thing that you consider your “calling.”
I’m a scanner – and I proudly say that with conviction. It took me pretty much my whole life up until a few years ago to figure that out, and now I feel enlightened, energized, and focused.
My soul has clarity in who I am, what fuels my heart and mind, and what I’m meant to do with life.
If you’re a multipotentialite or scanner, I hope the same for you, too.
Once I realized that I was a scanner, I stopped shying away from who I was, and started to embrace it. I began to feel positive about my multi-passionate nature, and to learn how to strike a balance, which helps me discover what fulfills my soul.
The Importance of Identifying Your Multipotentiality
People like us usually get a bad rap – from others and ourselves – about our curious, renaissance-like nature, because our society pushes this notion that an individual has a “one true calling.”
And that mentality makes us question our abilities, and encourages the notion that we are flighty, flaky, or flustered.
If you’re a multipotentialite scanner, you need to learn just what that means for your soul.
And acknowledging who you are is the first step to banishing the negativity you feel towards your nature, embracing who you really are, and re-focusing your aspirations with your various passions in mind.
5 Books to Read for Multipotentialites
To learn more about yourself as a multipotentialite (or a loved one that fits the bill), I recommend starting with some books to help educate yourself.
1. REFUSE TO CHOOSE!
If you have to choose to read one book to learn about scanners, go for this one. This book turned the lightbulb on in my head, and helped me realize how my scanner brain works.
Amazon:http://amzn.to/2FDR2X6
*Audiobook not available at time of post.
2. I COULD DO ANYTHING IF I ONLY KNEW WHAT IT WAS
A life without direction is a life without passion. This book gets it. This book guides you in embracing your passions, and helps with building a fulfilling career and lifestyle centered on those passions. If you’ve always felt like you could be the best at your passion, if only you could figure out what that one passion is, give this one a read.
Amazon: http://amzn.to/2FETo83
Audible: http://amzn.to/2FMmq1B
AudiobooksNow:http://shrsl.com/u15i
3. THE RENAISSANCE SOUL
Written for people who are unwilling to settle on doing the same thing for the rest of their life, this book dives into the multipotentialite personality, but uses the term “renaissance soul” to describe it. It provides a guided framework on how to merge these interests together and make your passions your life.
Amazon: http://amzn.to/2FDjGYc
*Audiobook not available at time of post.
4. HOW TO BE EVERYTHING
An extension of the author’s popular TED talk dedicated to uncovering the multipotentialite personality, this book helps explain why it’s okay to rebel against the “one job, one passion, one thing” mindset in life and your career. Wapnick provides a practical framework for building a sustainable life around ALL of your passions.
Amazon: http://amzn.to/2HF73sm
Audible: http://amzn.to/2HCC28e
5. WISHCRAFT
This book is full of effective strategies to put your dreams into action. It’s geared towards helping you identify your strengths, turn fears into positivity, and diagram the path to your goals.
Amazon: http://amzn.to/2GxI5vE
*Audiobook not available at time of post.
After reading this post, did you discover you might be a multipotentialite? Even if you aren’t, chances are, you know someone who IS a multipotenialite.
