Are you a Multipotentialite?

Not sure? Read on!

Have you ever been told to Follow Your Bliss? 

To find your One True Calling? 

We're all supposed to, right?

If you haven't found your destiny, you’re not alone. 

There’s a reason some of us don’t fit into the mold of the specialist.

Hi all! It’s Lucinda here again, filling in for Denise.

Mother’s day is this Sunday, and as you know, Denise is my mother-in-law. 

And in recent years, since I lost my own mother, she’s been my main mom. 

There are so many reasons I’m lucky to have her in my life 

(along with the obvious fact that my amazing husband wouldn’t exist without her!)

Denise and Lucinda on a previous trip to Kauai. Goodness, we even dress alike!

Denise and I are more than just relations by marriage. We’re also good friends. We enjoy each other's company, talking for hours, and sharing ideas. We have a shocking amount in common astrologically, as well as the same middle name (I’ll leave you to guess what it is!)

But one of the things I truly love and treasure about her, is having someone else who understands what it’s like to have a hundred passions, dozens of talents, many interests, and the desire to follow them ALL. We both love pursuing creativity in all forms, sometimes struggling to focus on just one project, one medium, one direction, or one career.

Just to name a few of the professional endeavors Denise has tackled:

Display and merchandizing

Furniture refinishing

Decorative and faux painting

Oil painting

Sewing pillows out of collectible vintage handkerchiefs

And of course her current love,

Assemblage art

And as for myself, I have spent my creative focus on various pursuits as well.

Ceramic tiles

Acrylic Paintings

Textile designs

Quilts

When I went to art school, choosing a major was like choosing a favorite child. 

So, I didn’t. 

I made up my own major, combining ceramics and textiles into an individualized program. 

I was lucky to have that opportunity. Many young people are forced to chose one subject to focus all their energy on, and are expected to continue pursuing that subject as a profession for years to come. I am always amazed when I meet people who actually became professionals in the field they studied for. To commit to that one thing for so long, seems virtually impossible to me. 

And now I know why.

TED Talk with Emilie Wapnick

A few months ago, Denise sent me a link to a TED talk by Emilie Wapnick.  It helped illuminate this “problem” that we both seem to suffer from, that keeps us from being able to find the one thing we are meant to do.

The problem is…  we don’t have a problem! 

The problem is… societies have been built upon the concept of specialization: each individual doing the one thing they’re good at. 

The problem is… a lot of people are good at more than one thing. 

Wait, how is that a problem?

It’s a problem because rather than celebrate our multi-talentedness, we are told that we lack focus, that we're just dabbling, and that we need to settle down. 

We are asked daily, “What do you do?” as though our one profession defines us, makes us WHAT WE ARE. 

And some of us worry, wondering “What am I doing? ” when we haven’t chosen a single life path. We may feel like we’re not succeeding at life, like we’re all over the place, scattered, or falling apart. 

Seeing this video, changed all that for me and Denise. 

It was the first time that someone had put a name to this thing that makes us unique, and presented it not as a weakness, but as a strength. 

We are Multi-potential-ites. 

And there is nothing wrong with us.

The world was built for responsible adults who do their job and go home. I used to think I was a failure because that’s not me.

But the world also needs folks who are flexible, who can shift from one task to another easily, can approach a subject from multiple directions, see more than two sides to the story. 

The world needs people who think creatively, make connections that might not seem logical,  who can adapt to change, and who know how to do a lot of cool stuff. 

That’s us!

Rather than define ourselves narrowly by our job title (which is extra hard when you don't have a traditional job,) acknowledging our many potentials helps us widen our definition of ourselves and see that we can be so much more!

If any of this resonates for you, please check out the video!

https://www.ted.com/talks/emilie_wapnick_why_some_of_us_don_t_have_one_true_calling

And let us know in the comments: Are you a multipotentialite?

 Those who specialize, we love you too! Tell us about your specialty. 

How did you know it was the thing for you? What would you do if you had to chose something else? 

Alright everyone! 

You've been an awesome audience to this guest blogger. 

Thanks for hanging out with me while Denise is away!

She'll be back next week, hopefully with a debriefing on her island adventures.

If you want to keep in touch, come visit my website 

or follow me on Instagram. 

I hope to see see you again!