I’m not usually into labels. I usually feel that labeling things can be harmful because our minds go to automatic default and suddenly the mind and thoughts are in a box. So for me, labels can end up being like containers that box up people’s experiences, confining them. Though, what labels intend to do is define unknowns. Labels want to be helpful to us through providing us with a definition or framework for something. That being said, I want to introduce a label that could be helpful to you. It can help you embrace more of who you are. It’s called multi-potentiality.
Multipotentiality is an educational and psychological word that describes you if you are gifted with multiple potential. How do you know if you are a multipotential type of person? Before answering that, let’s back up to why I’m covering this in the first place.
Many of the people that I’m so lucky to meet and know, are brilliant people gifted in many diverse areas who aren’t always aware of their special qualities for lots of reasons. Much of my purpose is to help women discover for themselves just how truly gifted they are. They don’t realize their gifts because they’ve hardly been acknowledged for them and instead tend to feel sad, depressed, bored or overwhelmed with their life (which includes their work) because deep inside they know they should be doing something else or living another way.
So many multi-talented women are feeling stuck because they’ve found themselves in a box when they really want to have meaningful joyful lives. I totally get that. For a long time I was always trying to fit myself into boxes. I thought I had to. I thought it was the only way. Since those days, I’ve discovered that there are many ways to a meaningful, joyful, loving life. Sometimes, one of the ways is to get real with yourself and realize that you are not one to be in the box. It’s alright if you’re not for the box.
So the reason for this post on multipotentiality is to help women like you – independent, savvy, creative and resourceful women with multiple interests and passions discover that you are built to be exactly who you are. And that it’s something to feel really good about. If you can identify with being a multipotential, start to swim with the current instead of swimming upstream. Life is hard enough already. Learning about yourself and how you can create optimal conditions for yourself will prove to be very helpful.
How do you know if you are a multipotential?
- Do you have or know someone who has many interests across different areas?
- Have you ever told anyone or has anyone ever told you, “Jack of all trades, master of none?”
- Is it hard for you to choose on what you want to spend your time doing because you have so many options? And while you like having many options sometimes it can be stressful deciding which to spend time in?
- Do you ever wonder if you have or ever had ADHD?
- Do you ever get bummed out when you think you’re not doing everything you can do, like you’re not employing all of your abilities?
- Do you feel like because you can’t focus on one thing, you must be confused?
- Have you ever considered yourself a Renaissance women?
- Are you or someone you know intently and intensely curious?
- Do you feel like you could pretty much learn anything?
- Do you love to tinker around?
The truth is, multipotential is defined as the state of having many exceptional talents, any one or more of which could make for a great career for that person. Gifted children often (though of course not always) have multipotentiality. Their advanced intellectual abilities and their intense curiosity make them prime candidates for excelling in multiple areas. – Tamara Fisher in Education Week
Everyone always tells you it’s better to focus in one direction. It’s better to be good at one thing than not very good at a bunch of things. But for a multipotential person, there is true love in learning and expressing many things. The idea of it being “better” to be good at one thing versus not very good at a bunch of things has always struck me as very black and white, narrow thinking.
Who says that if you’re into a bunch of things you’re not going to be very good at any of them? More importantly, why does being “good, great, or perfect” matter so much?
For a multipotential, the pursuit isn’t so much about excellence as it is about wonder, exploration, expression, growth and even adventure. I’ve found it a big relief to forego the measuring of excellence and to learn how to be in the present moment with whatever I’m doing, experiencing enjoyment and feeling alive.
Having so many interests that you can pursue and actually be pretty darn good at can feel like a blessing and a curse. But stress more on how it’s a blessing.
Here’s What You Can Do
Journaling Exercise: Ask yourself, “how are all my interests and ideas a blessing to me?” “How might this be a blessing to others?” Take the time to sit and ponder these two question for about 20 – 30 minutes and journal what you come up with.
Spiritual Practice: Practice believing that you are super- blessed to have so many fruitful ideas, interests and abilities with (what I call) Ping Pong Think. For example, pretend your mind is the ping pong table and your playing the house which is your mind, okay?
Instead of accepting a cursed mentality “serve” a blessed mentality right back to your mind, the way it is in ping pong. It’ll be like:
Cursed Mentality: “What’s wrong with me? I can’t settle into anything for the life of me. I’m lame for not being able to be as single minded as my friends. Maybe I need to be more like them. I don’t know what I’m doing.”
Blessed Mentality: “There is nothing wrong with me. This is the way God Universe has designed me. I guess I’m unique because I’m curious about life. I want to spend my days truly living. I’m energized and my mind is illuminated. I’m free to explore life and myself. I know that’s what I want to do.”
Tip Time!
Tip#1: Keep practicing Ping Pong Think and you’ll start to believe, know, and trust that you are blessed to be this way, not cursed. You are gifted with the specific way you light up.
Tip #2: Keep lighting yourself up! It’ll enrich your life and the life of others who know you.
Tip #3: Go with the current and you’ll start to see a pattern of interconnectedness in all that you do. Don’t worry, there is definitely a single thread running through all of your pursuits, but you must learn to swim with the current not upstream.
Tip #4: If you’re stressed or overwhelmed about finding your purpose, it won’t matter so much where you start but that you start. Remember: there is a reason you’re designed in this special way. So, take the road trip of your life and set out to discover what all your potential is. You’ll find meaning, joy, peace and love and as if that weren’t enough, you’ll get that deep sense of purpose you’re looking for.
Three Ways You Can Start Living On Purpose Now:
- Accept that you are not one to be in the box (and that is a wonderful thing!)
- Accept that you are blessed to be able to be pretty darn good at anything you do.
- Pursue your multiple interests right now (pull the plug on the boob tube and play the ukulele!)
And one last thing I’d like to leave you with … live in joy, always be you and believe that you’re destined.
