“We send signals with every choice we make.” - Seth Godin
What do our life choices say about us?
I came across a new term a few weeks back from a writer on Typeshare, Natalia,that describes how I feel about myself so well that I had to share it.
It is multipotentialite. The term was made popular in a TED Talk by Emilie Wapnick. It basically describes someone who has many different interests, passions, and pursuits, instead of just a single, narrowly (some might even say niche) defined calling. Think “generalist” not “specialist”.
Think Swiss Army knife that has all kinds of tools, allowing you to be versatile and adaptable. Or a pollinator (like the butterfly that once used Damien as a mineral pool on a sweaty hike...I'll happily share the video if you ask nicely) that can cross-pollinate ideas across fields to bring about innovation. Or even a braided rug whose strength comes from weaving together different ideas, sewn together with strands of new knowledge and skills.
If you look at my LinkedIn profile, you will see I have worked across a very wide variety of industries. The books I read are also equally varied. The skills I choose to learn are all over the map. The readers I follow on Typeshare write about so many different topics.
My way may seem chaotic to some who strongly believe that specializing and niching are the way (they aren’t), but it works so well for me, and I was so excited to find out that there are others out there like me (and Damien) who approach the world “differently”.
“You are the niche.” - Dan Koe
I may be approaching my mid-40s, but I am finally starting to feel like I am finding my people, my own niche.
“What you find interesting is a better predictor of success than what you’re good at. Curiosity isn’t random; it’s a compass.” - Shane Parrish