Thoughts On Being A Multipotentialite

Part of my purpose for this year on Pointed North is to write more thoughtful posts. I really got into blogging for the writing and although I’m very passionate about the things I already write about, I’d love to get more real with you guys. However, as I sit down to write this exact post – about what it means to be a multipotentialite – I feel a lot of fear creeping in. Not necessarily fear in sharing or being open, but a fear that the post won’t end up being as impactful as I imagine. And while I battle to keep writing, I realize, maybe that fear plays a huge part in what I’m trying to say.

The TED talk

A couple years ago, I happened across one of the most impactful TED talks I’ve ever watched. Now, I’m not a TED talk regular, so take that statement how you want. Regardless, it’s a talk that truly stuck with me. Emilie Wapnick of Puttylike took the stage to discuss an idea of the multipotentialite. In short, this is a “person who has many interests and creative pursuits” and cannot settle on “one true calling”. Emilie discusses how culture has swayed our opinion from a very young age that we need to specialize. That we need to find our path, stick to it and pursue it. Does the question ‘what do you want to be when you grow up’ sound familiar? Well, what if I don’t fit into that frame of mind. What if I want to be an artist but also love science experiments. Or maybe I love organization and process but also want freedom.

I don’t want to re-write what Emilie has already said. She deserves to be heard and you deserve to hear her. So please take 13 minutes out of your day and watch this video. Or at least visit her website & take a look around. Here, I want to focus on what being a multipotentialite means to me.

When I first heard Emilie’s talk, it was like a light bulb went off in my head. ‘Omg, this is why! This is why I am the way I am. My questions have been answered!’ At the time, I was still struggling to find happiness in a workplace. I had recently started this blog (formerly known as Agnes Wright) and I truly think I was searching for any light at the end of the tunnel.

Let’s get real

To be completely transparent, I struggled after college. I started my “career” (hate that word) in retail after graduating with a degree in Apparel Merchandising. Hated retail. After that short stint, I switched over to a cubicle job just to get out of the mall & keep getting paid enough to cover rent & student loans. A year after that, I went into property management and although I was happier, I knew it wasn’t a forever thing. PSA – I’m now in advertising at a company I adore – this story does have a happy ending. So, why do I think I struggled so much? I’ve decided I probably never really knew what I wanted to do. Or maybe I just couldn’t settle on one thing.

Yes, I loved fashion. I still do. But did I really want to help people buy $20 t-shirts all day? No. But opening a boutique felt right. Except I had no money. I had a lot of other interests, too. Real estate sounded fun & I was really excited to learn more about the industry when I landed that gig. But in the end, it wasn’t creative enough. I’m an organized person, so the idea of running an office sounded like something I could do. Then there’s the whole ‘I grew up wanting to be an artist’ thing that I let go in college but lives in the back corner of my brain. Oh, and almost forgot. I love to write.

Can you see how this got confusing?

All of it makes sense now

What do all of those things have in common? I would start down the path, be really excited about it, consume, learn and grow. Then, I’d eventually get bored and move on. And Emilie (back to that TED talk) knew exactly how that felt. She’s built an entire community around the idea of being a multipotentialite. Here’s the thing…

The fact that this space still exists means I must have finally found a combination that works. Emilie explains that being a multipotentialite isn’t a crutch or a curse. It’s simply a different way to go about life. For those of us who don’t want to be doctors/nurses (you know, true lifesavers), lawyers, scientists – whatever may require a straight path or real education – we don’t need to answer that nagging question of ‘what do you want to be’. Contrary to popular belief, we get to be three things at once if we really want to. Get creative, combine two passions and launch something new.

Here’s the other thing. In a world with a Google search bar, people can do anything. If they have drive, if they have a passion, if they just want to try something new, they can do it. Forget fear. Forget the traditional path – put it out in the wold and see what happens. Multipotentialites will thrive in the coming decades. With so much opportunity, the support of advanced technology, the ability to reach so many people – there are no boundaries. I’m a true believer in that.

Light at the end of the tunnel

For me, the light is shining brighter. Yes, I’m happy at my day job now, but it’s because that fills one space. Then, I get to come home and write for all you wonderful people. I get to create ideas, design a website, organize photography plans, style outfits, manage an editorial calendar and visually appreciate the result. All things I have found that rock my world. Turns out blogging is the perfect solution. At least for now.

At 30 years old, I’m rarely asked the ‘what’ question & I find that interesting. Society expects me to know who and what I want to be by now. But as you’ve probably figured out, I’m still undecided. Because I have so much more to learn. I have so much more to discover and do.

And that’s what I truly think being a multipotentialite is all about.

xoxo. B