Multipontenliates and career choices

Everything, everywhere, all at once!

Two years ago, I was introduced to multipotentialites in discussion with ?? Clive K. Lavery . A term that career coach Emilie Wapnick describes individuals with many interests and creative pursuits who have many paths and pursue them sometimes one after the other, often at the same time.?

I'm one of them, and so are many of my clients. Being a multipotentialite is a beautiful thing; it never gets boring. Our interests are across the board, making us explore many contradictory activities, stretching our points of view and making connections that are only sometimes obvious to many.

Being a multipotentialite is exciting and energizing. Our brains never stop making connections and bringing ideas to life. We learn quickly, and we adapt fast to changes in our environments.

If you ever saw the movie Everything, Everywhere all at once, that's what it feels like.

But that comes at a price, especially when we face a career decision and deciding on the next step. I see these issues with the people I work with and myself.?

Let's explore these issues and what you can do about them.

1. Problems in defining yourself

A common challenge Multipotentialites have is defining themselves. For good reason! Defining someone with many dimensions, interests, experiences, and superpowers in a single label is challenging. Besides that, it also feels reductive, constraining, and claustrophobic.

It can mess up our sense of worth and how we feel and see ourselves. That creates issues in understanding the next job, what to look for, and what to take when opportunities arise.

The way to overcome this is first to understand that whatever you choose to label yourself now does not define the rest of your life or put you in a box indefinitely. It might feel like it does, but the reality is the opposite.

Gain perspective on how this next step fits in your life journey as a whole. Only some things are life-defining, especially in such a fast-changing world and industries. Work through the aversion of labeling yourself and see it as another step in your journey.

Imagine a scout with their brown shirts and patches. A scout is a multipotential that, through their lifetime, collects different badges while never being defined by a single one.

2. Lack of confidence

Imposter syndrome happens to anyone but increases exponentially with the number of interests and talents. There are more doubts about what you can do and what quality you can provide.

On the other hand, socially, there's a tendency from others to see Multipotentialites as someone all over the place who does not dedicate or commit to a set of practices, therefore not developing enough depth of skill. This is not really true, but it affects the multipotentialite confidence and self-esteem.

I discovered over time while working with my clients that exposing facts, past experiences, and results are one of the best ways to build confidence. We take stock of their accomplishments, collect data from their lives, put it on paper, and reflect on it. When the mind sees that landscape of what they have achieved, the heart finds its way to open the tap of confidence and self-esteem.

3. Choosing a direction

Literally everything, everywhere, all at the same time. So many options and interests! Like a cat on catnip, Multipotentialite's brains and hearts melt into an infinite blob of potentials, a kaleidoscope vision of futures and possibilities. Are you already overwhelmed?

This usually is the most complex challenge, choosing a direction. It triggers both previous challenges - a lack of confidence and defining oneself.

Choosing a direction can feel daunting; making a decision can feel like giving a sentence to yourself and burning all the other options. Although it can feel like that, the reality is different.

It's helpful to understand your practical needs and priorities at this point in life (financial, health, relationships….), and second, what's really the thing you are most passionate about right now, and what can push you further. The first one will help you eliminate options that don't cater to your life view, contributing to a logical side of the choice. The second will help you focus on the most exciting direction for you now to make a sustainable choice.

When you cannot afford or can't make the choice you want, it is good to evaluate where else in your life you can fill in passion and interests outside of work and the job.

4. Position and sell yourself

Great! You made a decision about where to go next and what to pursue. But…… how are you telling your story?

Often I see Multipotentialites struggling with positioning themselves and telling their story. When looking or applying for a job, which tends to be more specific, people on the hiring side want to see a profile that fits a job description or a position to be filled in. Multipotentialites can do that job and many others, and while they see this as a good thing, hiring people often don't - they see someone more complex than they are looking for.

Telling the right story that helps you get the job is a challenge because Multipotentialites tend to cramp all they can do and all their sides into it. It often backfires.

Understanding what you are applying to and which part of your story fits in is essential. Break down your story into different pillars of your career, and use only what's relevant for this job. Learn how to create other narratives about yourself that tell slightly different stories instead of one that contains everything.

Our life stories could turn into a beautiful 3.30h motion picture or even a Netflix series. But sometimes, an engaging short film can stay with us longer and tell a better story.

What is finding clarity worth to you??Book a discovery call, and let's find out how I can support you.