What do you want to be when you grow up?

That’s the question that makes so many people feel so anxious. And yet, for some of us, the answer is simple (“I want to be a vet”); for others, it ebbs and flows and takes multiple forms (“I want to be a dancer and policewoman, uh, no, a florist”). There’s only one possible response to this, and it’s ruthless: “That’s not on: you’ll have to choose”. But is that really the case?

Multi-potential individuals with many and varied interests find this obligation to specialize very difficult, afraid that they’ll never find their true calling. What’s more, our society sends a negative message: you’re being pulled in too many directions at once, it’s self-sabotage! During the Renaissance period, however, it was these same polymaths who were valued the most highly. How could you leverage this profile without imprisoning yourself in a linear future?

Try combining several of your interests to create a new path;

Feed your ability to learn quickly;

Show that you know how to adapt, which is such a valuable skill in a complex environment!

Work in pairs with the expert on a single theme – you’ll complement each other well.

Spot other multi-potential individuals and help make them visible, because successful examples should be better-known.

You don’t have to choose: you can be a violin maker and a psychologist at the same time – just like Dr Bob Childs – or a pianist and then an author.
Let your curiosity be your guide: it will fuel your motivation!