Do you find yourself interested in many things?
That is the facet of human curiosity by nature. It is imbued into all of us biologically. However in some people it is increased, either through genetics/neurochemistry, neurodivergence, or simply the more polymathic mind.
Is there this stigma you face because you put your hands in too many cookie jars, and people don't know what to describe you as?
These are the plights of a multipotentialite or generalist, and oftentimes we are squandered at our jobs because of it. Or even the infamous Jack of All Trades! Where you are considered a "master of NONE".
Well that is just simply NOT true.
“A jack of all trades is a master of none, but oftentimes better than a master of one.”
If you are a multipotentialite, or multipassionate person, then you have come to the right place!
Being like an Octopus with all 8 hands into Cookie Jars
Imagine each cookie, one chocolate chip, one peanut butter, sugar cookie, etc. Each one has a different taste, a different set of ingredients, and a different way of preparing how they're baked!
When you dip your hands into the aforementioned cookie jars, then you grab the cookie. Eat it, taste it, and swallow. All while off to the next cookie. It is human nature remember?
However eventually you find the cookie you enjoy the most, at least for that time being. You decide you want MORE of that particular cookie, and well you can't keep paying to grab from that jar. (Money or punishment lol).
Thus you learn how to make that cookie yourself. You learn the unique recipe, the way it is formed, and how long it takes. You become proficient in THAT cookie.
Later you might find another cookie you really enjoy, and you learn how that is made too. Specializing in just one cookie is not your style.
The Cookie Monster-pus
That is because we can reach into multiple jars, and pull cookies out from any of them. Perhaps even bake multiple kinds of cookies ourselves! We're like an octopus reaching in, and each tentacle has its own brain. Each cookie skill is that of a different slice of our brain.
As an "Octopus" as Perry K. puts it we have multiple intelligences, and have the capacity to be doing many things at once. I had the pleasure to have him on the PolyCast as well as went on his show as well.
We disagree on whether or not it can be taught, or if it is a certain state of mind you are born with. I think it is both, and through curiosity training, as well as pursuing your vast interests I think it can foster in people.
It also depends on whether or not being a multipotentialite is a state of being, or simply the first step in the Multidisciplinary Spectrum!
As the World Changes...
We live in an ever expanding world, whether that is with Web 3.0 and all of the new technologies that come with it, or even just in the physical world the dynamics are changing. Companies now on recruitment I have noticed are looking for these "t-shaped", "unicorns", "cross-discipline", and whatever other buzzword you can think of in their job listings.
However they fail to see that multi's and generalist ARE the people they are looking for. They are trying to force a generalist mindset onto the specialist people looking at the jobs.
Being multi-disciplined and having your hands into many cookie jars actually allows you to think about problems from multiple perspectives.
Every once in a blue moon a generalist will come across one of those listings, and instead of getting the job they get filtered out by the Artificial Intelligence that company is happen to be using. Whether it is because of a degree of another subject, or not one at all, or perhaps they don't know how to market themselves. #personalbranding
Meaning these people who have the potential to do many things, which some companies are actually looking for, are not paying attention to their potential employees.
Learning how to manage your multiple facets of potential, but also how you communicate that potential to employers or if you're the entrepreneurial type then customers.
The point of this post was to get you thinking about whether or not you are a multipotentialite, and if you are perhaps you have the potential to grow into a generalist or maybe a polymath the likes of Da Vinci in your long life.
If you find yourself to be "spread too thin", then maybe you are just looking at the spread in an old school kind of way.
By spreading the seeds you can then grow into a thick forest.
If you want to keep reading:
Dustin Miller | PolyInnovator
This was one of my "social articles", an experiment to create medium sized blog posts, akin to newsletters. Across a variety of social blogging networking platforms. Such as Medium, Vocal Media, and Linkedin. Since it didn't quite land; I decided to take these posts and remake them into more full length creations. I'll try to include any interesting links from the original, and sometime the full previous version as well if it makes sense.
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Dustin Miller - PolyInnovator
