Posts Tagged with Multiple Interests

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Create and Build: A Path To Fulfillment, Impact and Legacy

Why do you pursue projects, goals, dreams etc.? Do you do it for yourself? Do you do it for someone else? Is it for a cause?

We’re all faced with these questions at some point in time.  And the answers are very personal to each person.  We have our own reasons as to why we do certain things which are influenced by internal or external motivations.

This question crosses my mind occasionally as it relates to this site. Why do I have and maintain it? For me, the reason is two-fold:

I have and maintain this site for my intrinsic need to create and for my desire to make a positive impact on the world.

Create

I love to create. I love taking ideas and things I envision and bring them to life. It is amazing to see them in reality and alive. Whether it is art, blogging or other content creation, I’m motivated by the personal enjoyment of the work itself. This is what Teresa Amabile describes as the “Intrinsic Motivation Principle of Creativity.” The process brings me gratification because it supports my unrelenting need to express myself. As someone who is creative, a visionary and an explorer, I appreciate art for art’s sake.

Build

I want to make a positive impact on the lives of others. To that end, this motivates me to continue to build this platform in hopes that the content resonates with others.  Even if one person benefits, I’ll be happy. What would be even better is if others continue to benefit for years to come.  This is what building a legacy is all about and I want to continue giving my time and expertise to help others.

There’s a lot of work left to do but taking the initial steps is key.  And that is the hard part.  The start trips most people up. Fear, doubt, being overwhelmed etc. all cause hesitation and slow down or even halt the start. As Gretchen Rubin shared on The Chase Jarvis LIVE Podcast, it is best to focus on the very next step.  This helps to alleviate the feeling of being overwhelmed and boosts your confidence when you know you have one, small step to take. Ultimately, all the small steps contribute to your overall goal.

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What about you? How are you bridging the gap between what you like to do and your long-term goals? Do you share things that are meaningful to you with others? Have you taken steps to build your legacy?

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Jake Tapper: Journalist + Cartoonist + Author

I was watching CNN’s “State of the Union” hosted by Jake Tapper a few Sundays ago.  In between the interviews with top newsmakers on politics and policies, “State of the Cartoonion” started. This cartoon had a refreshing and funny approach to political satirical.   At the end, I noticed it was signed “Jake.”

I stopped to think for a second.  The same Jake who hosts the show?!

This led me to some digging on the interwebs to put the pieces together. I was pleasantly surprised with what I discovered.  Jake had proudly embraced his multiple interests and made it possible to be a journalist, cartoonist and author!

Source: CNN
Journalist + Cartoonist + Author

Jake was born in New York City and was raised in Queen Village, a neighborhood in Philadelphia.  He studied history and visual arts at Dartmouth College and had a cartoon in the Dartmouth school newspaper. Jake briefly attended graduate school at the University of Southern California School of Cinema-Television.

Jake is the Chief Washington Correspondent for CNN and hosts “The Lead with Jake Tapper” in addition to “State of the Union.”  Prior to CNN, Jake worked for ABC News. He was honored by the White House Correspondents’ Association for his work as Senior While House Correspondent for ABC News with three Merriman Smith Memorial Awards for broadcast journalism. Jake also earned an Emmy Award for Outstanding Live Coverage of a Current News Story for his contribution to the coverage of the inauguration of President Obama.

Jake’s  book The Outpost: An Untold Story of American Valor debuted in the top 10 on The New York Times Bestseller list. Jake’s book and his reporting on the veterans and troops were cited when the Congressional Medal of Honor Society awarded him the “Tex” McCrary Award for Excellence in Journalism.

During the week of May 23, 2016, Jake was the guest illustrator of Scott Adams’ Dilbert comic strips. The original cartoons were auctioned to raise money for the Homes for our Troops Foundation which specializes in building mortgage-free, specially designed homes for disabled veterans.

“Hopefully Scott and I can raise some money for the organization by auctioning off the original comic strips for anyone out there who appreciates the uniqueness of this venture and the worthiness of the cause.” – Jake Tapper

It is awesome to see Jake embrace his different interests and make it work for him. He chose not to neglect his interests and instead found a way to combine them and excel at their intersection. It is noteworthy that he has been successful across his multidisciplinary interests per the sample of his accomplishments above. Further, he leverages his interests to have an impact and help others.  Jake is an inspiring example of living out what is true to you, even when it isn’t conventional.

State of the Cartoonion: Oprah for President?

Do you have interests across multiple disciplines? Do you have a hard time figuring out how they all fit together?  Is Jake Tapper’s story helpful to show that it is possible to combine your interests and be successful? I’d love to hear where you are in your process and how this story inspires you.

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You Agree To Be Narrowly Defined By The Outside World

You live in a world that expects you to make a choice about who you will be. For many, this happens at age 18 with the decision about what to study in college.  Your decision narrows the schools you apply to.  For example, if you plan to study Economics, you wouldn’t apply to a Performing Arts school.  Your decision also dictates the courses you take to satisfy graduation requirements. After college, you apply to jobs that fit what you studied. In your career, you hone in your focus with time and as you ascend the career ladder.  You become a specialist and expert in your chosen field.

Let’s assume you’re on our way to become an expert in a given field. In Outliers, Malcolm Gladwell notes that in order to become world-class in any field, you need 10,000 hours of “deliberate practice.”  If this is true, then presumably you have little time to do anything else.  So you become a one-trick pony with tunnel vision and no other interests.

Society crafted this approach and set expectations a long time ago.  And you’ve obliged and followed along.  Let’s look at a few scenarios:

Job Applications.  When you apply for a job, how much do you tailor your resume and story to align with the job description? People squeeze themselves and their experiences into exactly what the requirements describe.  You become a surgeon overnight, making cosmetic and reconstructive changes.  You transplant wording from the job description to your resume.  You present yourself as if, for your entire life, you’ve longed to be a Regional Account Manager at this particular company or an Executive Assistant providing administrative support to the CEO.  All of your experience is crafted to support this story on your newly updated resume.

LinkedIn Headlines.  Before someone learns anything about you on LinkedIn, they see your photo, name and headline.  Most of the headlines I see on LinkedIn have one thing in common – they include the person’s job title.  If you’re one of these LinkedIn users, you’re introduced by what you do.  Further, you’re defined by a job title that your employer has a current need and role for.  This only gives insight into what you do.  It tells me what you’re currently an expert in or what you’re on your way to being an expert in.

Here are some examples from scrolling through LinkedIn profiles:

So what do we see in both of these scenarios?

In the job applications scenario, it is clear that society has defined molds and you’ve been trained to fit into them.  You’ve prescribed to this expectation and go out of your way to tailor yourself to fit more snugly into these molds.

In the LinkedIn headlines scenario, you define yourself by your employer’s current need.  You eagerly take on this definition and apply it to who you are. You then present yourself to the world this way. When you change jobs, you switch out who you are like seasonal clothing.

How do you allow who you are to be defined by what you do? How true and authentic is this? Further, how sustainable is it? What happens if your employer no longer has a need for your role?  If who you are is defined by your job title at your current employer, then are you a different person once you have a new title at a new employer?

According to your LinkedIn profile, you have a new job and today you are:

Yesterday you were:

Are you OK allowing yourself to be narrowly defined by the outside world?  What about the other aspects of you, aside from what you do? Why don’t you make it a priority to highlight your multiple interests and dynamic being?

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I look forward to continuing to explore this topic. I’d love to hear your thoughts.  Do you feel defined by your current role and title? Do you think this definition is fitting for who you are? Does who you work for give you a sense of self?

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Six Ways To Manage Your Multiple Interests

Are you a multipotentialite? If so, then you know that having multiple interests adds variety and meaning to each day.  These interests can range from music, interior design projects, a stamp collection, history or photography.  Multiple interests aren’t just for the artsy types. Anyone can have multiple interests including people with traditional careers such as doctors, lawyers or engineers.  It is just a matter of recognizing these interests and finding a way to incorporate them in your life.

So how do you make that happen? Being true to yourself and ensuring these interest are present in your life can be challenging. Here are some considerations and strategies to get the fulfillment you need:

1. Manage and prioritize your time.  This is key if your interests aren’t part of your day-to-day via a career, job, vocation etc.  Make sure to prioritize time for yourself that will allow you to pursue your interests.  For example, you may need to pass on the impromptu happy hour after work if that means missing your painting class.

2. Schedule your interests. If you have multiple interests, you can allocate time for each during the course of the week. Schedule time on Monday for running, on Tuesday for tutoring and on Wednesday for learning French.  A predictable cadence will help keep you accountable.  Set up reminders if you need to!

3. Designate different locations. If you’re transitioning from one interest to another, it helps to change your location. This will help you mentally prepare so when you step into the garage, your brain knows you’re getting ready to build the bookshelf.

4. Involve others. Your interests are personal but depending on what they are, you may be able to do them with others or with an organization that has the same focus. For example, you can learn Spanish alone or you can participate in a weekly coffee hour on Saturdays to practice with others.

5. Distinguish been fleeting and long-term interests. You’ll outgrow some interests and that’s OK. Others will be intrinsic to who you are, last a lifetime, and lead to greater opportunities. Learn to tell the difference between what’s a fad and long-lasting so you know when to pivot and where to devote more focus.

6. Be flexible. As things change, including your list of interests, be adaptable and flexible.  The more you learn and discover, new interests will come your way and you’ll want to have enough space to explore them.

Exploring multiple interests is possible when you manage your time effectively and get organized.  Prioritize designated time as you do with anything else that is important to you. Jim Rohn said it best:

If you really want to do something, you‘ll find a way. If you don’t, you‘ll find an excuse.

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Are you a multipotentialite? How do you manage your multiple interests?  Do you use different strategies than the suggestions above?  I’d love to hear from you in the comments below!

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