Let’s Look For The Clues!
OK, so you’ve been on a few artist’s dates, and you have successfully written a week’s worth of pages.
What happens now?
Well, I’m going to bet that one of several things have begun to happen:
- You’ve discovered a hidden treasure or two.
- You’re more confused now then you were before, not knowing which way to turn.
- You have so many ideas, don’t know where to start, and are afraid you’ve opened a pandora’s box!
- All of the above!
Guess what! That’s normal my friend.
It means you are extraordinary! You are special. You are gifted. You are a creative!
Lots of ideas springing forth?
Welcome to the world of creativity!
It means that you are probably a Multi-Passionate Creative!
What does that mean?
Follow me…
As a creative, I used to think that achievement meant choosing one thing and sticking with it. The problem with choosing just “one thing” was that it left me feeling like something was missing. Not that I wanted to do them all at once, but that I didn’t want to leave them behind!
One day I woke up and thought, “Why NOT embrace it all? Ice cream comes in many flavors, why can’t I?”
My next thought: “Uh-oh! How can I make space for ALL-OF-IT! How can I investigate all the things that are coming up on my pages, and explore all the things I am seeing?”
I realized that I am what’s known as a MULTI-passionate creative, and I accept that. I’ve never looked back.
Today is all about how to be a multi-passionate creative, and how to manage the perpetual idea-flow in your head.
Are you a multi-passionate creative?
I’m a proud multi-passionate creative but the first time I heard that term, I wasn’t so sure of the label. It sounded kinda cheesy to me, like I was just trying to justify some “less than productive” behavior. After a bit of investigating, it started to gel. I started to finally feel like the term summed it up. It made sense and I could identify with it. It didn’t mean I could be disorganized or messy. It gave me a foundation on which to build a creative organizational system that fit who I was and how I worked.
But how do you know if you’re a multi-passionate creative, instead of just someone who can’t make up their mind?
So glad you asked! I just happen to have some clues. Let’s dive into 5 ways to tell if you’re a multi-passionate creative.
The 5 Clues
Clue #1: Choosing just one thing feels like torture!
If someone asks, “what do you love to do?” and you don’t know which of your “things” to start with, cuz choosing only one feels like cheating, you’re a multi-passionate creative.
Multi-passionate people feel energized, not overwhelmed, when we talk about our various projects or creative outlets. Those who are not multi-passionate may feel a sense of shame that it all seems like too much and they can’t make up their mind.
If you’re a multi-passionate creative, when you’re sharing all your wonderful creative ideas with those around you and they respond with, “Wow! So, which one are you going to do now because you can’t do them all,” you might break out in a sweat.
Nothing amps up the pressure on a multi-passionate creative like being asked to choose one thing, because we’re truly skilled in many things. Our process of “choosing” looks different than most. We need time to experiment, explore, and express in several ways before we can settle into one thing. Even then, our “one thing” tends to be a combination of a few creative outlets at a time.
Which brings us to number two.
Clue #2: Not only do we have many interests, but we have many talents.
It’s one thing to be curious about a lot of things; it’s another to be genuinely good at them. The latter is what makes you a multi-passionate creative – the fact that you are good at a lot of creative activities and enjoy doing them. You tend to be good at almost any creative task that you truly focus on and you’re constantly discovering new skills and creative desires.
Don’t despair if you often have trouble deciding on “what to do today” because you find you enjoy doing it all! Don’t pay any attention to those people who say pick one. Yes, there is a time and place for that, but…“multi-passionate” may be your middle name.
Moving on to number three
Clue #3: You hate that phrase “Jack of all trades, master of none.”
OK, I think this was meant to be good advice at some point, but it doesn’t work for us! I think it was supposed to teach us that focusing on one thing would make us experts at it and that we should strive for that!
What a buzz-kill for a multi-passionate creative! It implies that if you try to do too many things (the “jack of all trades” part) you’ll never master anything. It feels like an insult because that “master of none” part implies we’ll never make it.
But did you know that there is more to that quote? Yep, that’s right! Once you know the whole story it makes a lot more sense!
Check this out. The WHOLE quote says:
“Jack of all trades
Master of none
But oftentimes better
Than master of one.”
AHA! Now that’s more like it! Better than master of one!” Take that anyone who’s ever told me I couldn’t do it!
So, the next time someone tries to pull the “jack of all trades” stuff on you, you’ve got your comeback ready.
Speaking of mastering things, let’s talk about number four
Clue #4: You’re a great creative problem solver.
Being a multi-passionate creative has its problems, but it also has its rewards. One of the best is the ability to engage in “inclusive” thinking and creative problem-solving. You see, as a creative, we tend to think of all kinds of out-of-the-box ideas and do a lot of “what-about-if” thinking!
Since we’re already used to incorporating more than one passion in our lives, we’re able to see connections and possibilities that others might miss.
If you’re a multi-passionate creative, seeing hidden possibilities is your superpower. Now if you’re thinking “hmm, not so sure about that,” watch how you approach various problems for a while.
For example, have you ever looked in the fridge to figure out what to make for dinner and there’s nothing there but some leftover grilled veggies from last night, a little hunk of cheese, a few eggs, and a slice of lunch meat? And yet, you whipped up a rather tasty frittata alongside the last can of biscuits. Problem solved! You might be surprised by what a creative genius you are!
Clue #5: You really, really wanna share your gifts!
If you’re a creative of any stripe, but especially if you’re a multi-passionate creative, at some point you’ll have a deep desire to share your gifts with your world…and possibly THE world.
You may want to start an online shop and also publish a book of poetry. You might want to start a blog, and fantasize about opening your own catering company.
Your creative gifts long to be expressed and it can sometimes feel like there isn’t enough time in the day to do it all. I know how you feel. I can describe that feeling so well because I spent years feeling this way and still do sometimes!
If you feel like you have all the gifts but lack of focus or time to see them through, you are a multi-passionate creative. Welcome Home!
So You ARE Multi-Passionate!
If so, now what?
Well first, take a deep breath and relax your shoulders.
I know how overwhelming it can be to feel to misunderstand your own creative mind. You’re not lazy, or unfocused, or just plain nuts! You’re multi-passionate!
You’re ready to embrace your talents as a gift, not a burden.
You’re ready to explore with creative confidence instead of feeling like you have to hide your genius.
And guess what else? You’re in the perfect position to continue uncovering the layers that make up your creative brilliance.
So, how do you do it? You already have the tools.
Keep up that writing because you’re going to stumble upon your perfect formula. Keep up those artist’s dates because you’re going to need some fuel for the journey. Through those two processes, you’re going to find your many passions and discover how best to use and organize them!
So, What Are You Passionate About?
Do you have multiple things you love to do? I sure do and it can be frustrating sometimes because I want to work on all, but I only have two hands!
Share your list with us in the comments below. There’s strength in numbers and you are sure to find out that you aren’t the only one! Share your loves and see what others are saying. We’ll help you figure out how to enjoy all of them without feeling overwhelmed. Then…
Join me LIVE on my Facebook page, Virginia Leigh Studio, at 3:00 pm Central every Wednesday and we’ll chat about this. I’ll share my tips and tricks on how I manage all of my passions and I’d love to hear from you.
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