As I entered the world of learning more about gifted and 2e children over the past several months, I discovered the term multipotentiality. It was very interesting because I clearly saw myself in that group and related to the challenges. This is probably the best overall article I’ve found that hits all the main points (and emotions): Are You A Multipotentialite, Scanner or Renaissance Soul?
I completely get the idea of throwing yourself with enthusiasm into something, absorbing it until you reach a level of mastery, and then moving on to something else. I have always been this way. I simply cannot relate in any way, shape, or form to people who have a career in something like engineering or accounting or supply chain management and do the same thing day after day, month after month, year after year, decade after decade. Just writing that and contemplating it makes me feel suffocated.
Multipotentiality Versus Niche Blogging
I clearly saw my multipotentiality during the months of September and October when I was focusing on differently-wired children here on my blog during the 31 Days of Children Who Learn Differently. An entire month of posts on one topic just about drove me insane. Truly. I have no idea how people have niche blogs and keep at it for years because it is the equivalent of having one job for the rest of my life and the very thought makes me anxious. Writing the series honestly made me lose interest in ever writing again on my blog.
I was SO proud of myself for sticking it out and finishing the month. Truly. I wanted to quit about eight or nine times, but I kept at it. I needed to prove to myself that I could finish it. But you probably noticed that I didn’t write anything again on any topic after that because I was SICK of the topic and burned out on writing. I had also moved to that niche and felt trapped. Suffocated.
All the time I was writing that series, I was thinking about the other things I wasn’t doing. I wanted to be creating more new products and was counting down the days until I could be free to pursue something else. Total multipotentiality in action to think about what I wasn’t doing while I was doing something else.
Niche Website Experts
I’ve read all the experts about having a niche online. I joined Michael Hyatt’s Platform University. I’ve been reading Jeff Walker’s stuff and watching his videos. It is all great information. But I don’t care what the professionals say. I simply cannot have a niche blog. Every time I try, I totally hate it. I am not wired in such a way that I can focus on becoming an “expert” in only one particular area. My mind is too active and inquisitive to live in one place all the time.
Multipotentiate Blogger Disclaimer
I told David I need to make a disclaimer banner at the top of my site that says something like: Warning: This blog frequently changes direction. Prepare for abrupt changes in content. LOL! I think I should add it to my Meet Sallie page and my Subscribe page as well so people know what they are in for when they come here and decide to stay.
(Update 2020: My blog is now exactly what I want it to be and it now includes everything I am interested in. I no longer listen to experts.)
Sometimes I get on one topic and I want to just run with it for a bit. Sometimes I get on a roll creating products and I want to load them all onto my site in one afternoon and evening. But it is a professional blogger no-no to load ten products onto my site all at once. Oh well. Love me, love my streaky writing and product production.
So you’ve been warned. I can promise that whatever I put on here will be quality because I don’t do junk. But I can’t promise what will show up in your mailbox from week to week. You might get a week of learning products I’ve created for my store. You might get a week of simple living posts. You might get a different topic every day for a week.
Just expect that this place will always be evolving with interesting content and I hope it will be a good thing.
Read More About Multipotentiality
If you would like to read more about the idea of multipotentiality, here are some books devoted specifically to this topic:
- Refuse to Choose!: Use All of Your Interests, Passions, and Hobbies to Create the Life and Career of Your Dreams
- Thinking Through Refuse to Choose: 101 things every Scanner should know
- The Renaissance Soul: How to Make Your Passions Your Life―A Creative and Practical Guide
- I Could Do Anything If I Only Knew What It Was: How to Discover What You Really Want and How to Get It
- 20 Great Careers for Multitalented People: Inspiration for Those With Too Many Interests
- Be a Free Range Human: Escape the 9-5, Create a Life You Love and Still Pay the Bills
- Making a Living Without a Job, revised edition: Winning Ways for Creating Work That You Love
I look forward to learning and writing more about multipotentiality in the days ahead. I’ve started a Multipotentiality tag for that topic and hope to continue to add to it.
Dealing With Perfectionism In Our Children
Barbara Sher has a couple of books from a few years ago about this; she calls the type “Scanners”. I definitely think we fit that profile.
Peggy – Yes, I’ve seen that author mentioned as well as the term scanners. I think you are right. How is the snow where you are?
Here is her Amazon page with her books.
Barbara Sher
I’ll freely admit I can’t keep completely on topic for anything, and always admire those who actually complete the 31 days challenge. I’ve never been able to do it.
Ticia – I noticed that a LOT of women who started the challenge did not finish it. Most didn’t even make it a week. It is hard to get something up there every day for a month. If I did it again, I would have the posts all prepared and ready to go. I know the original intent was to get people to write for 31 days in a row, but I don’t like being under that kind of pressure. There were many nights I was posting close to midnight. I think there is also something about quantity versus quality. When you are trying to push something out every single day, quality takes a backseat at times. So I’m glad I did it to say I did it and to prove to myself I could finish it, but I wouldn’t do it again unless I took a different approach.
We got only 3 or 4 inches of wet snow here; the big snowfall just missed us.
We have some blowing around in the air, but nothing sticking yet. I’d be happy with no snow until December, but it sounds like we should start picking up some small lake effect amounts soon.
Am not a fan of 30-day blog contests *UNLESS* one uses that time to write posts on an editorial calendar spread over several months. Then you’re generating content quickly that will power you for months. That can be very, very useful.
“My mind is too active and inquisitive to live in one place all the time.” <— Boy do I relate to that line.
Niche or no, I love your blog. Keep on keeping on 🙂
Pamela,
Well, that was one of my main goals for the month – add a lot of helpful evergreen content. I got a LOT of posts off my mental plate. Things that I had wanted to write about for a long time finally got done. It’s kind of freeing to have that chunk of writing done. The downside is that I did almost no social media promotion of what I was writing.
Live and learn! Onward!
Cait,
Thank you for your encouraging words! It’s nice to know people can relate! I can’t imagine life without the internet where we can find people with the same quirks. LOL! 🙂
Uh, that’s me. I’m a fellow iHSNet blogger. I’ve read Barbara Sher’s book, Refuse to Choose, and loved it. I haven’t just changed the topic of my blog, I’ve changed blogs SO. MANY. TIMES. Even today I was thinking I should change my blog. Crazy!
But I think finishing things is really important,. You have finished many wonderful products and series and that’s my desire going forward–to finish more things. To do that, I’m having to stay focused on writing curriculum. It’s REALLY hard. But then you know that. 😉
Oh Melanie! I’ve had so many blogs… I totally get it! LOL!
I’ve (mostly) made peace with this part of my personality.
I still cannot figure out how to do an editorial calendar or keep a blog planner. I’ve tried over and over again.
I have an editorial calendar and a blog planner this year for the first time and I’ve completely changed my plan TWICE. LOL I’m very impressed with your site, Sallie. You are working with your multipotentiality beautifully. 🙂