Have you tried lots of different jobs and still haven’t found the right one?
Do you have a million different interests and find the prospect of choosing just one career path impossible?
Are you scared you’ll never have a successful career unless you find something and stick to it?
If so, there’s a good chance you’re a multi-passionate woman.
Multi-passionate people are wired to have many diverse interests, soaking up information like a sponge and learning all they can about something new — and then promptly losing interest in it just as quickly. You thrive off change and variety and the prospect of committing to just one career doesn’t suit your personality.
It’s like the career version of FOMO: Fear of Missing Out on Something better by choosing the wrong thing.
So what do you do when you’re swimming in a sea of career options? Do you have to choose? Or is it possible to do them all?
The short answer is yes, but it requires planning, structure, being honest with yourself and letting go of other people’s expectations of you.
Here is my guide to surviving and thriving as a multi-passionate woman in a world that’s determined to make you choose.
- Structure and planning are your friends. You have endless ideas on how to fill the limited hours in your day, so careful time management is critical to explore your many passions. Stop saying yes to things out of obligation, be conscious of where your time goes and schedule time in your diary for your interests and hobbies. This will also help you clarify how serious you are about something, because you’ll always find time to do what matters to you.
- Maximise your leisure time. You don’t need to turn everything that interests you into a career. If you’re stuck in a job that isn’t aligned with your values or interests it can be tempting to think you need a career change, but there are far less daunting (and drastic) measures to get variety into your life. Shift your focus and use the time you have before work, during your lunch break and on weekends to start chipping away at your passion list. It may just reinvigorate your motivation at work and help you feel more balanced.
- Find ways to try before you buy. One of the hallmark traits of a multi-passionate person is ‘bright shiny object syndrome’. You throw yourself into new experiences with unrestrained gusto, only to lose interest or get distracted by the next new thing. This approach can become expensive — a house full of half-finished projects, special gadgets that get used once or unused memberships. Next time you feel that familiar urge to try something new, look for the smaller scale, lower risk experience.
- Surround yourself with like-minded people. Nothing is guaranteed to make you feel more like a square peg than socialising with people who just don’t get you. Look to build connections with other multi-passionate people on social media or at networking events. Expanding your social circle is also important because a multi-passionate person tends to change jobs frequently, so the more contacts the better.
- Rethink your definition of ‘career‘. Instead of having one job at a time, consider an umbrella career that lets you fuse your interests into several part-time jobs simultaneously. You could also build a career out of seasonal work that allows you to pursue different interests throughout the year. Sure it’s different to what your friends are doing, but isn’t that the point? Be honest — maybe what you do for work isn’t that important as long as it provides income or flexibility to pursue higher goals. Give yourself permission to exit the rat race and create a career that’s just right for you.
- Prioritise self-care. The multi-passionate mind is always running at full speed, so make sure you factor in time for relaxation. Notice when you’re feeling drained rather than energised by activities you’d normally enjoy. With clever time management you’ll have limitless opportunities to keep trying new things, so slow down when you need to and remember that there’s no expiry date on your interests and passions.