For multi-potentialites like me, without a 9-6 office job but busy all the same due to a full plate of projects going on which are changing all the time, I am kinda stuck when people ask me the question, " What do you do?"
I guess there are pros and cons for being a multi-potentialite, as I play various roles at different times and taking up / letting go of projects at different point in time. Hence, I tend to tailor my answer depending on who is doing the asking. I might introduce myself as a writer if I happen to meet someone who is in the publishing industry. I would consider sharing more only if I feel they are genuinely interested and I can always provide a one word answer when I want out. I usually throw out a feeler before diving into the role in depth to avoid unwanted elaboration.
I get lost about my identity at times as I juggle so many different roles alone at different times of the day. I don't have a conventional job title and I like to respond by saying what and why I do instead. "I teach local school kids English in order to make a difference in their academic lives." "I love writing and I send out blog posts and newsletters on a regular basis to subscribers." " I hand-make art pieces, in particular, wall hangings, which I sell online at Etsy." " I am in the midst of creating my own e-magazine to be launched end of the month; which targets adults who are stressed, overwhelmed, bored and even angry at their jobs and that they need to become a child again for balance and wellbeing." The list is endless.
It doesn't matter if others understand me and what I do just because I don't have a proper job title or that I don't work in a cubicle at strict working hours. Rather than being a specialist which doesn't fare well with a scanner personality, I prefer exploring different disciplines and acquiring different experiences which have a purpose in itself.
I like the flexibility, the ability to pivot between subjects and take on new roles. In fact I thrive in that. It is so important to be true to who I am and Being a specialist in out of the question. I like to open up to possibilities which allows me to switch things up and do amazing things. I take my dreamer self along to cafes and just people watch and mind-wander away which is productive in ways you can't even imagine. Inspiration and ideas come to me and trigger my creativity which a dead-end job could never do. Learning and expanding my mind is more important than what outcome they lead; at least not for a multipod.
Call me a dabbler if you wish but I am more into new projects that stretch my comfort zone than being an expert in any one area. You might see an unfocused mess on my CV rather than someone who has many interests and has variety and learning on top of her priority list. Unsurprisingly, time is a big issue for multipods and there is so much you want to get done. (Maybe that's one of the reasons that I charge a relatively higher fee for the hours I work.) It isn't easy for me to decide on which project to start with when there are so many choices. I am constantly overwhelmed by all the information available to me both on and off line that it is not surprising that I take regular sabbaticals and solitude to recover from the intense consumption. Instead of actually finishing / completing a project, you might find some leaving around my house which I have 'finished with' when I am bored with them. I might pick them up again in the near future though...
Can you relate to my identity as a multi-potentialite?
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