What do you want to be when you grow up?

A big but innocuous question posted to us when we are young to elicit cute, and probably funny replies, like, "I want to be a doctor", "I want to be a firefighter", "I want to be a policeman" or "I want to be a strip dancer". (wait... wut...)

These responses often make our teachers, educators or parents initiate follow up questions like "Why?" or "Why makes you want to be X?" but usually it ends with a laugh or sometimes, chuckle.

But often, through our life, this question keeps getting into our heads as we grow older.

Sometimes, we can casually just answer without thinking much, but often, it spawns a thought of endless searching for the answer that keeps me awake at night.

It keeps me awake because eventually, I have to choose an answer.

In our society, we are programmed to choose one and with that answer, we are destined to stick with that answer through our life on this earth, and devote it forever.

Or in other words,  society tends to place a high value on specialization.

But you see, some of us are not that way.

Through the past years, I began to notice a pattern in myself where I would become so interested in an area and I would dive in, and I'd get to be good at whatever it was, or bored, sometimes bad.

The thing is I like building software products ranging from web to mobile application, illustration, drawing, designing, branding, filming, photography, video editing, gaming (well, I stopped because it clearly does not give me any benefit), and oddly, the business side of things.  (Okay, I like to do long walks too, but I wouldn't call it as an interest lul)

Clearly, this myriad of interest caused me anxiety  because I am not sure whether it would turn into a career and I am wasting lots of my time on these interests that I could use it on the one interest that I really like. (lost a few compound interest, literally)

I am worried that I could not stick to one and I am worried that this could sabotage my own success.

And of course, I chose one which is much more stable and less risky than the others.

However, this does not keep me sane.

Multipotentialite

I happen to chance upon this term, "Multipotentialite". It means a person with many interests and creative pursuits.

Multipotentialite can be excellent at bringing disparate ideas in creative ways, making them great innovators and problem solvers.

In fact, multipotentiality is a compliment of a solution to the increasingly complex world with increasingly complex problems.

Being a multipotentialite means a professional beginner, able to adapt and open to change, creative problem solves, innovative thinkers, and have a unique way of seeing the world.

And I believe I am a multipotentialite... with a weird array of interests.

Before I end this post, I would like to post this question to you.

Are you a Singular Specialist that solely focuses on one thing or Multipotentialite that holds many interests?

You can reach me on twitter, and do let me know if you like this sort of content that is weirdly personal to me.