Oh, lovely.
Another day where you leave your soul at the door in order to make a living, a day where you feel permanently misunderstood, a day where you just can’t seem to communicate what you mean properly to anyone?
Another moment when you try SO hard to just fit in, do one role, try with all your heart to make it work and be happy doing that, as the rest of the world seems to manage – and fall flat.
Another week where the days pass in a blur of dullness, and you wonder how many more days you can possibly cope with trying to fit yourself into this small, awkwardly shaped box which doesn’t have room for all the many, many facets of you?
I hear you, love. I really do.
When you’re perceived as flaky because you’re an adult, but you still don’t know what you want to be when you grow up. I hear you.
When you’re desperately trying to fit all the things that make you happy into your life, and you can’t understand how some people have one job and one hobby and don’t go insane from boredom. I hear you.
When you wake up in the morning brimming with ideas and enthusiasm, then realise you are expected to be somewhere else and do something else in order to earn money, and you lose all motivation to get out of bed. I hear you.
When if you see one more “How to get your business to six figures” article you’re going to scream because you’ve been working and working on your side hustle and you’re barely breaking even. I hear you.
When you can’t keep focus on one thing because your to do list and want to do list are both longer than your arm. I hear you.
When it feels like everyone but you has found their Thing and you despair of ever finding your path in life. I hear you.
I have news for you…
You’re not broken. If the words above resonate with you, it is very possible that you’re a multipod.
Also known as Scanners, Renaissance men/women, multipotentialites, polymaths and more (see, we can’t even decide on our collective name, because there are so many wonderful words out there in the world), we are multipassionate in the truest sense.
As in, we are quite literally wired to thrive on variety. A multipod is someone who has “many interests and creative pursuits. Multipotentialites have no “one true calling” the way specialists do. Being a multipotentialite is our destiny.” (with thanks for the beautifully clear definition to Emilie of Puttylike, where I spend lots of time, though I prefer the word multipod 😉 )
We have many interests. It’s ok to have many interests. Our personal collections of interests (/ jobs / businesses / career paths / life paths) will evolve and change as we do. So what interests you now may or may not be the same in six months or six years. Or sixty years.
Truly, discovering this eight or nine years ago was a gamechanger for me. Discovering that other people felt this way and that I wasn’t broken, just wired a bit differently, was a dose of magic.
Suddenly so much made sense, and I could indulge in all the things I’d tried to suppress so that I could be like other people, who apparently all thought I was crazy, selfish or ridiculous for being dissatisfied with the way millions upon millions of people live & work for their whole lives.
If you’ve ever felt this way, you’re probably a multipod too. Welcome home!
So…
if you’ve ever felt jealous of your friends who have a vocation or a clear calling in life, and have always wanted to be a _______, you’re probably a multipod.
When you put down that cross stitch halfway through, in favour of silversmithing classes, and don’t pick it up again for months or years (or ever), you’re not being flaky – you’re probably a multipod.
When you change jobs every few months because you are Just. So. Bored. with each one, you’re not incapable of knuckling down, as many would have you believe – you’re probably a multipod.
Let me rephrase and repeat, because we are made to feel this way so often:
You are not broken.
If you’re feeling like you don’t fit in, you’re not broken, but you’re probably a multipod.
If your friends and family are continually rolling their eyes as you change jobs yet again, you’re not broken, but you’re probably a multipod.
If you’re so bored doing one thing, but nervous of people’s reactions when you start yet another new thing, you’re not broken, but you’re probably a multipod.
If you’re doing so many things simultaneously that you’re permanently overwhelmed, you’re not broken, but you’re probably a multipod.
If you’re permanently overwhelmed but it’s still better than just work-home-eat-sleep repeat, you’re not broken, but you’re probably a multipod.
If you are secretly convinced that there has to be more to life than this, you’re not broken, but you’re probably a multipod.
I plan to write much more about multipoddery on here (and do have a podcast in the works too – keep your eyes peeled/hop on the mailing list for that!), but in the meantime, if your interest has been piqued, here are some fantastic resources which I’ve found helpful and sometimes tear-inducing on my journey from the old me to the real, multipod me.
Resources for multipods (or potential multipoddery)
- Puttylike – the original community for multipotentialites, run by Emilie Wapnick & packed to the rafters with advice, articles and explanations from fellow multipods
- Emilie’s TED talk – a great starting point, but have your tissues at the ready.
- Barbara Sher’s writing – she coined the term “Scanner” and has some fantastic books on the subject
- And what do you do? – a book for those of you who have no intention of making your living from just one thing
- Free Range Humans – Marianne has been instrumental in my escape from corporate London and into a portfolio career including photographing the small businesses I love so much. Her site, courses & book are all highly recommended. (and I’m in the second edition of the book!)
- And of course, right here – I love to photograph, write about and meet fellow multipods – our variety fascinates me! Hop on the mailing list if you’d like to hear more about multipoddery, mindset & small business magic, with lots of beautiful photography inspiration too!
As always, if this has resonated I’d love to hear from you – comment or drop me an email and tell me about your experiences!
With love & unicorns,
Carla xxx
Multipod Issues is a series about life & business as a multipotentialite, sparked by some conversations and recurring themes that have come up recently. If you have a multipod issue you’d like me to write about, drop me a note – hello@carlawatkins.com
Need a photographer for your business(es) who understands the scanner / Renaissance human / multipotentialite thing?! I’m your girl!
