Combatting The Guilt Of Having Many Passions
Hands up for those who have experienced guilt for having too many interests?
(Raising my own hands here but you cannot see it).
But I am fully convinced that the new world is made for people with many interests, as society becomes more interconnected and complex.
Since I became self-employed, I feel like I have finally managed to combine certain things I love to do and would like to work as in the foreseeable future
But it took me years to get here. The problem was I was surrounded by people who specialised early on (accounting, then niching down on an industry).
And because it takes time and energy getting certified (also known as the sunk cost fallacy), the guilt of having other passions that I wanted to pursue was overwhelming.
But all that changed through years of searching and reading about other inspiring multipassionates that seemed to be living and thriving on their many passions.
I discovered the amazing Marie Forleo a few years ago. She is an entrepreneur, dancer, author, philanthropist and so much more.
I had so much shame. The challenge I ran to in my early 20’s, when I was reading all these traditional success books and they had a similar advice: Choose one thing, focus on it and just stay so narrow until in 10 or 20 years people will notice that you are good at it — Marie Forleo
There are countless number of people who have done this (Doctor Mike, Benjamin Franklin, Ryan Reynolds). I am all over the place with my examples here but they all have one thing in common - Many passions, one personal brand.
We sure also need specialists. I cannot imagine trusting a neurosurgeon who says he also specialises in working on human feet.
But some of us were simply were not born with a burning desire to be an astronaut or doctor when we grow up and then followed a linear career path.
We have been made to feel this pressure of adhering to one career or one interest or one vocation for too long.
