Are you a “mulitipotentialite”? Wait. What?

When we are children, we are encouraged to think of what we are going to be when we grow up. Of course it is expected that this changes, sometimes drastically, over time and education. We can be horse whisperers, firemen, painters…and this can be all the same person. But as we grow up, we have to start thinking more practically. We have to fine tune our skills and identify the areas where our strongest talents lie. Right?

But what if that is wrong? What if we are talented in painting and computer programming. Or in psychology and music? Or engineering and care taking?

I have heard more than once “Mélanie, you have to chose between teaching or management,” “Mélanie, you have to chose between painting and Web production.” “You have to chose one thing, otherwise it’s too confusing for everyone to know who you are and what you do.”

Well, Emilie Wapnick has changed my anxiety into pride and dilemmas into opportunities. In this TED talk, Wapnick introduces the concept of a “multipotentialite.” In other words, those who have multiple gifts and talents and find ways to develop them all…guilt free. Thank you Emilie.

https://www.ted.com/talks/emilie_wapnick_why_some_of_us_don_t_have_one_true_calling