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When You Have "Too Many" Potentials

Emilie Wapnick's TED Talk showed up in my LinkedIn feed this morning which got me thinking. You can watch it here: http://t.ted.com/OA75VLx

I love this, too! Many people develop their multiple talents. We run into this all the time. Talk to professionals and you'll find out they are also birders or musicians. A General Manager also owns and works in a family business and write a blog for a third type of business. Writers frequently have multiple professions. We even have an assessment score that says a person "likes to write or thinks like a writer," i.e., uses the logic of a writer in their work regardless of what their profession is.

What I've noticed is that striving for excellence in one area seems to go with excellence in another. I think the art of any practice is enhanced through thinking and caring deeply about multiple subjects.

The research by scientists who are artists definitely benefits from visualizing and making art. And their art is definitely better from practicing observation in science.

Multipotentialites express ideas from more ways of knowing. The question, "What do you want to be when you grow up" is rarely answered with multi-facets because the real intent of the question is to find out How you want to earn your living. A single answer is anticipated with maybe one additional one allowed.

What if we asked instead, Who are you? What do you love to do with friends? How can I help you keep doing these things? or, Can I be your friend?