Are You A Multipotentialite*?

I am not a multipotentialite. But I’ve known many. Many. I’ve lived with one. Most of my counseling clients fit the bill. Several friends. I suspect that I’m not one so that I can better help all of you who are. If I were one, too, well, things could get messy.

CC Flickr Martin Lambe
CC Flickr Martin Lambe

For those of you who are new to the term, let me explain. In an earlier post, I described how you may be overwhelmed  by your extraordinary curiosity. Not only that. You may, in fact, be as capable in the field of chemistry as you are in philosophy or as skilled in music as you are in literature. And you want to do it all. Depth and diversity are exciting, stimulating and necessary.

You’re afflicted with multipotentiality. Thus, you are a multipotentialite. (a term coined by Emilie Wapnick*, thanks Emilie)

You may be like my client. I’ll call her Rachel. She was interested in writing, sociology, literature, theology, politics, international relations, medicine, parenting, public speaking, feminism and math. For starters. At age 25, she was working in educational consulting at a university. It was a secure job with good benefits. She enjoyed it at first as she learned the ropes, did lots of public speaking and traveled internationally. But after about three years, there was nothing new to learn and she grew frustrated. She came to counseling looking for guidance.

CC Flickr Markus Stöber
CC Flickr Markus Stöber

It became apparent that Rachel was intellectually gifted. (like many multipotentialites) She was highly sensitive, articulate, an avid reader, creative, perfectionistic, passionate about learning, analytical, fast thinking and intense. When I explained multipotentiality, she was distressed and said, “It’s shattering to realize that there’s not the shining beacon of a single path.” She felt lost in “a shadowy empty forest that had too many paths that went off far into the foggy distance.”

Knowing that she was a multipotentialite was not good news.

She had to grieve the notion that she had one particular calling and that all she had to do was find it and do it. Multipotentiality was so much more complicated and frightening.

But as we talked more, she began to accept and appreciate her gifted rainforest mind. And we started planning her next career move. I suggested she read Barbara Sher’s Refuse to Choose, examine other resources and join Emilie’s community. She began to see that being a multipotentialite could work.

But she was torn between being practical and going for her dreams. She was afraid that she was just hoping for some unreachable “pie in the sky.”

I asked her to consider that there was pie available. And she didn’t have to go to the sky to get it.

________________________________

To my blogEEs: Thanks, as always, for your sweet attention. If this post speaks to you, click on the links to Emilie Wapnick’s website. She’s bubbling over with practical and creative ideas. (and thanks to the reader who originally told me about Emilie)


Author: Paula Prober

I’m a psychotherapist and consultant in private practice based in Eugene, Oregon. I specialize in international consulting with gifted adults and parents of gifted children. I’ve been a teacher and an adjunct instructor at the University of Oregon and a frequent guest presenter at Oregon State University and Pacific University. I’ve written articles on giftedness for the Eugene Register-Guard, the Psychotherapy Networker, Advanced Development Journal and online for psychotherapy dot net, Rebelle Society, Thrive, Introvert Dear, and Highly Sensitive Refuge. My first book, Your Rainforest Mind: A Guide to the Well-Being of Gifted Adults and Youth, is a collection of case studies of gifted clients along with many strategies and resources for gifted adults and teens. My second book, Journey Into Your Rainforest Mind: A Field Guide for Gifted Adults and Teens, Book Lovers, Overthinkers, Geeks, Sensitives, Brainiacs, Intuitives, Procrastinators, and Perfectionists is a collection of my most popular blog posts along with writing exercises for self-exploration and insight.

79 responses to “Are You A Multipotentialite*?”

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  1. The Love-Hate Relationship with the Word "Gifted" and the Birth of the Rainforest Mind Metaphor – YOUR RAINFOREST MIND

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  3. A Totally Anecdotal Unscientific Explanation of a Particular Variety of High Intelligence from an Absolutely Nonacademic Tango Dancing Psychotherapist | Your Rainforest Mind

    […] architect or a stand-up comedian. She thinks she is flakey or shallow because she has walked so many different career paths. Her sense of social responsibility keeps her awake most nights. Her intuitive abilities frighten […]


  4. Gifted In Finland — What Are Gifted Adults Like Across Cultures? | Your Rainforest Mind

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  5. Gifted In The Netherlands | Your Rainforest Mind

    […] (Note: Those of you who are fans of Barbara Sher’s work, know that she refers to divers and scanners in her book Refuse to Choose. My reference to diving is not what she is talking about. Using her definition, RFMs are both divers and scanners. The book is a good one for multipotentialites!) […]


  6. Rhoda Avatar
    Rhoda

    For years I have been trying to figure out why I don’t like just one thing. I was the same as a kid. It led to people thinking I’m weird or like there’s something actually wrong with me. Now I know that for one I’m not alone, and for another that there are jobs out there that I can do very well that can allow me to use my various talents and interests without making me feel trapped or restricted in too many ways. I’m glad that now there’s material about this, which I am hoping will help other people embrace their uniqueness as well.


    1. Paula Prober Avatar
      Paula Prober

      Yes, Rhoda, multipotentiality is a real thing. Have you seen Emilie Wapnick’s work yet? Check her out.


  7. Jana Avatar
    Jana

    Multipotential • HSP • Empath • ACOA
    Somedays it’s too much.


    1. Paula Prober Avatar
      Paula Prober

      <3


  8. Giftedness, Multipotentiality, and Your Fear of Losing Interest (FOLI) | Your Rainforest Mind

    […] if you have multipotentiality. Which you know you do. You may suffer from FOLI. Fear Of Losing […]


  9. What Does Gifted Look Like in My World? | Your Rainforest Mind

    […] or a stand-up comedian. She thinks she’s flakey or shallow because she’s walked so many different career paths. Her sense of social responsibility keeps her awake most nights. Her intuitive abilities frighten […]


  10. How Will You Know a Gifted Adult When You See One? | Your Rainforest Mind

    […] that they will have trouble answering. Questions that most people think are simple. Questions like: What do you want to be when you grow up? What is your favorite book? What color do you want to paint your living room? How are […]


  11. Rita Avatar
    Rita

    So, want to know the impact of a TBI on this lovely life perspective of always needing to learn and be challenged….it intensifies the emotional brain, so, for years I was able to hide my frustrations of being bored…now those emotions are out and I have no filter and spew knowledge about stuff I just should know nothing about. I have no tolerence for incompetence in others and avoid group settings as stupidity appears to run rampant in large groups. I have to be busy all day long and if I am sitting then I am reading, watching documentaries…I cannot get enough of new things. I just turned fifty and this has been my life. I have a 27 year career in public service and I teach at an academy as well as out of country. I have a farm, raise animals and my own food. Raised a family and now have grandchildren…they all follow in my footsteps. Whatever we try we are good at…that makes it difficult for others without those abilities. So, we learn to pace…learn to stay quiet as to not make others feel inadequate…but challenge us and we will debate you, with facts…to a point of affirmation.
    The TBI resulted in memory loss and some short term memory issues…yet the psychologist tells me that I have forgotten more thsn most people learn in a lifetime and I still have the sbility to learn in an accelerated fashion. Sleep elydes me and my need to explore new things, ideas, perspectives is relentless.


    1. Paula Prober Avatar
      Paula Prober

      I don’t know much about TBIs and giftedness, Rita. I think you probably sum it up nicely here: “I have forgotten more than most people learn in a lifetime”– thank you for sharing.


  12. If I’m So Smart, Why Can’t I Make A Decision? | Your Rainforest Mind

    […] You are a multipotentialite. […]


  13. pvdela Avatar
    pvdela

    Thank you for this. I’ve always known I had lots of talents and interests and always considered that a great asset but it helps that I also felt a powerful calling to be a stay at home mom while my kids are young and so I get to share my talents with my five kids, teaching and mentoring them right now. Somewhere along the way I’ll pick something else to focus on but I’m perfectly happy with my somewhat scattered life.


    1. Paula Prober Avatar
      Paula Prober

      So important to be there for your kids!! Thanks for sharing, pvdela.


  14. Multipotentiality: Are You Overwhelmed By Your Too Muchness? | Your Rainforest Mind

    […] You are afflicted with multipotentiality. Or as Emilie Wapnick says, “You’re a multipotentialite.” […]


  15.  Avatar
    Anonymous

    “Can You Hear The Flowers Sing – Issues For Gifted Adults” by Deirdre V. Lovecky, Journal of Counseling and Development. This article, although from many years ago (May 1986), explained what I had experienced for years, but never understood about myself.


    1. Paula Prober Avatar
      Paula Prober

      I remember seeing that article years ago and loving it. Amazing that it’s still being shared. Thank you.


  16. Kristen Avatar
    Kristen

    Hi! I have only just discovered your blog here and am exploring and reading. Not sure where I fit on the spectrum of things, but what you post that I’ve read so far REALLY resonates with me. I love the term ‘multipotentialite’! I’m currently a homeschooling mom and heavily into volunteering with things like scouts (I have a girl and a boy so I work with both groups) … and I’ve discovered that Scouting really gives opportunities for multipotentiality … there are so many wonderful skills and topics that can fit under the scout umbrella! I think that’s why I’ve stuck with it for nine years now as a volunteer. My mom fits your description too … a look at her resume shows everything from working car rentals to training with Merrill Lynch (way back) to interior decorating, and tons of stuff in-between. She gets bored, she moves on. She often underestimates her true intelligence and gifts … I might have to throw this term at her next time it comes up and let her see it’s a good thing. Thank you for having this blog, and I can’t wait to read more and more.


    1. Paula Prober Avatar
      Paula Prober

      Welcome Kristen! I look forward to hearing from you. Glad you found us!


  17. Si soy inteligente, ¿Por qué me siento tan torpe? | Aa.Cc., LA REBELIÓN DEL TALENTO

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  18. Existential Depression in Gifted Teens | Your Rainforest Mind

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  19. Multipotentiality: Is it a blessing or a curse? – MaSK Media

    […] Are you a Multipotentialite? (blog post) […]


  20. David Avatar
    David

    Another term for multipotentialite is polymath but the second more describes what happens to a multipotentialite over time. And that’s the thing – it takes time to cover all the territory. (laughs)
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polymath

    Another bit I found useful to understand was the distinction between early risers and late bloomers. Some of the gifted have clarity right out of the gate and start producing early. You describe some of those expectations in other posts. But some are late bloomers. They take time to gather the parts and experiences before things come together.
    http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2008/10/20/late-bloomers-2

    But yeah – I rolled my eyes at or had multiple resumes at different times in my life. Sometimes it sounded implausible.


    1. Paula Prober Avatar
      Paula Prober

      I appreciate the links, David. I’m curious about what the New Yorker has to say about late bloomers.


  21. Afflicted With Too Much Talent | Your Rainforest Mind

    […] Maybe it was school. Maybe it was your dysfunctional family and your chainsaw parents. You’re complicated so it was probably more than one thing. But just for today, let’s look at your unending number of interests and abilities. Your passion for learning new things. Your boredom with something once you’ve mastered it. Your multipotentiality. […]


  22. Anna Avatar
    Anna

    Thank you. I now know what to call myself. This is a relief.


    1. Paula Prober Avatar
      Paula Prober

      Happy to help, Anna!


  23. If I’m So Smart, Why Am I So Dumb? Part Two | Your Rainforest Mind

    […] You have multiple interests and can’t decide on one career path. Gifted people pick one thing, stick with it and achieve […]


  24. onkarjot1985 Avatar
    onkarjot1985

    Hey guys, I found wonderful site for global multipotentialites to connect. http://multipotentialites.com/


    1. Paula Prober Avatar
      Paula Prober

      It looks great! Thanks.


  25. hksounds Avatar
    hksounds

    Hi Paula,
    Thanks for this article. “Multipontialities’ reminded me of a term, I heard Alan Watt’s use long ago in a recorded talk, “the omni-potentiallity of youth.” I recognized myself in the idea and I didn’t ever want to give that up. Now, at age 70, I have finally had to set aside a few of the more rigorous, physical possibilities but I still turn eagerly and interestedly to new ideas, books, concerts, travel, etc., and constantly continue my pursuit of knowledge.
    These days I try to instill that in my students but for the most part, I see their ‘omni-potentiallity’ being wiped out by parents, the educational system and society in general, so much so that I doubt it still exists in many of them. If this generation is to have a future then all of us have to do some heavy lifting in order to see the way forward to creating a thriving environment in which all children can explore their multi/omni potential lives.


    1. Paula Prober Avatar
      Paula Prober

      I imagine that you are a great role model for your students. Thank you for sharing your thoughts.


  26. ashuunbi Avatar
    ashuunbi

    Reblogged this on curiositykillsmagic.


  27. Douglas Eby Avatar
    Douglas Eby

    Thanks for this thoughtful post. Creative people are complex and multitalented. Along with the benefits of many abilities and passions, there are challenges in realizing so many interests. But many creative people do express many talents – e.g. Viggo Mortensen is an actor, musician, painter, photographer, and founder of a publishing company. See many other quotes and video: “What is a Multipotentialite? Emilie Wapnick explains” in my article “Interested In So Many Things: Creative and Multitalented” (on the site for my main book “Developing Multiple Talents: The personal side of creative expression”) http://developingmultipletalents.com/interested-many-things-creative-multitalented/


    1. paulaprober Avatar
      paulaprober

      Thanks for the link, Douglas. And for sharing your ideas.


  28. The other gifted adult | patchwork poppies

    […] Whether you have a degree or a dream career or not, I believe many can relate to this who suffer from Multipotentiality. Thanks to the internet, educational opportunities and new jobs are created more often now than ever from people breaking boundaries and thinking outside-the-box. I now realize the possibilities are endless in this day and age. As I continue to educate and push forward, I know I will eventually find my identity as a creative gifted individual. One thing I love to do is continue to learn new things that interest me. I feel like because I was denied this freedom as a child, I’m now doing this as an adult. Much like the adults that were denied a childhood and are living their childhood out through their adult life.  Now that I have the freedom to learn what I want when I want (with kids its a little more of a challenge) I am doing just that. Because I love learning so much and I’m often times overwhelmed by the vast amount of information out there (even shuffling through junk vs good information). Because of the wealth of information, I have a hard time focusing on one thing and making a career out of it. I feel like a kid at the candy store. I just want to sample everything that appeals to me and master everything. Basically, I have a hard time putting all my eggs in one basket. I’ve come to know this as being, multipotentiality. Its a blessing and a curse. It can be exhausting and stressful because you can tend to feel lost and like a failure when you have too much on your plate and nothing significant has really come from it.  Also, you tend to find yourself exhausting your job’s demands and that you can tend to get bored easily in your job/career and never feel really fulfilled. Always looking for the next thing. Like an addiction, but this addiction has to do with your very lively hood and self worth. I found myself switching jobs quite often when I would become extremely bored. When working up the corporate latter wasn’t optional, I no longer found joy to go and would quit. I did this until I decided to work for myself and became my own boss. This worked best for me but it’s easy to burn oneself out emotionally and physically when you are a multipotentialite. After creating my first business, I then found myself coming up with multiple different businesses in completely different areas. I would find something that interested me and became well versed in the field. I’d then create the business from scratch and give it my 100 percent then wake up one day and say, “I’m bored with this. It’s no longer is fulfilling my creative side, what kind of business can I come up with next?”  Talk about torture and exhausting. I’m training myself to be more realistic. To concentrate more on specific areas of interest instead of easily getting lost in the abyss of information and potential that is consistently tangible in this information age. Paula Prober actually touches on this very topic in one of her blog post, are you a multipotentialite*?. (click here to read) […]


  29. patchworkpoppies Avatar
    patchworkpoppies

    I just reblogged your post Paula. Thank you for such a great post. Thank you Paula!


  30. patchworkpoppies Avatar
    patchworkpoppies

    Reblogged this on patchwork poppies and commented:
    This is a great post by Paula Prober on Multipotentiality. I’ll be touching on this topic on my next blog post that will be published on Monday. I personally have struggled through this most of my adult life. Until this past month I didn’t even know there was a term for it. If it wasn’t for learning about what gifted is and personally identifying with it through traits and characteristics, I don’t know if I would have ever stumbled across this. This is why I believe gifted advocacy is so important. The more we eliminate the misconceptions and bring knowledge to the forefront, more people will understand and unlock the doors in their lives. I just wish I would have known about all of this much earlier in my life. Thank you Paula for a such a great post!


    1. paulaprober Avatar
      paulaprober

      You are so welcome. Thanks for the reblog!


  31. Jennifer Roberts Avatar
    Jennifer Roberts

    New to your blog and just reading through past posts.

    Wow! Yes! And I didn’t know there was a name for it! In high school we all took a test that was meant to narrow down our interests and steer us toward a few career options. I was one of two people whose test did not reveal a particular direction. My teacher told me I was a “renaissance woman”.

    I will definitely look into the resources you recommended, because this is something I have been struggling with. I guess it’s time to accept that there isn’t some magical, elusive passion out there somewhere waiting to be discovered. I envy people who know exactly what they want to do. It’s a very frustrating feeling knowing that I have talent and ability, but not having a place where it can land permanently.


    1. paulaprober Avatar
      paulaprober

      Welcome to my blog, Jennifer. Yes, it’s hard to not have a place to “land permanently.” I hope the resources help you feel more comfortable negotiating through your many interests and abilities.


  32. Jeannette Morris Avatar
    Jeannette Morris

    I feel like a “Lost boy” at 37yrs of age like one of the other people says i want to open a business or two i want to succeed, yet I dont want to succeed to the point that people say or expect me to do it all the time because then I don’t want to fail. I have been called ambition-less. lazy to name a few adjectives, but in the same breath I have three degrees, two Masters and One bachelor and many certificates and I am currently doing a course online. But for some reason I feel,, trapped and I am not exactly sure if it has become part of my conscious so now I believe I am. Which hurts me to even think of myself that way, because I know that I am not like that.. It is very confusing and being a mother and married gets so muddy in that I don’t know where or how to turn next because I get bored with routine and want variety, when my husband is a traditionalist, rountinist who loves to stay within the status quo.

    So I feel lost and trapped at this age and I really want to enter 2015 with a bit more direction and happiness!


    1. paulaprober Avatar
      paulaprober

      I think it would be good, Jeannette, for you to imagine that you do have the rainforestmind traits. It might give you more compassion for your confusion. Even though parenting is difficult, it may not provide the intellectual stimulation that you need. And you might feel some guilt because of the boredom. Then there’s the pressure you’re afraid of if you were to find success in something outside your family. These are all things that rainforest minds grapple with. I hope reading my blog and the resources I suggest will help.


  33. Teresa Avatar
    Teresa

    Thank you very much for this post! 🙂 I wish our guidance counselor in HS school told me this instead of simply telling me that I can choose any career because my test scores showed high scores in almost all fields. That statement left me even more confused as I stepped into college.


    1. paulaprober Avatar
      paulaprober

      Yes, I wish more high school guidance counselors knew about this. It can be so confusing if you don’t have any guidance or support. Thanks for sharing, Teresa.


  34. KtCallista Avatar
    KtCallista

    You introduced me to this idea a few posts back in a comment (sorry I haven’t been around I just got my Internet connected in Oregon and am still in the process of moving). I just sort of let it sit in the back of my mind. I think I’ve always known this. My father and I switched hobbies together every few years being obsessed with each section at the local Hobby stores in sequence, astronomy, then model trains, RC planes, etc. Even with that, I always thought I would go to college and have one career and that would be that. I even stubbornly finished my degree in a subject that I find incredibly interesting (Wildlife Resources) when it was fairly obvious that my understanding of interrelations in an environment was something my peers could not follow and in the end, the roles I would be assigned would not maintain my interest for long. After 5 years I was bored and at 7 years I was regretting my work, but did not have the degree, nor experience to go farther in my career to those theories that I loved in college and kept me in the program.

    Now, I work for a non-profit and while what I do is neither glamorous, nor pays very well, I think it is the only field where being knowledgeable about everything really gets a chance to shine (that I’ve found so far anyway). I can keep the computer systems running and write a database and the webpages in the down time. I can develop educational trainings for kids and teachers on robotics, teamwork, and scientific thinking. I can do the accounts and anything else needed. I can even design solutions to physical limitations with our equipment and facilities. I can use more of me than in any other outlet I’ve found.

    I also find with all that I do, I feel terribly lazy. Like I know I could do so much more. I have wish lists of things I wish to do, stories I long to finish writing and more that want to be written. I want to do stuff with my kids, show them things, teach them stuff. I feel like most of my life is a long list of stuff I can’t get to. At the same time I enjoy my lazy days, so as a result I know I could be doing so much more and think of myself as rather lazy. Lately, more and more people tell me they can’t believe how I do so much. How I do all these things that I do end up doing. I still see myself as lazy and see this huge list of things I’m not doing that I want to, but I choose to be lazy sometimes and that is why. I’d love to see a post on this…. I can’t be the only lazy rainforest minded person who is constantly asked how they do so much – especially when I really don’t do that much.


    1. paulaprober Avatar
      paulaprober

      I will definitely write about this. You are not the only rainforest-minded person who startles people with the amount that they do but feels lazy! No, indeed.


    2. Jeannette Morris Avatar
      Jeannette Morris

      Hi,

      I kind of catch your flow!!! I don’t know if I am a rainforest mind, but I think I am a multipotentialite… like you friends tell me how do you do all those things and have your three children… and I always think do what? these things don’t challenge me.. so being a mom and a wife though stressful, doesn’t challenge me cause I understand my role and function and I just execute it without thought.

      And like you I have three books of bucket list lists.. of one hundred or more on each list and if I have done two out of the entire list is amazing.. and that irks me to my very being.. because I feel like you, that I am being lazy but added to that , that I don’t want to try. But in the same breath I think if I don’t want to die and leave this earth without making a difference in the lives of others and myself… Strange enough my husband says, but J you are making a difference.. I don’t see it.

      I guess we just have to keep living and doing our best at whatever it is we do and take pleasure in that.. regardless of it is million things or just one thing.

      Jeannette


    3. Kristen Avatar
      Kristen

      I am the same way! Too much on my list and feel guilty for taking time to just life in bed and get nothing else done. I would also like to see the part on this subject.


      1. Paula Prober Avatar
        Paula Prober

        I just added this topic to my list. Hope to write about it soon-ish.


  35. telperion1214 Avatar
    telperion1214

    I’m glad this attraction to a wide variety of things is now cleared up for me LOL. These days, with limited physical abilities and health challenges, some interests are limited *for* me.
    I have chosen to live within my means, fiscal and physical, and even with that, my interests are more than I can keep up with.
    For me, the problem seems to be getting my brain to focus, to pick one and stick with it for a while.
    For instance, other needleworkers that I read about do a variety of projects such as quilting, cross stitch, needlepoint, and various other kinds of needlework (crewel, Hardanger, stumpwork). Then there is knitting and crochet, sewing — with tailoring and garment construction and fashion design. The more into a thing I get, the more there is to learn.
    I believe factotum is one word for multipotentialite, or polymath. I think it’s way cool to be interested in herbs, theater, architecture, camping, books, psychology, birding, marine biology, clutures, etc. We live in an amazing world — I’m glad I have curiosity and interest in it.


    1. paulaprober Avatar
      paulaprober

      I think it’s “way cool,” too. I’ve heard the word polymath but not factotum. Interesting.


  36. overexcitable Avatar
    overexcitable

    Reblogged this on Overexcitable and commented:
    She may as well have named her example woman Eirin instead of Rachel…


    1. paulaprober Avatar
      paulaprober

      Thanks for the reblog, Eirin. I’m glad the post resonated with you.


  37. Puttylike | A Home for Multipotentialites » The Puttyfest Wrap-Up Post (including all of your amazing blog posts)

    […] Are You A Multipotentialite*? […]


  38. unnahbar Avatar
    unnahbar

    …maybe that’s why I tried to make my career decision only between career paths in a very small field, because I knew I couldn’t decide if I considered every possible option.
    Now I just hope the decision will be okay… I’ll start med school in a couple of weeks and I’m really excited (but sorry, I’m rambling).

    What I wanted to say is, I absolutely do identify with this and it somehow shows me why there are always at least two or three bigger “projects” in my life that don’t really have anything to do with each other but I need them to have something I can put energy and effort into. Otherwise I get moody and angry because I cannot use all the energy that’s in my head.


    1. paulaprober Avatar
      paulaprober

      Having a few (or many) unrelated projects can be a good way to satisfy some of your need to explore many ideas and many paths. Thanks for sharing your thoughts.


  39. paulaprober Avatar
    paulaprober

    Anon, It’s OK about the links. Weird stuff sometimes happens in the digital realm.


  40. CA Avatar
    CA

    The book was called Smart Girls Gifted women and I read when I was in university …way enlightening 🙂
    https://www.goodreads.com/book/photo/1978383.Smart_Girls_Gifted_Women_


    1. paulaprober Avatar
      paulaprober

      Thanks, CA. That’s a good one. In fact, I think she’s putting out an updated version soon, if it’s not out already.


  41. Anon Avatar
    Anon

    *Thank you for this.* For years I wondered why no one particular career stood out to me. I’ve perused college class catalogs as if they were a Christmas wish catalog. I have already had two totally different careers (and did well in each). I am now in my 4th year of a third career while considering taking college classes to work towards a degree for something else. I have a side business in something else. Which do I like best? I have truly *enjoyed them all*. For most of them, I have been self-employed so that my perfectionist tendencies could run free but not amok.

    Multiple interests and talents is a fascinating way to live. It’s very rich at times but disappointing at others. I’ve found that it also seems to confuse other people who have taken a more traditional path through life and career. It made it necessary that I keep various groups of friends that share one of my interests, instead of all of them. I couldn’t imagine it any other way!

    I took gifted classes through school but never understood the huge down side of being so inclined. The curse of the gift. No counselor *ever* mentioned it. But they sure spent quite a bit of time talking to me about my “potential”. My indecision at a clear path because of multiple deep interests was met with deaf ears that had no idea on how to guide me. I only wish that this post by you was standard reading for anyone who works with the gifted and talented as an educator or counselor.

    At this point in my life, I find myself not being able to let people know about any giftedness that was or is with myself. Through the years, a few people have mistaken my attempts at helpfulness for somehow being a “know-it-all”. I keep my achievements under wraps. It reminds me of not telling my high school friends that I was in gifted classes to prevent being picked on or singled out. Or stepping away from a personal invitation to the college honor society because it was to be widely publicized on campus. How sad that I don’t feel the freedom to just be proud when it’s totally appropriate. I didn’t stop achieving. I am just very, very careful who I tell about it.

    These resources may be of help to others in a similar situation:
    http://www.amazon.com/One-Person-Multiple-Careers-Success/dp/0446696978/
    http://www.amazon.com/The-Renaissance-Soul-Design-Passions/dp/0767920880/

    Common Attributes of Giftedness: • motivation • advanced interests • communication skills • problem-solving ability • well-developed memory • inquiry • insight • reasoning • imagination/creativity • sense of humor • advanced ability to deal with symbol systems ((Frasier & Passow, 1994)

    Characteristic Strengths: Advanced vocabulary use, Exceptional analytic abilities, High levels of creativity, Advanced problem solving skills, Ability to think of divergent ideas and solutions, Specific aptitude (artistic, musical, or mechanical), Wide variety of interests, Good memory, Task commitment, Spatial abilities

    Best of luck to you all with your multifaceted journeys!


    1. paulaprober Avatar
      paulaprober

      Thank you for the resources and for your description of your experiences. I know readers here will relate. You don’ t have to keep your achievements “under wraps” here and we won’t say you’re a “know it all” when you’re just sharing your enthusiasm. We get you!


      1. Anon Avatar
        Anon

        I’m sorry those links showed up the way they did. I have no idea why they did that. They were just text links to the book pages at Amazon.
        I have no idea why but your comment brings tears to my eyes. Thank you for your understanding and compassion.


    2. overexcitable Avatar
      overexcitable

      “I’ve perused college class catalogs as if they were a Christmas wish catalog.” is such a lovely phrase, and as you can probably guess, one that resonates deeply with me. If I could, I’d be a perpetual student, but I’d drop all those mandatory and ever so boring classes in order to fill my schedule 140 % with courses in music, drama, literature, art, math, sociology, neuropsychology, architecture, accoustics, geology, geography, history (but only the stories, not all the names and dates!), languages (oh, all the languages! But not the grammar, please, and not all that political stuff, just the languages in use), some psychology (if only to pick apart some really strange theories and practices, but there are some interesting bits, too) and… So many things to learn!

      Since I’ve crashed my health by living the multipotentialite life coupled with ADHD and the aftereffects of a youth as shunned and bullied, I now have to content with the Internet. Luckily, it’s a very rich source, and getting richer every day! So what if I have 15 open windows to read, about extremely diverse topics? I thoroughly enjoy this opportunity to learn, learn and learn!


      1. paulaprober Avatar
        paulaprober

        Spoken like a true mulitpotentialite!


  42. CA Avatar
    CA

    Paula! Yes I know the multipotential feeling…I read an awesome book earlier about women and giftedness and multipotentiality is that a word? 🙂 I think the knowledge that one is good at something doesn’t mean we need to pursue that. I received 100 % in my nursing EA course and wouldn’t want to do that eeew. But for me it is what do I like best and right now it is teaching and English and language. But I want to be a motivational speaker and a famous blessed enchanting Shakespearean actor and movie star and published author and musician! So there you go plenty of things! 🙂


    1. paulaprober Avatar
      paulaprober

      What was the title of that book, CA?


  43. Melissa Avatar
    Melissa

    And so I sit here in a semi-paralyzed state… Afraid of the next move. Afraid of failure. Afraid of success. If I fail, people will know. If I succeed, I will be expected to do more, or better, and expected to continue doing whatever ‘it’ is. Afraid of hurting the people around me who learning does not come as easy for. I wild racing mind full of endless possibilities can soon become a place of worry and doom. And then there’s the physical aspect. Due to some physical conditions (adolescent onset of psoriatic arthritis, bursitis, and other painful inflammatory conditions) it actually hurts to endeavor in my many interests. So again, I am paralyzed. Your blog and my mentor are helping me to make strides in regaining some movement, and I am starting to become ‘involved’ again, but it’s a long process and fear holds my hand every step of the way.


    1. paulaprober Avatar
      paulaprober

      You raise a number of issues here that I see in so many clients. I hope to continue to write about them so that, in some small way, I can help you feel more hopeful about your future, Melissa.


  44. Sophy Laughing Avatar
    Sophy Laughing

    Hi Paula … I came to your blog via another follower (Darleen Saunders) who is an enthusiastic, highly knowledgeable advocate for the gifted. This is a very relatable article (for me, personally) and interestingly enough this morning as I was out on my morning walk I was thinking about how I approach learning, in such a hodgepodgian fashion … a little from this book, a little from another, a lecture, a thesis, a paper, travel, etc. It is akin to learning multiple languages, it takes longer, but in the end, you’re multi-lingual. I’m perceiving multipotentiality similarly. Rather than one life mission, so to speak, there are multiple lanes upon which we travel. It is like a dance of sorts: two-stepping one’s way through life to multiple tunes. Neuroscientists claim that we only process one thought at a time, and this may indeed be true on a micro-biologically energetic level, but for many of us, while we are processing that ‘one’ thought, we are simultaneously processing other intelligences – be them creative, musical, lyrical, poetic, sensory, or otherwise. The potential lies in stepping back and seeing that while lanes appear parallel, they rarely remain as such … at some point, there is a cross-over … a merging of lanes, if only temporarily. And it is at that precise moment that our multipotentiality, our multiprocessing resembles one really big processor with multiple layers of complexity that when brought together resonate in a way that single trajectory travelers sometimes fail to perceive. There are two paths, both equally viable for the individual. However, being of this particular camp, I very much appreciated your article and for what it’s worth, am thoroughly enjoying all the lanes! [message typed while observing hummingbirds feeding on my Bugambilias, smelling flowers, sipping coffee, thinking about my next artwork, ruminating on a philosophical theory, and realizing that it’s time to take the dog out again!] ;))


    1. paulaprober Avatar
      paulaprober

      Enjoying all the lanes. Yes!!


    2. CA Avatar
      CA

      Damn that’s good 🙂


  45. Joshua Raymond Avatar
    Joshua Raymond

    I am a multipotentialite. It drives me up the wall! Few employers are looking for multipotentialites and jobs are often constricted to a tiny area. Is anyone looking for a database administrator who also has strong skills in writing, physics, chemistry, historical analysis, religious studies, economics, etc.? Nope. But doing only one of those leaves me unsatisfied! And so I continue in a job that pays the bills nicely and provides some freedom to explore the strengths and interests on the side. It’s the best compromise for now.


    1. paulaprober Avatar
      paulaprober

      Sounds like you’ve got a reasonable plan for now, Joshua. I think that’s how many multipotentialites do it. Thanks for sharing.


  46. darleensaunders Avatar
    darleensaunders

    Reblogged this on Darleen's Edu News and commented:
    I met this lovely woman at the SENG conference and and now enjoying her blog. Though you might too.


    1. paulaprober Avatar
      paulaprober

      Thanks for the reblog, Darleen, and your kind words. I’m now following your blog.

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