In yesterday’s post, Ready, Set, Go…Blog Like Crazy, I discussed how my passions are re-ignited and the need to embrace my multi-passionate interests. I want to share my power and my authentic voice in the hope of inspiring my readers to ignite their power. You see I am a very passionate creative. I am an avid traveler, a foodie, a fashion junkie, a writer, a diversity and inclusion advocate, and more. But for the longest, I struggled with sharing all of my passions. 

When I was growing up, I had a doctor who was not only a doctor but a lawyer, an activist, a community advocate, and a business owner. Often, people would say he was everything but an Indian Chief. He did all the things. And I admired that and wanted to be like him one day. He was a multi-passionate bad “A.”  

Not Everyone Will Share Your Enthusiasm

But I quickly found that not everyone shared my enthusiasm for being multi-passionate. I remember having a conversation with a cousin about my dreams. I said I wanted to be a writer and model because I love fashion but also wanted to be a scholar. She laughed and said it wasn’t possible. A word fight ensued until an adult jumped in and said that I can be anything I want to be. Well, I modeled during high school and made straight As.

Then in adulthood, I juggled a full-time job and modeling gigs and auditions. I remember appearing on the news for a fashion segment and one of the second line leaders asked my manager if I was a model or an insurance professional. And when I mentioned my dream to enter a contest to appear on the cover of Redbook, my then manager asked was I serious. 

I admit that I let some of this get in my head.  I began to say things like I can’t talk about that new delicious recipe I tried the other day and write about why we need more diverse books. So, I silenced myself. 

I learned early on that some people don’t understand what it means to be multi-passionate. They may see your interests in all of these areas as a lack of focus or direction. But I am here to say that this is far from the truth. You can be successful in embracing your multi-passionate powers. Queue the music “I want it all and I want it now.”

Here are four tips that will help any multi-passionate creative be effective. 

1. Keep a notebook with you at all times. When ideas or inspiration strikes, have a mechanism for capturing your ideas and thoughts. Yes, I love pen and paper and keep a small notebook in my purse. But you can use an app on your phone or a napkin or scrap of paper. The point is to write it down so that you can go back to it. Determine if it serves you and your audience. 

2. Do what makes you happy. You may have many passions, but it doesn’t mean you want it to be your bread and butter. Some things are just hobbies, but other things are what you want to be known for. Focus on doing more of what you want to be known for and become an expert in it. But remember, if it doesn’t make you happy, maybe you shouldn’t do it. 

3. Focus. Yes, you can focus on your multi passions. It takes more discipline to juggle if you have a full-time job.  Just know that while you may want it all, you cannot do it at one time. You have to be realistic about what makes you happy, determine what is important to you, and work towards getting it done. 

4. Don’t compare yourself to anyone else. Your journey is your journey. What makes you stand out is your uniqueness. There is no one way to get to where you want. Embrace what makes you – you. Share your multi passions in one space. By being authentic, you will attract your tribe. And they will get it. 

Do you have any tips on how to be an effectively multi-passionate creative? Drop them in the comments.

– Until Next Time

Sizable Chic