What on earth is a Multipotentialite? Is that even a word?
I recently discovered this expression whilst scrolling through my Facebook feed (you know, that sacred place where all of the world’s most insightful and reliable information is sourced from [insert sarcastic tone] – but seriously I love Facebook and it’s role in post-modern social society (more on that another time).
And it struck me immediately – multi/potential/ite.
I was intrigued. I had to delve further. Perhaps this was the “label” I had always desired, a label to say you can’t be labelled. FANTASTIC!
The fact that the word was found alongside a video of a young woman giving a TED talk on the topic, gave the word more validity for me. If Emilie Wapnick had been invited to discuss this at one of the world’s most prestigious and innovative forums, it must have some credence.
I read on.
What is a multipotentialite? The definition that Emilie gives on her website Puttylike (www.puttylike.com) is:
“A multipotentialite is a person who has many different interests and creative pursuits in life.
Multipotentialites have no “one true calling” the way specialists do. Being a multipotentialite is our destiny. We have many paths and we pursue all of them, either sequentially or simultaneously (or both).
Multipotentialites thrive on learning, exploring, and mastering new skills. We are excellent at bringing disparate ideas together in creative ways. This makes us incredible innovators and problem solvers.
When it comes to new interests that emerge, our insatiable curiosity leads us to absorb everything we can get our hands on. As a result, we pick up new skills fast and tend to be a wealth of information.”
Personally, I very much identify with this position as my ever-increasing list of university admissions, degrees and job experiences will verify. Learning to me is an essential way of life and I have many interests, many potentials. But ultimately, how EMPLOYABLE are we multipotentialites? Where do fit into society? Do we fit into society? Do we want to fit into society? Further introspection and analysis was required, how does this label apply to me?
Whilst completing one of my university forays, a Bachelor of Arts, a unit that I studied was just called that, Arts 301 – the Arts Internship. Basically how having a rounded degree within the humanities can enable you to contribute to society and ultimately, get you employed. My focus on this subject was about how a knowledgeable and well-rounded understanding of the many facets of human life will be of utmost importance to any company the world over. This is even more exacerbated now with the advancement of technology, namely, social media and networking that has permeated through every node of modern society. How a company can network and increase their profile and ultimately their earning potential will rely heavily on how they are positioned within the wider world around them. I am not talking about a specific marketing strategy (although an Arts degree informs this area greatly), but about having an employee that knows A LOT about a myriad of things that will optimize the company’s portrayal and understanding throughout the wider world.
A multipotentialite was revered back in the Renaissance times, where “man” was considered exceptionally gifted if he was “knowledgeable, educated or proficient in a wide range of fields” (Dictionary.com.) This understanding can also be applied to modern society when an individual who is termed “Renaissance man” has acquired profound knowledge or proficiency in more than one field. (Dictionary.com) I can definitely handle being grouped as “Renaissance” (albeit a female version!) – I mean, that kind of society was fantastic, I would have been held in the highest esteem with my wide variety of knowledge and skills, most likely living in a large and grand mansion and being paid handsomely for my wide ranging talents and gifts, rather than just standing there open mouthed, staring blankly when people ask me, “So, what do YOU DO?”, and then haphazardly responding with a variety of occupations and jobs you are capable of or have worked in before, plus the ones you have lined up for the future…one day hoping that any of them will earn enough to pay off the HECS University debt.
The difficulties that arise when identifying as a mulitpotentialite include such malaises as being known as someone that doesn’t apply themselves, immature, or unfocused. Humanity loves to “label” people: we have to fit into a job category, or role, or be just a “something”. You also know you are a multipotentialite when you can never fit into a particular “Occupation Group” on your child’s school enrolment form. WHICH BOX DO YOU FIT INTO?! It is indeed a quandary.
So whilst it’s always great to not completely conform to a marginalized society, it is also a wonderful and essential thing to still be able to contribute to the world you live in. What does the future hold for a multipotentialite? How can you contribute? Well, with a myriad of skills, you are an asset to most businesses. Multi-tasking is admirable whilst also being cost effective. Why would you NOT want to employ me? I’m a writer, photographer, artist, tutor, academic (music, youth and sub-cultures – specifically [but not limited to] skate-punk), administrator, project manager, band manager, sometime graphic designer, film officer, and an international academic conference organiser who ALSO possesses a barista certificate (surely a great coffee maker earns extra points?!) I am also a Mother, which pretty much means you need all of the above skills as well, plus a couple of units in university psychology (which I also have). See, I am not flaky at all, I just love learning and experiencing, and most of all, I am not that great at being labelled or fitted into boxes. AND THAT’S OK.
A Multipotentialite is likely to be happier with new goals to achieve and ventures to embark on. They are good problem solvers and innovative with their ideas. Give them a go and see what happens! A lateral thinking multipotentialite has the ability to look forward and keep on improving, or striving for something better as the need or desire arises. Without being burdened by the boredom of routine or stuck in a rut of similarity and monotomy, a multipotentialite can invest enthusiasm and vitality to bring about change and innovation. This is inspiring for a modern society that often suffers under the burden of routine and feels restricted by the cost of living.
A modern world desires a little bit (or a lot) of knowledge about EVERYTHING. Life is no longer one-dimensional, it’s convoluted and complicated and we need enthusiastic, knowledgeable, multi- potential, forward thinkers to put their many and varied ideas and understandings into action. Embrace multipotentialites…Thank you for that “label” of non-labelling, unfettered by the constant restrictions of society…I believe that maybe one day us multipotentialites can change the world!