As I prepare for my upcoming seminar, I’ve been thinking about my audience, and how I can best serve them. My plan with this seminar is to go all old school, literally plaster the college campuses around Portland with flyers and see who shows up. Of course you are all welcome to come too!
I’m tailoring this seminar to college students and people who are a few years out of college, but haven’t quite found their “thing,” (and still believe that they need a thing—one thing).
There are two main takeaways that I want my audience to grasp:
- I want them to know what a multipotentialite is, and that, contrary to what they may have been told all their lives, there is nothing wrong with them for being unable to choose one path.
- I want them to come away with some action steps to help them design a career that is fueled by their multipotentialite
naturesuper powers.
The second part of my seminar—the how to make it work part—is where I really want to hit it home. But the thing I’m realizing is that it’s really difficult to give general career advice to multipotentialites. There are so many different ways to make it work, that it really requires a personalized approach.
I can’t give you a list of multipod-friendly job titles because while they a few may exist, it will be different for each person. We all have different passions and scanning modes. One multipotentialite might be perfectly happy as a journalist exploring many areas of life through their stories, while another needs much more variety in medium.
The alternative to a J-O-B
The other thing that I realized while working on this presentation, is that I don’t teach multipotentialites how to get jobs. That is not what I do. My specialty is making multipotentiality work through the use of lifestyle design principles.
I’m very passionate about helping multipotentialites turn their multiple talents and interests into income, it’s just that I don’t believe that you necessarily need a job to accomplish that. (Steve Pavlina has a great article about this.) Traditional employment can be a part of a multipotentialite’s career, assuming it’s inline with their goals or they’re using it as a stepping stone. However, I want people to know that there’s another way, that employment doesn’t have to be the default.
To many of you, this is not news. The Puttylike community tends to be pretty savvy in the area of Lifestyle Design and creative entrepreneurship. Most of you have probably already read books like these. But college students? The average person? Not so much.
Entrepreneurship is rarely presented as a viable career option to students. Most people don’t know what that word even means, and many artists have a knee-jerk reaction against anything related to business.
My strategy to deal with this need for a personalized, pro-active approach will be to use examples of multipotentialites who are making it work, and pull out some commonalities in the way that they structured their careers and some tools that they are using. I’ll also run them through some exercises to get them thinking about how their interests might come together and how they can tap into their diverse skills to bring value to the world. I basically need to introduce them to a new way of thinking about career and calling.
The dominant approach to career selection
The dominant approach to career selection tells us that there are a set number of pre-determined job titles out there, and that we must look at what careers are available, assess our strengths and then fit ourselves into one of these pre-existing positions. This is how those career placement tests work.
The alternative to this approach is thinking about what sort of life you want to create, and then figuring out how to make that happen. It’s what I refer to as Lifestyle Design, and it has a completely different starting point. Instead looking outside yourself at a limited number of available options, you are starting from a place of introspection and conscious design. With this approach, you can be whatever you want, even if that thing doesn’t quite exist yet. This is the reason that some of the most interesting people I know have a difficult time explaining what they do. They essentially invented their jobs.
So this is what I need to do with my seminar. I need to inspire multipotentialites to tap into their innate ability to innovate, and to use that super power to invent their own careers. I need to inspire pro-activity, and I need them to see that in this economy, creativity—and multipotentiality—is currency.
A lofty goal, but I think I’m up for it. 😉
Your Turn
As a college student or 20-something, what questions do you have/would you have had for me? What kind of information would be helpful?
I’m really excited that you’re putting this out there for college kids! I know I might have chosen a different path for myself, had I been aware that not only could people do this, but there were people out there *already doing it* who were willing to help and advise.
Questions that come to mind:
-What are some fundamentally important aspects of making this successful?
-How to manage financially while getting your multipod ‘job’ going?
-How to start on multipod work while still being in college?
-Is finishing school a ‘waste of time?
-How to transfer college-learned skills into multipod success?
Hope it goes really well! 🙂
Fantastic questions. That helps a lot, thanks Lynz!
You’re very welcome!
I think at that age (2/3 years ago for me) what I’d get most from is confidence building stuff and how to deal with naysayers/gatekeepers..
I don’t know how it is Stateside, etc but most ppl that would become multipods feel a lot of peer pressure to go with the crowd, and/or an older sibling they feel almost expected to follow..
they need the reassurance that all will be okay and how to stay confident when so many others point them in certain directions, sometimes opposite ones..
am only halfway thru Renaissance Business ebook, but this kind of advice would have been as good to know then as well as now 🙂
Awesome. I agree, confidence/dealing with nay sayers is huge. I’ll definitely touch on this. Thanks Marc!
How come no one came and gave a presentation like this when I was in college? I went to a pretty progressive college, but the only careers that were actively promoted to us were through the kind of companies that pay to recruit on college campuses (big accounting and consulting firms, plus Teach for America.)
I think your seminar is an absolutely brilliant idea! I teach social entrepreneurship at a university in Chile, and though my class is not specifically about multipotentiality, I like to emphasize a multifaceted and multidisciplinary approach. I’ve been so encouraged to meet a number of Chileans who also believe that this approach is an important one for the future development of this country!
I think the most important thing that college students need to see in a seminar like this is real examples of people just a few years older than them that have followed this path (and managed to pay their bills.) What’s really missing is lack of examples. I think it’s also really important to give time for questions, and encourage the shy people to email you questions after the seminar. Sometimes people don’t want to ask questions in front of a big group, but they love being able to reach out more directly.
I can’t wait to hear how your seminar goes!
Thanks Leslie! If you ever want a guest speaker in your class, we should talk. 🙂
Great thoughts. I will definitely use tons of examples of people “like them” who are making it work. And good call on the email address.
Thanks Emilie! I will definitely let you know when I have space for a guest speaker. The multidisciplinary innovation course I mentioned a while back over email *is* going to happen, and when I know more about dates and topics and other similar details I’ll definitely reach out and see if you can Skype in (or, you know, make an appearance in Iquique, Chile… the usual!)
🙂
Can we go back and have this seminar 23 years ago?
My biggest problem back then was lack of self confidence to the point I was too afraid to approach anyone as an “authority” in order to promote myself in business.
I tried twice with being an Amway rep and a Tupperware rep.
So, had I the voice to speak up and ask, my questions would have been:
“Without any real life experience, how do I effectively promote myself as having authority in a business I choose to develop?”
“How do I gain experience talking to other people so it doesn’t scare me to death?”
“How do I sell myself and my product/service so I don’t come off as sounding pushy or desperate?”
“How do I deal with mom and dad telling me I’ll never succeed so I better go get a real job?”
Confidence. Right on. Thanks Lori! All of these comments are giving me such good things to think about.
Sorry, I don’t have a time machine. 🙂
I’ve been lurking on this site for a while now and figured it’s past time for me to say hi! I do a lot of work with college students (mainly women) and am not too removed from the experience myself.
That said, I think one of the things I would have loved help with when I was just starting out was defining what success looked like for ME (not my parents, or best friend, or college counselor). And piggybacking off of that, what type of lifestyle do I really want to achieve?
I think that had I had the opportunity to really explore those things, I would have realized that going off the beaten path wasn’t as intimidating as I originally thought and that it is actually possible to do what I want and not have to eat Ramen noodles every night for dinner!
Good luck – your workshop sounds awesome!
This is so exciting, Emilie! And this is exactly where I’m at now (hence the upcoming coaching session!) so let me give it a go. (Though a lot of these questions I already have your answers to, from reading Puttylike etc., but the students in the seminar wouldn’t)
– How can I combine my own interests to create a business?
– How can I convince potential customers that I’m good enough for their custom?
– Where should I go to find out how to set up a small business, a blog etc.
– How can I find the people who would be interested in my service?
– How can we tell more people about multipotentiality?
– How can I manage financially when I first start out?
– What do I do if my business completely flops?
– Have people actually managed to run successful businesses based around their interests?
Hm, there should be more so I will keep thinking! Best of luck!
Hi Emilie! Congratulations on this huge achievement! I really wish I was in Portland so that I could attend. Although I am a multipotentialite creating a lifestyle that allows me to homeschool my son, the work part just doesn’t pay the bills yet. I’m three years into it, and still struggling. However, the quality of our family life is so much better, because someone is usually always home to create the kind of home that feels good to be in, the kind of home where the child is not neglected, overscheduled or incessantly worried about. The dishes get washed (almost) every day. I’m not sure if you want to dive into the possibility of those students starting families in the next few years, but being a mulitpotentialite does work well for some families. This is because children thrive in an atmosphere where creativity is allowed to take many forms. When exploration of interests is nurtured from the very beginning, with time the child grows up to feel confident that he or she can adapt to a rapidly changing world. There’s a lot of different skills that one needs to make it all work.
I’m so excited that you’re teaching this seminar Emilie! It’s definitely one I wish I had heard when I was in college. Back then, what would have helped me is to hear examples of people who were successfully living out-of-the-box lives. I was surrounded by very practical, conservative people who truly believed the way to succeed in life was to get a white collar job… it was the only example of success I had and even though it didn’t exactly seem to fit what I wanted from my life, I didn’t have mentors or even just the knowledge of people I could watch from afar.
I think, for most multipotentialites, once we realize something is possible, we’re naturally going to seek out more info about it… that’s just our thing, ya know? So giving them case studies (like you do with the book and on the site) of people who have made it happen will go along way.
Another thing that would have been useful to me is how to find my tribe… when you want to do things that aren’t “normal” or “practical,” having people to support you is so helpful (especially in your 20s), but it can be hard to find those people.
I love that you want to encourage these kids to think about entrepreneurship early!
Dear Emilie, unfortunately I won’t be able to make it to Portland this year 😉
In addition to what has been written I think this course could stress both the self knowledge of multipotentials and the methods of self management: the first helps finding out about our motivation, our skills, and what we want to fulfill in life. And the second will give us the tools to live in varying working areas.
I too think that examples and biographies of other multipods will be very helpful.
And it would be so very useful to have some sort of worksheet or methods on how to make best use of the work you have. By that I mean not how to become an expert in this or that, but to find out, what is/was good in this or that job, what would I like to do again and what sort of work not, how do I like to work with colleagues or in a team etc. This will be very helpful when you start your career at first gaining experience in diverse jobs. Instead of trial and error you could focus better on what sort of work to look for.
Cheers and good luck to all of you
This is awesome. I may be repeating some of the above suggestions here but this is what would have helped me at that time in my life:
1. The importance of dealing with naysayers is huge. Especially with family. Lots of college kids are already dealing with their parents’ dissapontment about their one chosen field against their hopes and expectations; coming back to say they are going to go several directions will probably drive their parents batty. Many college kids are possibly still depending on them financially, their support is really crucial. At that age they are still dealing with trying to become independent of them, so goin totally against them might be difficult. I think it would be very helpful to show them how to own their conviction to their mission (which requires being a multipod), and how to communicate it clearly and stand their ground and ask for support at the same time. Not all parents will understand but good ones will.
2. Talk about how this new kind of thinking is helpful in today’s economy, because at first glance t might seem impractical or dreamy.
3. I thought I had more suggestions but I guess not. :). Good luck, you will be awesome! I’m proud of you for doing this! 🙂
Hi Emilie,
College folk don’t know much about what the world is like, and folks around us often can only explain what their particular field is like. One thing I worry about is where will my customers come from and what to do with myself until it is sustainable and takes off. I’d also want to discuss not spreading ones-self too thing (that’s my problem–stupid day job!)
Anyhoo, great site, have a great speach! You’ll be a hit!
I’ve written you into my calendar!
One of the things I’ve noticed is that there are two kinds of information that are widely available: theoretical advice for business building, and practical advice for people who have already entered the field. See the missing piece? There’s very little practical advice for getting into the field in the first place.
Now, I know there’s some available, but I came into this with (and continue to have) literally ZERO capital. If people need money to get the information to get started, then I think you should say that. “Hey, you’re not gonna get very far if you can’t afford to buy even one book about this.” OR, they could use (and I could use!) a pointer to free resources. A lot of people I know gave up on their ideal lifestyles because they didn’t have the money to get started.
But that might be a second-date kind of a conversation. I’m not sure.
Hey Emilie! This is great. I’m glad to see your BIG goals turning into something tangible. It must be so satisfying. Having recently done a job search and being unemployed, my most important question to address for college multipods about approaching entrepreneurship is this:
(1) How do I make that first step? What can I do **in this very moment** to start towards this career goal of putting my interests together?
I feel like EARLY momentum and the development of habitually embracing your unique blend of talents can bring life-long rewards.
I think something that might be helpful would be how the idea of university can fit within being a multipotentialite. That is, getting a degree comes with the idea that you’re specializing. You may only need to touch on this, but I know that, when I first learned about being a multipotentialite, my first question was: “Well, then what’s the *point* in doing this stuff that specialists do?” I knew there was a reason, but I couldn’t really figure out what it was (and I can’t quite put it into words yet, otherwise I’d give it a try right now).
My question as a college student, once you make clear that I can create any kind of career I want, would be, “So how do I major in THAT?” I’d wonder what kind of classes and what kind of degree will prepare me for the unorthodox career I’m imagining.
Good luck with the seminar! I agree with everyone else; I wish I had had this kind if advice when I was in college.
This is awesome! We should definitely talk some time. I don’t know if you know this, but I have put together an online course for career changers (though it works just as well if you’re choosing a career for the first time as well as it does the second), called the No Regrets Career Academy. It’s based on very similar ideas–that you absolutely must define success for yourself, must understand yourself and get clear on what you want (out of life and work), and then design something to fit that. Even if it doesn’t already exist! Or maybe especially if it doesn’t already exist! 🙂
Good luck with the talk. Hope you post an update.
Jen
Hey Emilie,
I think this seminar is a great initiative. I wish I had something like this at primary school, secondary school, high school AND college. I think the most valuable thing you can give these kids is an alternative to a ‘normal’ lifestyle. So I would sketch a really inspiring picture of what is so great about your alternative. The joy of working on things that fire you up, the productivity in the mornings, the freedom of going out to see friends at any time, the growth you will experience every day, the power to think for yourself. Stir up their feelings and make them excited about multipotentiality. Make them feel as if it is really possible.
I know no one can give me an answer to this, but I think many of us are concerned about the money. In what period of time can I expect to make a living of my many potentialities? Are we talking weeks, months, years? Maybe you could tell how long it took you to do it. Or tell some other success stories.
What if none of their friends can really support or understand their multipotentiality? They need an alternative. So talk about what the problem is with naysayers, but also talk about how to get in touch with like minded people.
Coba
Hi Emilie,
This is exciting that you are going to a college campus to talk about multi-talented approaches to the working world. College kids are so focused on fulfilling their major/minor requirements that there isn’t space to consider other choices. Graduates often face a rude and depressing awakening when they look for work in the fields they thought they were preparing for.
Your message is about expansion of potential instead of squeezing down into one little mold for life. Graduates are worried about paying their student loans and having something to live on, and think that finding a job will save them. I know graduates who are working at Walmart. They work long hours for minimum pay and get very depressed because they can find nothing better.
Emilie, what you offer is hope to students who are scared. Give them as many answers as you can. They have to readjust to a different approach to employment–using their own minds and talents in various directions instead of funneled into just one. Your message is for the students today. It is not the world of work that their parents knew.
I’m so glad that you are doing this. It’s a message that is needed.
-Sigrid