Navigating Imposter Syndrome with a Multi-Passionate personality
- Lay Jordan
- Jul 19
- 6 min read
Have you ever felt like you're spread too thin across your various interests? Like you're dabbling in everything but mastering nothing? You're not alone. As someone with multiple passions myself, I've often wondered if my diverse interests make me less legitimate in each field I explore. This is the multi-passionate person's version of "imposter syndrome": a unique type of self-doubt that can be challenging to overcome.
I'm doing something a little different by posting once a month in July and August to fully explore this rich topic. To get the most out of this series, start with Episode 56 of A Little Atypical podcast: 'POV: You want to live multiple lives in a lifetime.' It lays the groundwork for everything we'll explore. You can listen or watch on YouTube via the links below.
Episode No. 56
Where to listen:
The episode dives into embracing your multi-passionate nature, connecting diverse interests, career paths for multi-passionate individuals, handling external judgment, and cultivating a quality life that honors all aspects of who you are. Whether you've always felt scattered or simply curious about integrating multiple passions, this episode provides the perfect foundation for understanding the concepts we'll explore in this blog series.
Now, for this blog post, we will explore the unique challenges and strengths of being multi-passionate (bonus if you are a multi-passionate creative), especially when it comes to imposter syndrome. I encourage you to embrace your multifaceted creativity as the gift it truly is. Remember, you're not "too scattered"; you're wonderfully complex, and that complexity is your greatest asset in a world that needs innovative thinking more than ever.
The Multi-Passionate Dilemma: Navigating Diverse Interests
Society often celebrates people who embody “the specialist” personality type (aka the person who has dedicated their life to mastering one skill or discipline). If you read my older posts, I spoke highly of a book that interested me called “Mastery” by Robert Greene.
Don’t get me wrong, I still adore it, but I also felt a huge disconnect because it felt like it confirmed something I knew at the back of my mind. Greene's book, despite its merits, reinforced this societal norm in a way that felt limiting for multi-passionates.
As a society, we idolize the musician who started playing at age three, the scientist with decades of research in one narrow field, the athlete who's trained in a single sport since childhood.
While Greene's book did offer examples of individuals who pivoted careers, such as someone transitioning from tennis to robotics, these instances still didn't fully capture the essence of being truly multi-passionate. I couldn’t help but wonder, “But what about those of us who feel pulled in multiple directions? Those whose minds light up at the intersection of different domains?”. There is so much that I want to do in this lifetime, and so much I want to be, and I know I’m not the only one who feels that way.
Initially the podcast Episode was inspired by TikToks I saw because deep in my memory I knew I saw something to how I was feeling. These viral TikToks expressed a sentiment I was deeply familiar with - the desire to live multiple lives within one lifetime.
Creators were sharing their frustration about having numerous passions and interests but feeling limited by time and societal expectations. I saw videos of people talking about wanting to be an artist, a scientist, a teacher, a world traveler, and a parent - all in one lifetime. They were expressing the exact conflict I felt internally.
The comments sections of these videos were filled with others who resonated with this feeling of having "too many tabs open" in their minds. It was validating to see that this wasn't just my personal struggle but something many multi-passionate people experience.
Aligning Multiple Passions with Your Core Values
What if we approached our multi-passionate nature through the lens of our core values? What if we saw each interest not as competing priorities, but as different expressions of what matters most to us?
When you're multi-passionate, building a quality life looks different. It requires categorizing your passions based on which of your values they fulfill, helping you determine what makes the most sense to pursue in different seasons of your life.
Currently, my life centers around creativity. I'm in a building phase where creativity shines as my fundamental value. But creativity has served me in numerous ways throughout my life:
Emotional resilience: Creativity has helped me navigate through times of bullying and criticism, providing an outlet when I needed it most.
Self-discovery: Creative expression has brought out new versions of myself I wouldn't have otherwise discovered.
Perceptual shifts: The creative mindset forces you to look beyond the surface, seeing the world through a different lens.
Connection: My creative endeavors have consistently helped me form deeper connections with others who resonate with my work.
What core values underpin your diverse interests? Reflecting on this can illuminate patterns and purpose.
By grouping my passions according to my values, I've found some clarity. However, I still work incredibly hard to overcome imposter syndrome as someone with multiple passions. The struggle remains real, but having this framework helps me understand why certain interests call to me at different times.
Imposter Syndrome: The Multi-Passionate Edition
I know on some degree everyone feels imposter syndrome because deep down, none of us really feel like we know what we're doing or what we're talking about. But being multi-passionate adds another layer, mostly due to time anxiety. When you feel like you're on the clock, you mentally go to this place of constantly being wired and alert. There's often a fear, wondering if passion alone is enough to keep you going when your patience is running thin because you're eager to move on to your other set of passions. Examples include:
"I don't have enough hours in the day to truly master any of these skills."
"People who focus on just one thing are so much better than I am."
"No one will take me seriously because I'm not specialized enough."
"I'm just a dabbler, not a real [artist/writer/musician/programmer/etc.]."
"I'm never going to be taken seriously if I keep jumping between interests."
"Everyone else started earlier and has been focusing on just one thing their whole life."
"Maybe I should just pick one thing and stick with it, even if it means giving up everything else I love."
"I've spent all morning [coding], then switched to [painting], and now I need to work on [my blog]. My brain feels scattered, and I can't decide which project truly deserves my focus."
"I'm [insert age here] already and still haven't mastered any of my passions. Will I ever be good enough at anything if I keep dividing my time like this?"
"That person has been studying this one topic for a decade. How can my knowledge ever compare when I've only dedicated a fraction of that time?"
"I barely have time to see my friends or family anymore because I'm always jumping between my different projects and passions."
"I'm so focused on developing all my skills that I never do anything just for the pure experience of it without trying to master it or turn it into another passion."
"Between my writing, art, business, and studies, I can't remember the last time I properly took care of myself or leaned into other aspects of life beyond my passions."
"When someone asks what I do, I freeze. Am I primarily a writer? A designer? A consultant? How do I explain that I'm all of these things without sounding unfocused?"
"Look at how much she's accomplished by focusing solely on pottery for 15 years. Meanwhile, I've split my time between five different interests and haven't reached her level in any of them."
Turning Imposter Syndrome into Your Compass
After recognizing these common thoughts that plague multi-passionate minds, what if we reframed imposter syndrome as a signal rather than a barrier? That feeling of inadequacy might actually be pointing us toward areas where we genuinely want to deepen our knowledge or practice. Instead of letting it paralyze us, we can use it as a source of information about where our true passions lie.
Notice when imposter syndrome flares up most intensely. Is it in spaces where you genuinely care about mastery? Or in areas where you've internalized others' expectations? This distinction can help you differentiate between imposter syndrome that's guiding you toward meaningful growth versus imposter syndrome that's merely reflecting societal pressure to specialize.
Remember: the goal isn't to eliminate imposter syndrome entirely, but to develop a healthier relationship with it… one that acknowledges the unique challenges of the multi-passionate journey while still honoring the invaluable perspective your diverse interests bring to everything you create.
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