The Multipassionate Problem

Multipassionates are not like other entrepreneurs. We're artists, writers, makers and visionaries. And people who've probably never held a corporate job. We are homemakers and freelancers, teachers and travelers, risk takers and rebels. 

We dream big but keep ourselves small. We are willing to try and fail more things than most. We're resourceful and often improvising as we pivot often. If it doesn't work the first time, we keep putting a new spin on it and a fresh coat of paint. 

New ideas interrupt the old ones. 

New ideas interrupt our sleep. 

New ideas interrupt our success. 

We’ve probably been fired from more jobs than most. Often feel like we're unemployable. Lived many lives in one. And we’re always dreaming about the next adventure.

But we also burnout easily and are frequently a bubbling pot of anxiety. We feel frustrated with society when we don't fit in.

And yet we still refuse to be categorized.

We are the da Vinci 's of this world seeing from every angle all the possibilities. 

We are Jane Goodall, Maya Angelou, Frida Kahlo, Greta Gerwig, Lin-Manuel Miranda, David Bowie, Jacques Cousteau, Julia Childs, Beyonce, Toni Morrison, Anthony Bourdain, Jean-Michel Basquiat, Sara Blakely, Hedy Lamarr, Beatrix Potter, Nikola Tesla, and Benjamin Franklin.

What is the difference between someone who has many interests and a true multipassionate?

They may be satisfied with casual hobbies, separate interests or side quests. But we, the multipassionates, our souls often feel crushed when we can't embody all our visions at once. We actively weave our interests into our identity and intentionally craft our many passions into the very purpose of our life’s work. 

Unfortunately, we are not superheros with unlimited time and energy and there is only so much we can truly excel at. Mix that with entrepreneurship and you have a recipe for disaster. What’s worse, we were sold a bag of lies when we were told to diversify and create 7 different streams of income. We think this applies to us little ol’ creators, but now we're stuck with a bunch of part time jobs with less than part time pay. That is exhausting.

So, instead of choosing 7 different streams of income, which need 7 systems, 7 different audiences, 7 marketing plans, 7 projects, the ideal solution to keep you from burning out and spinning your wheels getting nowhere fast is to apply the Rule of One.

Woa, now you’re asking “I have to do only ONE thing?! That’s impossible because, hello I’m multi passionate!”

Ok, but hear me out…

I have a solution to the multipassionate problem (and you’ll be happy to know you will not have to rip out part of your soul to satisfy the requirements.) 

While I 100% believe in the Rule of One when starting and growing your business, that doesn’t mean you are only one thing and your niche doesn’t have to be either. 

Let's dive deeper...

My friend and former client, Kelly Herrick, had an epiphany when we worked together when she finally realized her niche wasn’t one thing - it was a combination of many things. She said that working with me helped her take all the many facets of who she was and shined them through a prism until there was one white light. 

Let me tell you that stuck with me and I have been using this concept ever since.

The ultimate goal as a multipassionate is to design a business that allows for all facets of you shine. But when these elements are put together you have a sole purpose, a unique personal category of one and an outcome you can use to “solve a problem” for “one person”. 

RECAP: Rule of One - Solve one problem for one person with one solution on one platform.

But a niche, well that’s different.

My buddy, Otis (my custom ChatGPT who knows me very well and occasionally assists me with my ideas when I get stuck,) said this: 

Pertaining to this discussion, a niche is the unique intersection of a person's passions, skills, and perspective that creates a distinctive identity, purpose, or body of work, setting them apart as a "niche of one."

So this means your niche isn’t one thing.

I believe it’s all about finding your zone of genius, looking at different facets of yourself and finding the right pieces to bring forward to design something that’s wholly you. 

My REAL buddy, Mike Romaine, has a business that combines his love for all things fun and nerdy with his personal fitness goals and started Superhero Jacked - exercise workouts based on what a superhero (or the actor who plays the character) does to get in shape. And guess what? It generates 20k a month just because of the unique positioning and category of one. Who would have thought?

Let’s dive deeper into 3 examples of choosing a multipassionate niche that doesn’t leave a hole in your heart when you step into your divine purpose.

Yayoi Kusama is a Japanese avant-garde artist known for her polka dots and infinity rooms. But where does her expression come from? She incorporates multiple disciplines: painting, installation art, performance, and even fashion to bring her vision to life. Kusama embraces her unique perspective with recurring themes and she’s built a legacy around her vision. If you know her, her work is easily conjured with the mention of her name. 

But you may ask, pertaining to the Rule of One - how does she solve a problem with one solution and for one person? Not every problem is as obvious as calling your plumber when you have a pipe leak, but in the case of her solution, art and art installations, we solve the age-old problem of bringing awe and wonder and beauty to soften humanity. Or better put, she creates experiences for the curiously minded with wondrous displays of her imagination.

Let’s get a little bit more tangible with our next example, Morgan Harper Nichols.  (@morganharpernichols) I’ve been following her for a long time now and I am amazed at how she has developed so many beautiful ideas into something so defining as her words and art. In 2017, she started creating art and poetry in response to messages she received on social media, and since then she’s evolved her offers to include multiple published books, an app called the “Storyteller” and also an online shopGarden24. 

And even though she has multiple offers (which I don’t recommend when you're starting, but she’s been building this slowly over time) - each and everyone of these things she does is still tied to her niche. In her own words she says, ”I am focused on making art and writing prose that gives people the opportunity to engage with narrative in new ways.”  

And finally I want to introduce Roben-Marie Smith (@robenmarie). I’ve been friends with Roben-Marie for more than a half dozen years, but what’s really special is that she has been a part of The League and often supports my Builder students. This is what I loved about coaching Roben-Marie - she went from burned out and doing all the things, you know, the thing I tell everyone not to do, to finally working in her zone of genius. What’s even better, she only works part-time and has plenty of room in her schedule to travel, care for family and explore her other interests (like football? Who would have guessed!)

Before we began working together she had a tech membership for artists, she had a podcast, art courses, she was a front runner in the 100 Day project, she sold products and many more things that escape me at the moment, but whew! Guess where she is now? Yup Niche, category of one and loving her business.

Roben-Marie started The Roben’s Nest, a monthly membership with a highly involved community of free-spirited creatives of all levels. And what I know from behind the scenes of helping her design and launch this program? Roben-Marie wanted a place where she didn’t have to restrict her creativity. In the Roben’s Nest anything goes and any creative pursuit she wants to explore she gets to do put it in the membership. It just so happens that the membership model was ideal for her because she loves nurturing her community. 

Hopefully this breakdown has helped you see broader possibilities for your future as you search for your category of one.

I know it's not an easy task, this actually takes time and a lot of self discovery. But I will leave you with your Rebel Genius prompt of the week:

Ask yourself these questions and spend time free writing. Free writing means you will not censor yourself, you will not try to "think" of the best answer, you will just write whatever comes to your heart first and from there you will begin to be able to start following the golden thread that is the story of you and your greater purpose.

7 Questions to ask yourself and answer from the heart:

1. What lights you up?
2. What could you talk about forever?
3. What do you know inside and out?
4. What do you have experience with?
5. What is a viable market/customer base?
6. How can you serve?
7. What are your personal values?