"When I was 5 years-old, my mother always told me that happiness was the key to life. When I went to school, they asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up. I wrote down ‘happy.’ They told me I didn’t understand the assignment, and I told them they didn’t understand life."― John Lennon
I kind of wonder if this quote is fabricated or if John ever embellished the story. Either way it’s an interesting quote that lines up with what made Lennon lennon.
"It is rarely a waste of time to pursue something that you're drawn into, even if you end up quitting. You might apply that knowledge to a different field entirely, in a way you couldn't have anticipated". Nicely said.
Finally, a TED talk directed to me. At age 57, I have finally narrowed my answer to the question of what I want to be when I grow up to three choices. Perhaps four. Definitely probably no more than ten.
One question: One the scale of 1-10 how good you are at those things? Which you were passionate about once and after some time got bored and left the idea? Consider 5 is avrage where you know only basics.
Me too, I always felt like I was wrong.. It was a war inside me. Finally I got an answer to my daily doubts and frustration... thanks to Emilie for this Ted..
I'm 17 and I am trying a lot of things. I am writing my novel and at the same time practicing to draw traditionally and digitally. I am learning Korean and Japanese language and thinking about learning other languages. I like editing videos, playing guitar and thinking about learning other instruments. I may be still 17 but seeing this video makes me want to learn more. Thank you!
I had a sewing phase, speedcubing phase, competitive math phase, quantum physics , Tetris, piano, origami, programming, etc. SO many interests, and despite picking a major and sticking with it, I wish I could learn so much more. This is by far the most relatable thing I have come across in a very long time.
@@lukshinilook-she2944 So, I recently discovered this urge is explained by my ADHD. I mean it's not necessarily ADHD, but for someone feeling what I did, and the feeling of not knowing what step is next - CONSTANTLY - it might be worth checking out.
I am so glad I saw this TED talk. I am immediately showing this to my friend. Next time I see her, I am taking her phone and turning this on because she is definitely a multipotentialite and she still believes it to be a problem and I want her to see that it is not.
***** I have art class with her tomorrow, showing it to her then. XP I am writing it in my school planner so i do not forget and forcing her to watch the whole thing in class so she does not forget to see it later.
+Thunder Cat I think you misinterpreted what this talk was about. It's about wanting to do many things, and being good at all of them, but not knowing which one you want to pick as your main gig in life. This talk is supposed to inspire these people to purse all of their interests.
***** Did I say I was talking about me? I simply am trying to correct a misunderstanding of the message of this video. When I said "specific people" I was referring to just that, a specific group of people. "Specific group" doesn't necessarily mean a small group, it just means a certain group, numbers have nothing to do with it. That being not those that just have multiple interests, but rather, those who have multiple interests, and wish to pursue them all, but feel like they have to just choose one, because that's what everyone else does. You're not the only one missing the point either. There are far worse examples of that in the comments below.
Phantomhive But it's not working though. They might feel like it is, but I'm not angry, just disappointed that they went from a somewhat decent standpoint to condescending. It really shows their true character. I hope they read this as well, so they can correct their behavior in the future. Their life would be easier if they didn't go around intentionally looking for an argument. They posted the exact same initial comment on at least 3 other comments, and probably more.
I'm still in high school but I love painting, writing, marketing, business, travelling, video editing, graphic design, social work, social sciences, and journaling! But I also wanted to have a relatively high paying job. I had been limiting myself so I go into one career but this ted talk showed me that I can do much more!
That's mostly one niche's ramifications, e.g., marketing, business, writing and journaling follow the same trajectory, e.g., you can't do business without marketing or journaling without writing. A multipotentialite contrast would be more like a sports infatuation then engineering after multi-langual endeavours.
I cried watching this. All those cute "what do you wanna be" questions turning into pressure and even anger from parents/teachers/adult figures because I just can NOT focus on one thing part, that ate me up inside until at the age of 25 I finally accepted this is just who I am... is so true. And yeah, I have ADHD too, and has been diagnosed by a psych.
I have never identified so strongly with a TED talk... this is so amazing! My whole life I have struggled with what I want to be... and now I finally know that other people feel the same... and that its not bad. Best day ever.
+Micah Marchand I was about to write the same comment you did! word by word the same :D I can relate to this talk and the concept of multipotentialism a 100%! Embracing it is more than liberating and empowering. Nevertheless, at some point I have to start a career and walk one single path long enough in order to be able to make a living off of it. I started studying engineering in energy and environment. I "wasted" 5 years studying before giving up out of boredom without a diploma. Now I want to be a watchmaker. And at this point I start doubting myself; panic at the thought that I might lose interest in that too, because ultimately, I feel like my time is running out.
Jerome Neumann Wow... it is crazy that this phenomena of personality is not known or at least thought about more! Because I mean, we understand each others feelings so much! I currently am going to college for graphic design... and it has only been 1 year and I am feeling bored just like you were with Engineering. We have so many fears still; partially because of society and partially because there is no easy way to be mulipotentialistic and make it in this world currently. Its so weird how we often know so much about many topics yet are unable to find a use for so much un-mastered techniques and knowledge. And as far as I know... multipotentialanists like ourselves are bound to lose interest in everything we do. At least that is how my life has been up to this point. Like many others have said: "Jack of all trades but master of none." We know so much but usually never make it to the point that it becomes useful.
+Micah Marchand Exactly...what seems so unbelievable to me is that I have never heard of this concept before! Especially us lot, who are interested in ALL the things, should have come across something like this before...with Wapnick's description of multipotentialists, it's the first time I could fully identify with some kind of mindset. All the other categorisations seemed incomplete for me and now here she comes and describes my life and my entire psychological being in less than 15min! Although it's tough in the real world, I still feel like it's one of the best ways to live! I am proud of what I already know, how much knowledge I have gathered in my tiny little brain. Simultaneously I stand in awe and joy before all that is left to be learned! I'm looking forward to all the new domains I can dive into, since I am interested in literally EVERYTHING.
***** Somehow I get to be IT admin, web master, video and photography editor, plus other roles. I am lucky that I found a job that allows me to dive into multiple projects. What's your angle anyways?
This is the most relatable thing I have ever seen. I am a college student intensely struggling on finding my "passion." Everyone I know has already established themselves into a major/field, while I am bouncing around to different ones all the time, trying but not being satisfied. Always work so hard, but I cant commit to one thing. I feel a little more normal now, thank you for this talk
All my life I've had a multiple of interests, in considered myself a sprinter instead of a long distance runner, so I became a 21 time author, 6 time world record holder, event planner, comic, radio host, tv host, adventurer, and speaker. I also designed jewlery, and decorated houses. I love my life, and I tried to figure out ways to make money at all the things I do/did. People would say, Focus on one thing...focus, focus focues, but I like focusing in short spurts, that brought me my true happiness. Love this talk.
I am so happy to watch this. Not for me... but for a friend who is always feeling depressed of having this quality, who is always trying to make himself a specialist while he must be trying to embrace his multipotentialite wiring.
+FullMetalPower7 Yup. same here. People always told me to find my one ultimate passion and forge may way with that. While the truth is, I dont just have one, I have more!
you saved my life haha, I am always interested in many things. I like learning language, computer science, philosophy, music, education and business. Some people told me you are always interested in different things, but your interests don't last long. that is a problem. I did not see that as a problem at all in the past time, and recently, i have been self teaching many things such as spanish, German and electronic music producing. And i started worry about my life. after seen this Ted talk, i am more sure that I was doing the right thing. And I will keep living my life :)
This will be my favorite Ted Talk forever. I thought I‘m the only one like this. So sad that I found this talk only in 2022, but I guess it‘s because I‘ve never tried to look for videos that would support my „behavior“ and only looked for „inspirational ted talks“ that would tell me how to finally focus on one thing and become the version that society wants me to be. I feel more understood, valued and empowered now after watching this. ❤️
It feels great knowing that others feel the same way I do. Not having that one niche that I can do, like others, made me feel like: I can't stick to my goals, that i'm a flip-flopper, I'm not strong willed, there's something wrong with me, I felt like a loser, I even thought perhaps I had a learning disability that makes it impossible to stick out a goal, I felt all these things because I could never stick to one thing and make a go at it. Its eye opening that all my interests in my hope chest were not a waste of time. I now know the time was well spent and I'm better off than most because I am a Multipotentialite!
I'm so glad that I've came across this TED talk ,It brought me to tears ,even insults of any magnitude doesn't bear me any tears and I'm so grateful to her for that.She described my whole life ,I really thought that something was wrong with me ,being so indecisive but ,the idea she shined on me gave me inspiration to persevere It . Lately I've felt like I was crushed by life my emotions It's been about 3 years since my high school graduation and rapidly I've started to lose friends and the more I've lost the less I've started to regret it ,but I'm still feeling the regret that I've cut connection to my highschool classmates that were very nice to me ,so currently I've have no friends and it didn't feel so hard until I watched this TED talk .Seriously I'm crying for 30 minutes when all those years ,I couldn't force myself to shed even a single tear drop.. I'm so grateful for this!!
There's a lot of us out there now. Some of us become hackers out of necessity. We have no choice but to keep learning new things to survive. I always thought I was crazy for enjoying it despite the hard crashes you encounter.
doctor of medicine, martial artist, photographer, painter (charcoal), video editor, MMA promoter, table tennis player, basketball player, diver, entrepreneur, volunteer, bassist, pianist, back up singer, biologist, web designer, graphic artist, guest preacher .... still looking at which i can really focused with, specialize and do my very best...thanks for the video.. very liberating
man how we ever realized in wich of this is best...i started with doctor of medicine..but i found myslef lost..now i am thinking about psychology...sometimes on web designer love guitar and love to sing write...it's hard to find bcs you know u can learn all of that....how this ends?when?i am still on this medical field and i am stuck..is there someone how got out of this happy?i would like to talk..i have no happy day now..i don't know how to deal with this...
@@intp9944my heart aches that no one ever replied to you, but I would love to hear an update on how you are doing now! Have you figured out a way to balance your interests that feels fulfilling to you? Did you get out of the medical field?
I feel emotional after watching this. For ages, I felt like I needed to narrow my hobbies down. Turns out, I'm doing exactly what I need to do. Brilliant speech. This is definitely helping us out here in the world, especially me :) Thank you x
It's crazy to me that this isn't talked about more in our culture. Especially considering that da Vinci was a perfect example of this and we regard him as one of the greatest figures in history.
Still u have to cry lol, btw One the scale of 1-10 how good you are at those things For which you were passionate about once but after some time got bored and left the idea Consider 5 is avrage where you know only basics
im 18 and my dad just had a conversation with me about how i can never stick to one thing and i have a million things i wanna do , yoh this year has been stressful cause i find everything interesting and i feel like id do well with whichever one . this Talk helped its good to know im not alone
I was struggling for so many years thinking that I’m just a failure person, tying myself in a knot so tight that hearing that… I just bursted into tears
Hi Emily, A big hug and love you for this talk. I am 42 yrs old and I studied to be a Dental surgeon even did my post graduate degree in oral pathology and microbiology but after 3 yrs as a Assistant professor. I ventured out to be an entrepreneur and still I run my 2 business but in the past 5 years I have also become a story teller , a traveller, a teacher of special education needs and more .Now I know how to introduce myself to someone a “ multipotentialite” . Thanks to you
I’m a: Screenwriter Business analyst Front end developer Director Product specialist Insurance agent High school drama teacher I was a dual major in theatre and engineering. This video is my jam!
+Go Bogies Go Yep. Me too. We are the opposite to the speaker. She has many callings. I have none. I was raised in a society where what I'm "supposed to be" when I grow up is largely determined by parents, family and friends, and the society in general. And kids are pressured to fulfill that role. Now I'm old. I'm tired. Like someone said above, I just want to live and be happy.
I actually cried while watching this. I never felt like I had a purpose because I thought I couldn't serve any if I was always constantly changing my muse. This reminded me of all the potential I hold, I just forgot it was there. MULTIPOTENTIALITES UNITE WHOOP WHOOP
I am a private physics tutor / teacher and a music composer for media. I make a good living from these these 2 activities I love. Once, I found an amazing intersection: Bass traps. In the studio, corners of the room can reflect bass and enter resonances that distort the sound coming out of the speakers. I am fond of astrophysics/cosmology too, so after reading a book from a famous scientist about primordial density waves from which we could determine the shape of our universe, I wrote to the author about bass traps, and how lowest frequency could resonate and alter our perception of the real signal. I got quite an enthusiastic response from the researcher! Maybe he integrated this idea in his future research ? :-)
I can't remember where, but I once read that in some other countries (that aren't America), the question is "what are you doing right now?", rather than "what are you doing with your life?"
Omg this is so good! A much better question to ask than 'what do you do?'. I've always felt pressure with this question because I love to do so many things and if I answer with my 101 pursuits I look scattered. Adding 'right now' certainly removes the pressure from those of us who are interested and working in various fields to whittle our answer down to one thing in order to look "normal". I will be changing my question from now on to: "what are you doing right now?" Thanks!
ive wanted to be a astrobiologist, neurosurgeon, screenwriter, psychiatrist, environmental activist, photographer, writer. ive changed my major many 5 times within my freshman year of college. my friends always just think im ridiculously indecisive and im just going to fall behind. ive always thought i could combine my love for medicine, art, and the environment in my life time, i just never knew that it was okay to. this talk has changed my life, thank you.
The question, "what is my life's purpose" has been a soul crushing question I couldn't answer for almost 2 decades. It's caused me so much stress and anxiety. Finally after years of therapy I started to accept myself and realize that I was just going to do things different than most people. Yesterday I heard about multipotentialites and it's good to finally have a word for it. I just wish I heard this 20 to 30 years ago. Living this life is incredibly challenging. Edpecially since every avenue ends with boredom and a loss of passion the thing you have invested so much time in. It even affects relationships. Sometimes I really really wish I could just pick one thing but it's nice to know I'm not alone.
I'm not deluding myself. The point of this video was to give people who are able to achieve many things simultaneously and have no particular area to imbue all their energy, the freedom to be who they are. There are some people who seem wired this way. And what do you care? You've probably done something remarkable and are so successful that how other people live is of no concern to you.
I give this a standing freaking ovation. That is the one question that has always given me grief and anxiety and wowowowow The fact that every word was describing me, that it is who I am, and that I don’t need to change, was tremendously inspiring.
This video has made me feel so much better about life. I completely relate to every thing she has described, I was always so worried that I was flaky and lazy. We just need to find a way of making this work in today's world.
As a high school senior who has been overwhelmed with the obligation to pick a career and begin deciding my major, this resignated deeply. I’m interested in so many things (starting a business, writing a book, traveling the world, art, acting, learning languages, etc.) and it’s relieving to know that I am not alone and there’s a solution. Thank you so much, Emilie!
Shockingly that’s exactly why I fell into HR…the intersection between finance (pensions and compensation), law (industrial relations), IT (hris) etc. I don’t believe I’ll stick with it longterm but it has afforded me time to learn and grow in these various disciplines in my multipotentialite journey.
Society depends on stability and security. There are responsibilities that need attention on an everyday basis. People that are defined by one thing or master one task are perceived as stable and reliable. These people have the make-up to stick to one thing one thing only. You need people like that. Society needed mastery to define and diversify. Multipotentialites are the anomaly or the "divergents" We are misunderstood and therefore unappreciated. We're forced to compromise or keep rolling without recognition. And because of this society has had no purpose for us. The truth is we are feared. We are a new breed of minds. We see many angles and speak many languages, and have the ability to build many connections. We are the weavers of the future.
this is so fucking relatable..... look up this term multipotentialism. It is where one person don't have just one calling. they cannot give up this hobby to pursue another...they have to do several at one time.
+Jazzy Tan Yes. People have a natural condition toward certain abilities or skills. To be supremely gifted at one thing, but relatively, feel defective because other skills and abilities are not up to the standard the individual has created in their mind. In a weird way, multipotentialism can be a derailment, because the human brain does best focusing on one task. However, it has been shown the more perspectives you can come at a problem or difficulty, the greater creativity and imagination is generated in finding a solution. It seems as if there shouldn't be just one type of problem solver. These two archetypes of people are important. There needs to be unity. U-aNd-iIi-ThankYou.
+Jazzy Tan exactly! When i was in school here in South East Asia, i play sports, i can pick up anything but never really master at it; football(soccer) is my favourite, i can say that i am good at it, represents my school although did not pick to play.. lol. Plus i also likes reading, dreams to be a writer someday(still do). i also plays a lot of video games, so in stereotypical terms, i am neither a jock nor a nerd. Now, i try to just focus on few things, but it is kind of hard. lmao
+kenishiro I feel yah bro. Sounds like me. I play multiple instruments, I draw, I can skate a bit, I play video games, I'm into film making,I tried animation, I tried web design, I tried being a video game tester for a few years at Microsoft, I went to school to be a graphic designer(over saturated field), and I'm good at them all, but I'm no master. It always frustrated me that I could never get passed these walls, I always went 100% into all of these things, but I eventually got bored or lost that passion I had to start.
+ronthorn3 i've done martial art as well, mine was Tang Soo Do. i was three belt behind black belt at the time, and i moved school. The new school did not have Tang Soo Do but Taekwondo, so i did'nt continue. Although i did join the Taekwondo, but i didn't purse it as much as i did with Tang Soo Do. lol In terms of sports, i'm good at football(soccer) and badminton, because that was our country's national sport, so i play and follow both sports.
Thank God my stress has been reduced. I've always struggled with having to explain myself to others who just didn't understand. I'm very grateful for this TED talk
I burst into tears listening to this, describing exactly how I've been feeling my whole life. I'm so thankful to finally see there is nothing wrong with me
That's exactly how I am, but I always thought this is a flaw, because I see my friends go on specific paths and get a job and start making money, while I haven't figured out what should I go for and dedicate my time to become really good.
+Silver Mirai Do you really think your friends knew (for 100 %) what they wanted to be!!! They compromised. Everyone has to. A compromise now and stability tomorrow is not what you would regret later.
+Zubin211 or simply settled for their college choice and career paths. I know a lot of friends who hate their jobs but can't change because they don't know how to do anything else
Finally something that resonates with me! Since middle school I've enjoyed languages, math, science, draw actively and decorate, play the piano, go riding, martial arts, love dancing, want to start figure skating, am into psychology and business and law. People always told be that I have too many talents and at the same time tell me that it's a waste of potential to not do art and instead physics etc. Untill I got depression and anxiety and stopped doing everything I loved, for fear of having to choose only one interest.. This gives me hope!!!
hiii i hope you are well! i relate so much, ive been depressed for a couple of months for the very same fear. i'm 21 years of age. i am someone who is interested in music production, cybersecurity, graphic design, dance, forex trading and baking. i just wonder how one can succeed in all areas or at least most, as a multipotentialite
@@thandolwethusithole4706 I feel you! Recently I started becoming interested in airplanes and aerospace engeenering, as well as veterinary and law again. And I'm a kitchen worker until I know what to study... Hearing something like cybersecurity gets me exited for that too xD. I guess we are all just different.
I was in the same boat... Constantly feeling like I needed to have one answer to the question, "What do you want to be when you grow up?" I always felt like I didn't have a purpose because I wouldn't devote my time to one thing. I appreciate this Ted Talk so much, and Emilie did a great job. I will definitely be sharing this with my friends who are struggling with the same problem.
Woah this is totally relatable to me because i grew up wanting to be a lawyer, a comic artist, a writer, a musician. Later, I wanted to be a dancer, a biologist, an archaeologist, and even took interest in politics. Coming from an Asian family my parents often pressurize me with that same irritable question "What you want to be in life?" and I could not give a specific reply because my interests are too broad for me to only focus on one profession throughout my entire lifetime. This is really motivational and it reminded me that I shouldn't force myself into a single profession just to "fit in" with the societal norm (:
O wow, this hit me on so many levels. It legit made me cry. Finally someone who understands and make me feel so much less alone. I was not made for one thing but many. Society forced me into a role that did not fit me, cue burnout. I'm not letting that happen again and I'm going to pursue my interests, wherever they might lead me. Thank you for this eye-opener today.
Damn, that's incredible, I truly needed to hear this, THANK YOU ! It's 5am, I was scrolling on UA-cam, pretty depressed and cannot sleep because I'm 26 and still can't choose a path between being a painter, graphic designer, illustrator, developper, visual artist, filmmaker, guitar/bass/synth/drums player, music producer and so on (...). I thought something was broken inside of me, I learnt all of those things, they're all my passions, and when I pinpoint one, thinking :"I finally found it !", it instantly becomes boring a few months after... ! I feel better right now, thanks again !
I loved this talk! Thank you so much, Emilie. Whenever someone asks me, "What do you do?" I include all of my hobbies and also how I make most of my income (which is not the profession I define myself by). I know many probably think I am going nowhere with what I do but I LOVE my life and am so happy! That's what counts.
I'm an introverted multipotentiolite, I've been pressured to be more outgoing and specialised. I'm glad I have authority issues and have a rebelious non-conformist side otherwise I would have caved in to all the pressure society puts on minorities like me a long time ago.
This video made me feel such a deep sense of self place… It wasn’t just a 12-minute video; it felt like a genuine conversation with someone who truly understands you. Until now, I’ve always asked myself, “What’s wrong with you? What do you want?” It’s as if I’m obligated to be something specific. Especially when you first enter your 20s, there’s this pressure to immediately get a job. At 15, they hand you a piece of paper and hover over you, saying: “Choose! Pick the profession that will define your entire life!” But how? Why? Why does no one care to ask, “Who do you really want to become?” Why aren’t the important questions, like “How do you want to see the world?” or “What are your values?” of interest to anyone?... Thank you for reminding me that I’m not alone, and I’m sending you virtual hugs.🫂🥹 12:00
I have lived this talk for years. I’ve watched it many times and share it with many. I am proud to be a multipotentialite. Thank you for sharing Emilie. 🙏💜
One thing scares me: Boredom. Im scared of any job which from the beginning I can see from far the Boredom. I want and need to learn something new just for the sake of learning, i dont necessary want to practice it in life, for example: Psychology, Neuroscience, Neurology, Human ressources and many more. Thank you Emily for your speech, it made for us: " There is nothing wrong with Us"
Never thought there a word to who I am - I've always wanted to be many things than just one thing. Learnt a lot in this video - I will definitely note the three superpowers in my CV :)
Oh .. I was so confused about myself for years .. I thought there was something wrong with me .. .!! this is very liberating.. thanks .. so glad I found this video.. ✌🏻️👍👏🙏
great talk! I have many dreams about where my career would take me, but often people around me get confused and just want you to give a straightforward answer as to where you want to be. no one seems to appreciate or understand that one can have many slashes in their title. life is too short to just focus on one subject. why did we take up so many classes and exams when we were young in school, yet given one specific field you would want to get into?
+Geraldine Koh We did so to apply all the basic knowledge from various fields to your specific field. No wonder scientists regularly educate themselves, 'cause it helps.
+Geraldine Koh Because my studying those many different fields when young do you get an idea of what area or areas you like and then delve into them into the future.
This moved me so much. when i am coding and get bored, i move to CAD design on Solidworks, when i get bored, i move to drawing physically using pen and paper, when i get bored, i move to painting it on adobe illustrator, when i get bored i move to reading about industrial automation and writting ladder logic codes just to run an imaginary factory. many see me as wiered and outcast. i am sure am not the only one.
I literally was moping on the floor, depressed, a few hours ago today, asking myself why I could not be "disciplined" enough to stick to one interest. And by some stroke of fate, I stumbled upon this talk. I did not even do a keyword search. This has been highly illuminating, and I was moved to tears. My life has been described accurately in just 12 minutes. I have always suspected this about myself, and I am very sure this talk is going to contribute to a key turning point in my career and business life, and how I express my "abnormally" wide range of skill sets.
I struggled my life so far until I saw this video. I have so many friends who are experts in particular subjects and I'm so stressed and lacks confidence in front anyone, since I thought I have no talent at all. Today I learned I'm a gifted one as a multipotentialite, and I have so much to be proud of myself... I was so excited and actually cried. Thank you Emilie Wapnick for giving my talent a name, it's so much better than just say "ughhhhh, I learn fast and I do well in many areas." I feel the burden on my shoulder that suffocated me for so long has gone, and it really changed my life!
What a gifted speaker. Fantastic presentation and something that resonated with me deeply. As a 53 year old who has once again embarked into a new position. It took 7 year for this to find me and it hit at the perfect time.
Same here, INFP We eventually figure ourselves out in the end even though the road is long and hard at the beginning. We are the true Jack of all Trades. I'm 34 years old and I just figured out what I want to do in life. :) stay strong!
+Trevor Estrada yea, I don't take it seriously but it does help if you use it to understand a bit more. don't just fall for it 100% its all subjective. I think the most important thing for INFPs is that you know yourself and for us, that takes a long long time. Once you are comfortable with who you are then you will bloom.
Pretty sure I'm an infp too if I remember correctly. Lol. Chin your comments give me some hope because I'm 33 and terribly confused and suffering greatly b cause I don't know which direction to take in life (financial situation is a total mess to put it lightly...)
Finally! i have found my clan! i thought there was something wrong with me.. in my 40's but doing so many projects and getting overwhelmed but loving it nonetheless...- 3d animation, 2d animation and coding, fashion illustration, content creation, virtual assistant, project management, writing 4 different novels simultaneously, (half completed), digital marketing, businesss development.....
This is crazy because I have always wondered why I had many interests and passions. I learned that purpose for me was a more dynamic journey than a static one. I’m so happy to know that I’m not alone because I have heard people criticize other people for having multiple interests. That made me feel like I needed to keep my passions to myself. No more!
I’ve been spending way too long trying to find the words to type how much this moves me and speaks to my soul, but I don’t think there are words strong enough; just, thank you Emilie Wapnick, thank you.
I love this video omg I'm a junior in highschool and honestly. I don't wanna be Just One Thing I have many interests and excel in many subjects so whenever I am asked what I want to be I say various answers like "dentist, or I wanna own a flower shop, or I wanna be an animator/scenography, or a cosmetologist, maybe a social worker?......what about writing articles or being a US air Marshall?? Maybe even a pilot or a special effects makeup artist.......maybe I'll be an astrophysicist" I've never been attracted to one thing and i still have NO idea what I wanna be or how I can combine any of these things.......I thought something was wrong with me because I lacked the passion that my peers had over their dream-careers.....turns out I'm just the exact opposite
It's a decade since I graduated from high school, but I know that feeling exactly. I say, GO FOR IT. You probably won't be able to be professional in all of those things, but you can definitely be knowledgeable in all of them! We might have to pick one or a few of our interests to specialize in - I've decided to focus on aircraft mechanics on one hand and woodcarving on the other - we can ALWAYS benefit from our breadth of knowledge. And, if we play our hands well, perhaps we can make Synthesist a recognised profession as well!
This is well said. I feel like there's something wrong with wanting a lot of things to do when others choose solidarity field. It's not wrong, we're unique in our own ways and we have our own talents we excel at. Hearing this made me more confident with what I actually want to do.
I am a Multipotentialite! Thank you Emilie Wapnick for helping me know what to call myself, and thank you, TED, for giving her this platform to help her do so.
just edited two photoshoots, prepared materials for my students, got ready for a drum class. And this video made me cry happy tears. Just realised what was "wrong" with me. I felt so much pressure recently. 25, still hasn't decided who i want to be. But I know now. Life changing
I can relate to this soooo much! I've had this pattern my whole life. From athletics to work to relationships, this was such an eye opener and a breath of fresh air! Thank you for this great talk.
Combine that with procrastination and laziness tho, plus not actually getting to a point where you're good enough at stuff, and you have a recipe for disaster...
I've never related to something/someone so much in my life . My whole life I've always said that I never just wanted to be one thing or just have one career. I never understood why I would be so passionate about something for a while and then just get so bored of it . I've always just thought I was lost , bc everyone around me was so sure about what they wanted out of life. But this video just helped me realize that I'm not lost or unsure at all. I just have many interests and want to explore them all . I'm glad that I'm not alone in feeling this way and that there are others like me 😊
Good talk! I also think a lot of us, in addition to our superhuman abilities, we tend to be philosophical and conscious. Which leads to a will for authenticity. We are not particularly interested in bargaining away our self-development by locking in to a narrow path that produces optimal incomes even where we would excel. That risks limiting our inner journeys.
To the person who linked this Tedtalk in a reply to a comment, Thank you! This gives me confirmation that my intentions to explore all my interests is not a bad thing and narrowing it down to one of them like society says to me will only lead my mind and reality away from each other. I'm glad I'm 17 and have some time on my hands to explore my interests until I hopefully manage to do something good with them. This made my day and I will try to recall this as much as I can whenever I feel lost. Break a leg y'all.
This was so beautifully put and enlightening because it described me and my struggles. As a child when I would be asked what I want to be when I grow up, the answer I gave changed almost every week. I used to ask my mother why I had to pick and why I couldn't be all of them? Lucky for myself my mother was very encouraging and did say I could be more than just one. Later on in life I struggled as I noticed that majority of people had things figured out, they had a purpose they were focused on and I felt stupid for not being able to decide. But I have finally learnt to just allow my curiosity to take me wherever it goes and that this curiosity and life long passion for learning different things is my super power!
I am 24 and I am looking for something we called " Specialist" of myself. I found her book and watched this video. A new point of view just pops up inside of me.
I ended up crying because all my life I have always thought that there was something wrong with me, because maybe I had commitment issues or that I wasn't normal like my friends because I got bored of doing just one thing. This life is not enough for all the things I want to learn and do. Thank you Emilie for helping us multipotentialites!
I keep finding my way back to this Ted Talk. The first time I heard it years ago, everything made sense for the first time. Fast forward - I'm now a music artist, sound engineer, producer, songwriter, guitarist, bassist, vocalist, pianist and music teacher. Thank you for changing my life in the best way! I have never been so happy and fulfilled.
I was asking God what do you want for me to do? I have so many things that i like, when I decided to quit one of them I felt frustrated, thanks a lot for being Gods answer to my life You really help meGod bless you
This is so awesome. I feel so seen! I am 31 and at present I am interested in art, design, writing, acting, stand up comedy, psychology, coaching, sports analysis, business, marketing, wellness, travel vlogging,… the list goes on. I just can’t pick one from this!
I knew, after hearing about Renaissance men in 6th grade, that it was what I wanted to become, a Renaissance woman. Back then I didn't know I was already wired that way. I'm glad to know that I am not alone.
"When I was 5 years-old, my mother always told me that happiness was the key to life. When I went to school, they asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up. I wrote down ‘happy.’ They told me I didn’t understand the assignment, and I told them they didn’t understand life."― John Lennon
No Name I’m impressed thanks to your reply.
I kind of wonder if this quote is fabricated or if John ever embellished the story. Either way it’s an interesting quote that lines up with what made Lennon lennon.
I said the same thing! I just wanted to be happy, because it seemed like a genuine answer.
- Michael Scott
🧢
"It is rarely a waste of time to pursue something that you're drawn into, even if you end up quitting. You might apply that knowledge to a different field entirely, in a way you couldn't have anticipated". Nicely said.
damn! it's true 😃
I can confirm that.
Finally, a TED talk directed to me. At age 57, I have finally narrowed my answer to the question of what I want to be when I grow up to three choices. Perhaps four. Definitely probably no more than ten.
😄
One question:
One the scale of 1-10 how good you are at those things?
Which you were passionate about once and after some time got bored and left the idea?
Consider 5 is avrage where you know only basics.
I am 45 & thought I found this out too late. But it is never too late!! Good luck.
LMAO!!!!!
Me too, I always felt like I was wrong.. It was a war inside me. Finally I got an answer to my daily doubts and frustration... thanks to Emilie for this Ted..
I'm 17 and I am trying a lot of things. I am writing my novel and at the same time practicing to draw traditionally and digitally. I am learning Korean and Japanese language and thinking about learning other languages. I like editing videos, playing guitar and thinking about learning other instruments. I may be still 17 but seeing this video makes me want to learn more. Thank you!
Sounds like ADHD to me
@@sushibaby5896 not really, i don't think you know the definition of adhd at all
Good of you
Awnnn. This is literally meeee😭😭😭😭add fashion designing, dancing and rapping to it and boom
한국어! Good on you! I'm Korean. 🙏
You can speak Korean better. Keep my fingers crossed. 🌝🤞
I had a sewing phase, speedcubing phase, competitive math phase, quantum physics , Tetris, piano, origami, programming, etc. SO many interests, and despite picking a major and sticking with it, I wish I could learn so much more. This is by far the most relatable thing I have come across in a very long time.
This hit me so hard. This is exactly what I experience every day. Feeling lost and I don't finish projects and move on to the next.
@@lukshinilook-she2944 So, I recently discovered this urge is explained by my ADHD. I mean it's not necessarily ADHD, but for someone feeling what I did, and the feeling of not knowing what step is next - CONSTANTLY - it might be worth checking out.
That's probably ADHD
Same + I have ADHD
𝙎𝙖𝙢𝙚 𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙚. 😊
same here!!!!
Thank you from an architect/3D artist who also is a polyglot Italian teacher, amateur runner, and frustrated musician.
One the scale of 1-10 how good you are at those things
Consider 5 is avrage where you know only basics
We have a lot in common, my friend! VFX Artist, amateur runner, polyglot ESL teacher and translator :D
I relate to thisssss! I'm a chemist, science and german/spanish/portugues teacher, singer and frustrated writer.. hahaha
I'm a 3D artist as well! Also a UX designer and a flutist and a mortician and an IT technician and an english teacher and a wannabe actress
@3dlise Mortician? How unusual.
I am so glad I saw this TED talk.
I am immediately showing this to my friend. Next time I see her, I am taking her phone and turning this on because she is definitely a multipotentialite and she still believes it to be a problem and I want her to see that it is not.
***** I have art class with her tomorrow, showing it to her then. XP
I am writing it in my school planner so i do not forget and forcing her to watch the whole thing in class so she does not forget to see it later.
+Thunder Cat I think you misinterpreted what this talk was about. It's about wanting to do many things, and being good at all of them, but not knowing which one you want to pick as your main gig in life. This talk is supposed to inspire these people to purse all of their interests.
***** But this talk isn't about the "average person." It's about these specific people.
***** Did I say I was talking about me? I simply am trying to correct a misunderstanding of the message of this video. When I said "specific people" I was referring to just that, a specific group of people. "Specific group" doesn't necessarily mean a small group, it just means a certain group, numbers have nothing to do with it. That being not those that just have multiple interests, but rather, those who have multiple interests, and wish to pursue them all, but feel like they have to just choose one, because that's what everyone else does. You're not the only one missing the point either. There are far worse examples of that in the comments below.
Phantomhive But it's not working though. They might feel like it is, but I'm not angry, just disappointed that they went from a somewhat decent standpoint to condescending. It really shows their true character. I hope they read this as well, so they can correct their behavior in the future. Their life would be easier if they didn't go around intentionally looking for an argument. They posted the exact same initial comment on at least 3 other comments, and probably more.
I'm still in high school but I love painting, writing, marketing, business, travelling, video editing, graphic design, social work, social sciences, and journaling! But I also wanted to have a relatively high paying job. I had been limiting myself so I go into one career but this ted talk showed me that I can do much more!
You are not alone.
That's mostly one niche's ramifications, e.g., marketing, business, writing and journaling follow the same trajectory, e.g., you can't do business without marketing or journaling without writing. A multipotentialite contrast would be more like a sports infatuation then engineering after multi-langual endeavours.
I cried watching this. All those cute "what do you wanna be" questions turning into pressure and even anger from parents/teachers/adult figures because I just can NOT focus on one thing part, that ate me up inside until at the age of 25 I finally accepted this is just who I am... is so true.
And yeah, I have ADHD too, and has been diagnosed by a psych.
I have never identified so strongly with a TED talk... this is so amazing! My whole life I have struggled with what I want to be... and now I finally know that other people feel the same... and that its not bad. Best day ever.
+Micah Marchand I got chills the more she spoke. It was like I was giving that talk. So glad I saw this.
+Micah Marchand I was about to write the same comment you did! word by word the same :D
I can relate to this talk and the concept of multipotentialism a 100%! Embracing it is more than liberating and empowering. Nevertheless, at some point I have to start a career and walk one single path long enough in order to be able to make a living off of it. I started studying engineering in energy and environment. I "wasted" 5 years studying before giving up out of boredom without a diploma. Now I want to be a watchmaker. And at this point I start doubting myself; panic at the thought that I might lose interest in that too, because ultimately, I feel like my time is running out.
Jerome Neumann Wow... it is crazy that this phenomena of personality is not known or at least thought about more! Because I mean, we understand each others feelings so much! I currently am going to college for graphic design... and it has only been 1 year and I am feeling bored just like you were with Engineering. We have so many fears still; partially because of society and partially because there is no easy way to be mulipotentialistic and make it in this world currently. Its so weird how we often know so much about many topics yet are unable to find a use for so much un-mastered techniques and knowledge. And as far as I know... multipotentialanists like ourselves are bound to lose interest in everything we do. At least that is how my life has been up to this point. Like many others have said: "Jack of all trades but master of none." We know so much but usually never make it to the point that it becomes useful.
+Micah Marchand Exactly...what seems so unbelievable to me is that I have never heard of this concept before! Especially us lot, who are interested in ALL the things, should have come across something like this before...with Wapnick's description of multipotentialists, it's the first time I could fully identify with some kind of mindset. All the other categorisations seemed incomplete for me and now here she comes and describes my life and my entire psychological being in less than 15min!
Although it's tough in the real world, I still feel like it's one of the best ways to live! I am proud of what I already know, how much knowledge I have gathered in my tiny little brain. Simultaneously I stand in awe and joy before all that is left to be learned! I'm looking forward to all the new domains I can dive into, since I am interested in literally EVERYTHING.
***** Somehow I get to be IT admin, web master, video and photography editor, plus other roles. I am lucky that I found a job that allows me to dive into multiple projects. What's your angle anyways?
"Know something about everything, and everything about something." Thomas Huxley
+John Thorgard Apt quote. There's certainly a savory reward to having mastered some field of thought or trade.
+Thunder Cat There is a high probability that Thomas Huxley had achieved more remarkable things than you, so don't mind but I will go with his words.
+John Thorgard this was helpful
I am pretty sure that nobody knows _everything_ about anything.
i agree, but it says "everything about something" :)
This is the most relatable thing I've ever watched.
Sorry but can you tell me the name of the girl at 4:45 ?
Precisely how I felt five minutes ago! Something good happened since then?
Me too
same here
Yeah that's true
This is the most relatable thing I have ever seen. I am a college student intensely struggling on finding my "passion." Everyone I know has already established themselves into a major/field, while I am bouncing around to different ones all the time, trying but not being satisfied. Always work so hard, but I cant commit to one thing. I feel a little more normal now, thank you for this talk
YES EXACTLY !
All my life I've had a multiple of interests, in considered myself a sprinter instead of a long distance runner, so I became a 21 time author, 6 time world record holder, event planner, comic, radio host, tv host, adventurer, and speaker. I also designed jewlery, and decorated houses. I love my life, and I tried to figure out ways to make money at all the things I do/did. People would say, Focus on one thing...focus, focus focues, but I like focusing in short spurts, that brought me my true happiness. Love this talk.
Grats
I'd love to hear more about how you were able to follow all your interests and make a living from them, if you'd like to share.
Fran Capo, please teach me HOW to be so productive! All my time is wasted on my inability to choose which interest to focus on at a time ...
you are one of my inspirations mam
glad to know you
I am so happy to watch this. Not for me... but for a friend who is always feeling depressed of having this quality, who is always trying to make himself a specialist while he must be trying to embrace his multipotentialite wiring.
Indian Booktuber sorry but can you tell me the name of the girl at 4:45
jack of many trades but master of none. story of my life
+FullMetalPower7 That is called mastery in adaptability.
+FullMetalPower7
Jack of all trades, master of none, Through ofttimes better than master of one.
*****
i have carefully chosen my words. jack of "many" trades.
+FullMetalPower7 Just try; Jack of all trades, Master of yourself. That's what I do.
+FullMetalPower7 Yup. same here. People always told me to find my one ultimate passion and forge may way with that. While the truth is, I dont just have one, I have more!
this made me cry. I thought I'm the only one.
Me too :-)
Me too....
Got the same feeling.
Same here ..
Me too...
you saved my life haha, I am always interested in many things. I like learning language, computer science, philosophy, music, education and business. Some people told me you are always interested in different things, but your interests don't last long. that is a problem. I did not see that as a problem at all in the past time, and recently, i have been self teaching many things such as spanish, German and electronic music producing. And i started worry about my life. after seen this Ted talk, i am more sure that I was doing the right thing. And I will keep living my life :)
George Li
This will be my favorite Ted Talk forever. I thought I‘m the only one like this. So sad that I found this talk only in 2022, but I guess it‘s because I‘ve never tried to look for videos that would support my „behavior“ and only looked for „inspirational ted talks“ that would tell me how to finally focus on one thing and become the version that society wants me to be.
I feel more understood, valued and empowered now after watching this. ❤️
♥
me too
It feels great knowing that others feel the same way I do. Not having that one niche that I can do, like others, made me feel like: I can't stick to my goals, that i'm a flip-flopper, I'm not strong willed, there's something wrong with me, I felt like a loser, I even thought perhaps I had a learning disability that makes it impossible to stick out a goal, I felt all these things because I could never stick to one thing and make a go at it. Its eye opening that all my interests in my hope chest were not a waste of time. I now know the time was well spent and I'm better off than most because I am a Multipotentialite!
Apple mm
Apple cheers man! i can relate with you
this couldnt have come at a better time in my life
draconus15 it's not coincidence. realize you're being guided and head that guidance.
I'm so glad that I've came across this TED talk ,It brought me to tears ,even insults of any magnitude doesn't bear me any tears and I'm so grateful to her for that.She described my whole life ,I really thought that something was wrong with me ,being so indecisive but ,the idea she shined on me gave me inspiration to persevere It . Lately I've felt like I was crushed by life my emotions It's been about 3 years since my high school graduation and rapidly I've started to lose friends and the more I've lost the less I've started to regret it ,but I'm still feeling the regret that I've cut connection to my highschool classmates that were very nice to me ,so currently I've have no friends and it didn't feel so hard until I watched this TED talk .Seriously I'm crying for 30 minutes when all those years ,I couldn't force myself to shed even a single tear drop.. I'm so grateful for this!!
draconus15 jjj
There's a lot of us out there now. Some of us become hackers out of necessity. We have no choice but to keep learning new things to survive. I always thought I was crazy for enjoying it despite the hard crashes you encounter.
Same
doctor of medicine, martial artist, photographer, painter (charcoal), video editor, MMA promoter, table tennis player, basketball player, diver, entrepreneur, volunteer, bassist, pianist, back up singer, biologist, web designer, graphic artist, guest preacher .... still looking at which i can really focused with, specialize and do my very best...thanks for the video.. very liberating
man how we ever realized in wich of this is best...i started with doctor of medicine..but i found myslef lost..now i am thinking about psychology...sometimes on web designer love guitar and love to sing write...it's hard to find bcs you know u can learn all of that....how this ends?when?i am still on this medical field and i am stuck..is there someone how got out of this happy?i would like to talk..i have no happy day now..i don't know how to deal with this...
@@intp9944my heart aches that no one ever replied to you, but I would love to hear an update on how you are doing now! Have you figured out a way to balance your interests that feels fulfilling to you? Did you get out of the medical field?
I feel emotional after watching this. For ages, I felt like I needed to narrow my hobbies down. Turns out, I'm doing exactly what I need to do. Brilliant speech. This is definitely helping us out here in the world, especially me :) Thank you x
It's crazy to me that this isn't talked about more in our culture. Especially considering that da Vinci was a perfect example of this and we regard him as one of the greatest figures in history.
I wish I had watched this 8 yrs ago. A boring job is worse than death.
A boring job i hunch
Why can't you change your job?
DailyDopamine never too late
DailyDopamine
damn that sucks..
Im a 20 yearold sophmore that has no clue what to major in. .
I guess i have the advantage of still being young
I am an artist actually, nothing boring about it it's just I always crave doing something else and used to restrict myself before I saw this viedeo.
I am tearing up watching this because I've always been ashamed of not being able to focus on one thing.
Still u have to cry lol, btw
One the scale of 1-10 how good you are at those things
For which you were passionate about once but after some time got bored and left the idea
Consider 5 is avrage where you know only basics
Same. Always felt there was something wrong with me.
Yeah me too😞😖
im 18 and my dad just had a conversation with me about how i can never stick to one thing and i have a million things i wanna do , yoh this year has been stressful cause i find everything interesting and i feel like id do well with whichever one . this Talk helped its good to know im not alone
I was struggling for so many years thinking that I’m just a failure person, tying myself in a knot so tight that hearing that… I just bursted into tears
Hi Emily, A big hug and love you for this talk. I am 42 yrs old and I studied to be a Dental surgeon even did my post graduate degree in oral pathology and microbiology but after 3 yrs as a Assistant professor. I ventured out to be an entrepreneur and still I run my 2 business but in the past 5 years I have also become a story teller , a traveller, a teacher of special education needs and more .Now I know how to introduce myself to someone a “ multipotentialite” . Thanks to you
I’m a:
Screenwriter
Business analyst
Front end developer
Director
Product specialist
Insurance agent
High school drama teacher
I was a dual major in theatre and engineering.
This video is my jam!
I'm 34. I still have no idea what I wanna do with my life.
+Go Bogies Go I'm 40, and I'm in the same boat.
+Go Bogies Go Yep, me too.
Ditto.
+Go Bogies Go just live, be happy
+Go Bogies Go Yep. Me too. We are the opposite to the speaker. She has many callings. I have none. I was raised in a society where what I'm "supposed to be" when I grow up is largely determined by parents, family and friends, and the society in general. And kids are pressured to fulfill that role. Now I'm old. I'm tired. Like someone said above, I just want to live and be happy.
I actually cried while watching this. I never felt like I had a purpose because I thought I couldn't serve any if I was always constantly changing my muse. This reminded me of all the potential I hold, I just forgot it was there. MULTIPOTENTIALITES UNITE WHOOP WHOOP
I am a private physics tutor / teacher and a music composer for media. I make a good living from these these 2 activities I love. Once, I found an amazing intersection: Bass traps. In the studio, corners of the room can reflect bass and enter resonances that distort the sound coming out of the speakers. I am fond of astrophysics/cosmology too, so after reading a book from a famous scientist about primordial density waves from which we could determine the shape of our universe, I wrote to the author about bass traps, and how lowest frequency could resonate and alter our perception of the real signal. I got quite an enthusiastic response from the researcher! Maybe he integrated this idea in his future research ? :-)
I can't remember where, but I once read that in some other countries (that aren't America), the question is "what are you doing right now?", rather than "what are you doing with your life?"
Omg this is so good! A much better question to ask than 'what do you do?'. I've always felt pressure with this question because I love to do so many things and if I answer with my 101 pursuits I look scattered. Adding 'right now' certainly removes the pressure from those of us who are interested and working in various fields to whittle our answer down to one thing in order to look "normal". I will be changing my question from now on to: "what are you doing right now?" Thanks!
thadis88 You're very welcome. :)
thadis88 Fuckin Americans
+Justin Oguilve sorry what? I'm not American. I'm not sure where you're going with that.
Italy :)
ive wanted to be a astrobiologist, neurosurgeon, screenwriter, psychiatrist, environmental activist, photographer, writer. ive changed my major many 5 times within my freshman year of college. my friends always just think im ridiculously indecisive and im just going to fall behind. ive always thought i could combine my love for medicine, art, and the environment in my life time, i just never knew that it was okay to.
this talk has changed my life, thank you.
any updates? what undergraduate degree did you get in college 😭
The question, "what is my life's purpose" has been a soul crushing question I couldn't answer for almost 2 decades. It's caused me so much stress and anxiety. Finally after years of therapy I started to accept myself and realize that I was just going to do things different than most people. Yesterday I heard about multipotentialites and it's good to finally have a word for it. I just wish I heard this 20 to 30 years ago.
Living this life is incredibly challenging. Edpecially since every avenue ends with boredom and a loss of passion the thing you have invested so much time in. It even affects relationships. Sometimes I really really wish I could just pick one thing but it's nice to know I'm not alone.
Not gonna lie.. I almost cried. Felt so seen, understood and accepted 💜 never knew this was a thing and I am glad I came across this video
I'm in this club. We're jacks of all trades!
+Trevor Estrada and the masters of none. Reserve a spot for me
I wish society adapted to us and not us specialising for them :/
+Trevor Estrada Jack of all trades, master of none :C It kinda sucks.
***** And only losers don't know the difference between You're and your.
I'm not deluding myself. The point of this video was to give people who are able to achieve many things simultaneously and have no particular area to imbue all their energy, the freedom to be who they are. There are some people who seem wired this way. And what do you care? You've probably done something remarkable and are so successful that how other people live is of no concern to you.
I give this a standing freaking ovation. That is the one question that has always given me grief and anxiety and wowowowow The fact that every word was describing me, that it is who I am, and that I don’t need to change, was tremendously inspiring.
This video has made me feel so much better about life. I completely relate to every thing she has described, I was always so worried that I was flaky and lazy. We just need to find a way of making this work in today's world.
im going to cry this is so comforting ive been anxious lately about me not being good enough at one thing
As a high school senior who has been overwhelmed with the obligation to pick a career and begin deciding my major, this resignated deeply. I’m interested in so many things (starting a business, writing a book, traveling the world, art, acting, learning languages, etc.) and it’s relieving to know that I am not alone and there’s a solution. Thank you so much, Emilie!
Everyone in Human Resources of all companies should watch this. They are the ones who can make you feel terrible about being a multipotentialite
I'm a multipotentialite, who's studying HR right now 😂😂
@@nataliapetrova4758 bring the change.... I am a multipotentialite. Get me in your future team ;)
Shockingly that’s exactly why I fell into HR…the intersection between finance (pensions and compensation), law (industrial relations), IT (hris) etc. I don’t believe I’ll stick with it longterm but it has afforded me time to learn and grow in these various disciplines in my multipotentialite journey.
Society depends on stability and security. There are responsibilities that need attention on an everyday basis. People that are defined by one thing or master one task are perceived as stable and reliable. These people have the make-up to stick to one thing one thing only. You need people like that. Society needed mastery to define and diversify. Multipotentialites are the anomaly or the "divergents" We are misunderstood and therefore unappreciated. We're forced to compromise or keep rolling without recognition. And because of this society has had no purpose for us. The truth is we are feared. We are a new breed of minds. We see many angles and speak many languages, and have the ability to build many connections. We are the weavers of the future.
I love this so much. Thank you!
Love that!
hi, i am setting this as my facebook status
this is so fucking relatable..... look up this term multipotentialism. It is where one person don't have just one calling. they cannot give up this hobby to pursue another...they have to do several at one time.
+Jazzy Tan Yes. People have a natural condition toward certain abilities or skills. To be supremely gifted at one thing, but relatively, feel defective because other skills and abilities are not up to the standard the individual has created in their mind. In a weird way, multipotentialism can be a derailment, because the human brain does best focusing on one task. However, it has been shown the more perspectives you can come at a problem or difficulty, the greater creativity and imagination is generated in finding a solution.
It seems as if there shouldn't be just one type of problem solver. These two archetypes of people are important. There needs to be unity. U-aNd-iIi-ThankYou.
+Jazzy Tan exactly! When i was in school here in South East Asia, i play sports, i can pick up anything but never really master at it; football(soccer) is my favourite, i can say that i am good at it, represents my school although did not pick to play.. lol. Plus i also likes reading, dreams to be a writer someday(still do). i also plays a lot of video games, so in stereotypical terms, i am neither a jock nor a nerd. Now, i try to just focus on few things, but it is kind of hard. lmao
+kenishiro
I feel yah bro. Sounds like me. I play multiple instruments, I draw, I can skate a bit, I play video games, I'm into film making,I tried animation, I tried web design, I tried being a video game tester for a few years at Microsoft, I went to school to be a graphic designer(over saturated field), and I'm good at them all, but I'm no master.
It always frustrated me that I could never get passed these walls, I always went 100% into all of these things, but I eventually got bored or lost that passion I had to start.
+ronthorn3
oh yeah I also tried karate and basketball, and baseball.
+ronthorn3 i've done martial art as well, mine was Tang Soo Do. i was three belt behind black belt at the time, and i moved school. The new school did not have Tang Soo Do but Taekwondo, so i did'nt continue. Although i did join the Taekwondo, but i didn't purse it as much as i did with Tang Soo Do. lol
In terms of sports, i'm good at football(soccer) and badminton, because that was our country's national sport, so i play and follow both sports.
Thank God my stress has been reduced. I've always struggled with having to explain myself to others who just didn't understand. I'm very grateful for this TED talk
I burst into tears listening to this, describing exactly how I've been feeling my whole life. I'm so thankful to finally see there is nothing wrong with me
That's exactly how I am, but I always thought this is a flaw, because I see my friends go on specific paths and get a job and start making money, while I haven't figured out what should I go for and dedicate my time to become really good.
+Silver Mirai Do you really think your friends knew (for 100 %) what they wanted to be!!! They compromised. Everyone has to. A compromise now and stability tomorrow is not what you would regret later.
+Zubin211 or simply settled for their college choice and career paths. I know a lot of friends who hate their jobs but can't change because they don't know how to do anything else
Finally something that resonates with me!
Since middle school I've enjoyed languages, math, science, draw actively and decorate, play the piano, go riding, martial arts, love dancing, want to start figure skating, am into psychology and business and law.
People always told be that I have too many talents and at the same time tell me that it's a waste of potential to not do art and instead physics etc. Untill I got depression and anxiety and stopped doing everything I loved, for fear of having to choose only one interest..
This gives me hope!!!
You are Beautiful. Almighty helps you in organising all these things
hiii i hope you are well! i relate so much, ive been depressed for a couple of months for the very same fear. i'm 21 years of age. i am someone who is interested in music production, cybersecurity, graphic design, dance, forex trading and baking. i just wonder how one can succeed in all areas or at least most, as a multipotentialite
@@thandolwethusithole4706 I feel you! Recently I started becoming interested in airplanes and aerospace engeenering, as well as veterinary and law again. And I'm a kitchen worker until I know what to study... Hearing something like cybersecurity gets me exited for that too xD.
I guess we are all just different.
I was in the same boat... Constantly feeling like I needed to have one answer to the question, "What do you want to be when you grow up?" I always felt like I didn't have a purpose because I wouldn't devote my time to one thing. I appreciate this Ted Talk so much, and Emilie did a great job. I will definitely be sharing this with my friends who are struggling with the same problem.
Woah this is totally relatable to me because i grew up wanting to be a lawyer, a comic artist, a writer, a musician. Later, I wanted to be a dancer, a biologist, an archaeologist, and even took interest in politics. Coming from an Asian family my parents often pressurize me with that same irritable question "What you want to be in life?" and I could not give a specific reply because my interests are too broad for me to only focus on one profession throughout my entire lifetime. This is really motivational and it reminded me that I shouldn't force myself into a single profession just to "fit in" with the societal norm (:
O wow, this hit me on so many levels. It legit made me cry. Finally someone who understands and make me feel so much less alone. I was not made for one thing but many. Society forced me into a role that did not fit me, cue burnout. I'm not letting that happen again and I'm going to pursue my interests, wherever they might lead me. Thank you for this eye-opener today.
Damn, that's incredible, I truly needed to hear this, THANK YOU !
It's 5am, I was scrolling on UA-cam, pretty depressed and cannot sleep because I'm 26 and still can't choose a path between being a painter, graphic designer, illustrator, developper, visual artist, filmmaker, guitar/bass/synth/drums player, music producer and so on (...). I thought something was broken inside of me, I learnt all of those things, they're all my passions, and when I pinpoint one, thinking :"I finally found it !", it instantly becomes boring a few months after... !
I feel better right now, thanks again !
Your job now is to figure out how to synthesize many of your passions into one! Perhaps art and music therapist? 😊
+bendietrees Hahaha, thank you :) I really like this great idea !
I loved this talk! Thank you so much, Emilie. Whenever someone asks me, "What do you do?" I include all of my hobbies and also how I make most of my income (which is not the profession I define myself by). I know many probably think I am going nowhere with what I do but I LOVE my life and am so happy! That's what counts.
I'm an introverted multipotentiolite, I've been pressured to be more outgoing and specialised. I'm glad I have authority issues and have a rebelious non-conformist side otherwise I would have caved in to all the pressure society puts on minorities like me a long time ago.
This video made me feel such a deep sense of self place… It wasn’t just a 12-minute video; it felt like a genuine conversation with someone who truly understands you.
Until now, I’ve always asked myself, “What’s wrong with you? What do you want?” It’s as if I’m obligated to be something specific. Especially when you first enter your 20s, there’s this pressure to immediately get a job. At 15, they hand you a piece of paper and hover over you, saying:
“Choose! Pick the profession that will define your entire life!”
But how? Why?
Why does no one care to ask, “Who do you really want to become?” Why aren’t the important questions, like “How do you want to see the world?” or “What are your values?” of interest to anyone?...
Thank you for reminding me that I’m not alone, and I’m sending you virtual hugs.🫂🥹 12:00
I have lived this talk for years. I’ve watched it many times and share it with many. I am proud to be a multipotentialite. Thank you for sharing Emilie. 🙏💜
One thing scares me: Boredom.
Im scared of any job which from the beginning I can see from far the Boredom. I want and need to learn something new just for the sake of learning, i dont necessary want to practice it in life, for example: Psychology, Neuroscience, Neurology, Human ressources and many more. Thank you Emily for your speech, it made for us: " There is nothing wrong with Us"
Never thought there a word to who I am - I've always wanted to be many things than just one thing. Learnt a lot in this video - I will definitely note the three superpowers in my CV :)
Same😂😍😍😍✨
Oh .. I was so confused about myself for years .. I thought there was something wrong with me .. .!! this is very liberating.. thanks .. so glad I found this video.. ✌🏻️👍👏🙏
Sohil George me too.. i thought really i was wrong...
great talk! I have many dreams about where my career would take me, but often people around me get confused and just want you to give a straightforward answer as to where you want to be. no one seems to appreciate or understand that one can have many slashes in their title. life is too short to just focus on one subject. why did we take up so many classes and exams when we were young in school, yet given one specific field you would want to get into?
very true😆
+Geraldine Koh We did so to apply all the basic knowledge from various fields to your specific field. No wonder scientists regularly educate themselves, 'cause it helps.
+EauSoStyle صور.سكس
+Geraldine Koh Because my studying those many different fields when young do you get an idea of what area or areas you like and then delve into them into the future.
Thats an excellent point Geraldine! We we have juggle many different subjects in school yet pushed to pursue only one thing!
This moved me so much. when i am coding and get bored, i move to CAD design on Solidworks, when i get bored, i move to drawing physically using pen and paper, when i get bored, i move to painting it on adobe illustrator, when i get bored i move to reading about industrial automation and writting ladder logic codes just to run an imaginary factory. many see me as wiered and outcast. i am sure am not the only one.
This made me cry, this is so me. I feel terrible when I have to hear I lack direction cos I love and do so many things. Thanks for this
I feel so understood. I thought something was wrong with me because society puts such an emphasis on stability. Thank you for this talk.
I literally was moping on the floor, depressed, a few hours ago today, asking myself why I could not be "disciplined" enough to stick to one interest. And by some stroke of fate, I stumbled upon this talk. I did not even do a keyword search. This has been highly illuminating, and I was moved to tears. My life has been described accurately in just 12 minutes. I have always suspected this about myself, and I am very sure this talk is going to contribute to a key turning point in my career and business life, and how I express my "abnormally" wide range of skill sets.
I feel like this talk has really changed my life x
What has it done to help you?
I struggled my life so far until I saw this video. I have so many friends who are experts in particular subjects and I'm so stressed and lacks confidence in front anyone, since I thought I have no talent at all. Today I learned I'm a gifted one as a multipotentialite, and I have so much to be proud of myself... I was so excited and actually cried. Thank you Emilie Wapnick for giving my talent a name, it's so much better than just say "ughhhhh, I learn fast and I do well in many areas." I feel the burden on my shoulder that suffocated me for so long has gone, and it really changed my life!
What a gifted speaker. Fantastic presentation and something that resonated with me deeply. As a 53 year old who has once again embarked into a new position. It took 7 year for this to find me and it hit at the perfect time.
Same here, INFP We eventually figure ourselves out in the end even though the road is long and hard at the beginning. We are the true Jack of all Trades. I'm 34 years old and I just figured out what I want to do in life. :) stay strong!
I'm an INFP too. I've been questioning the Myers Briggs though
+Trevor Estrada yea, I don't take it seriously but it does help if you use it to understand a bit more. don't just fall for it 100% its all subjective. I think the most important thing for INFPs is that you know yourself and for us, that takes a long long time. Once you are comfortable with who you are then you will bloom.
+chin song 👊👊
Pretty sure I'm an infp too if I remember correctly. Lol. Chin your comments give me some hope because I'm 33 and terribly confused and suffering greatly b cause I don't know which direction to take in life (financial situation is a total mess to put it lightly...)
INFJ here, have many interests and try a lot of thing, if I would have a calling it would be helping people in many different ways. ✌
Finally! i have found my clan! i thought there was something wrong with me.. in my 40's but doing so many projects and getting overwhelmed but loving it nonetheless...- 3d animation, 2d animation and coding, fashion illustration, content creation, virtual assistant, project management, writing 4 different novels simultaneously, (half completed), digital marketing, businesss development.....
Nice
That is one of the best things they could tell me at this moment of my life. Thank you, Emilie Wapnick.
This is crazy because I have always wondered why I had many interests and passions. I learned that purpose for me was a more dynamic journey than a static one. I’m so happy to know that I’m not alone because I have heard people criticize other people for having multiple interests. That made me feel like I needed to keep my passions to myself. No more!
I’ve been spending way too long trying to find the words to type how much this moves me and speaks to my soul, but I don’t think there are words strong enough; just, thank you Emilie Wapnick, thank you.
This woman is reading the diary of my soul!
I love this video omg I'm a junior in highschool and honestly. I don't wanna be Just One Thing I have many interests and excel in many subjects so whenever I am asked what I want to be I say various answers like "dentist, or I wanna own a flower shop, or I wanna be an animator/scenography, or a cosmetologist, maybe a social worker?......what about writing articles or being a US air Marshall?? Maybe even a pilot or a special effects makeup artist.......maybe I'll be an astrophysicist" I've never been attracted to one thing and i still have NO idea what I wanna be or how I can combine any of these things.......I thought something was wrong with me because I lacked the passion that my peers had over their dream-careers.....turns out I'm just the exact opposite
It's a decade since I graduated from high school, but I know that feeling exactly.
I say, GO FOR IT.
You probably won't be able to be professional in all of those things, but you can definitely be knowledgeable in all of them!
We might have to pick one or a few of our interests to specialize in - I've decided to focus on aircraft mechanics on one hand and woodcarving on the other - we can ALWAYS benefit from our breadth of knowledge.
And, if we play our hands well, perhaps we can make Synthesist a recognised profession as well!
AnimeSunglasses maybe it would be good to take in account informatics, because you can do nearly anything with them in many fields.
This is well said. I feel like there's something wrong with wanting a lot of things to do when others choose solidarity field. It's not wrong, we're unique in our own ways and we have our own talents we excel at. Hearing this made me more confident with what I actually want to do.
I am a Multipotentialite! Thank you Emilie Wapnick for helping me know what to call myself, and thank you, TED, for giving her this platform to help her do so.
just edited two photoshoots, prepared materials for my students, got ready for a drum class. And this video made me cry happy tears. Just realised what was "wrong" with me. I felt so much pressure recently. 25, still hasn't decided who i want to be. But I know now. Life changing
cried watching this
Her message is so powerful. And gives us validation to stop trying to fit into other peoples boxes.
Ikr
I can relate to this soooo much! I've had this pattern my whole life. From athletics to work to relationships, this was such an eye opener and a breath of fresh air! Thank you for this great talk.
Combine that with procrastination and laziness tho, plus not actually getting to a point where you're good enough at stuff, and you have a recipe for disaster...
Yep, that's me, alright.
Dang that's me!
That's definitely not me!!!!!!!!! Each thing I pursued I became VERY good at. I don't know how to be lazy though sometimes I wish I did. LOL
Hey you are somehow talking about me
Well, ouch ha ha
When I started the video...I did not pause nor skip once.The power of a video that really speaks to you.
I've never related to something/someone so much in my life . My whole life I've always said that I never just wanted to be one thing or just have one career. I never understood why I would be so passionate about something for a while and then just get so bored of it . I've always just thought I was lost , bc everyone around me was so sure about what they wanted out of life. But this video just helped me realize that I'm not lost or unsure at all. I just have many interests and want to explore them all . I'm glad that I'm not alone in feeling this way and that there are others like me 😊
Mom: So what is your major gunna be this month?
Me: Don't patronize me! I'm a multipotentialite!
Erick Alden sorry, can you tell me the name of the girl at 4:45 ?
...and?
@@phamlam9022 Amy Ng
Good talk! I also think a lot of us, in addition to our superhuman abilities, we tend to be philosophical and conscious. Which leads to a will for authenticity. We are not particularly interested in bargaining away our self-development by locking in to a narrow path that produces optimal incomes even where we would excel. That risks limiting our inner journeys.
This talk just made my day... or maybe, just maybe, my LIFE. Thanks TED. Thanks Emilie Wapnick.
To the person who linked this Tedtalk in a reply to a comment, Thank you! This gives me confirmation that my intentions to explore all my interests is not a bad thing and narrowing it down to one of them like society says to me will only lead my mind and reality away from each other. I'm glad I'm 17 and have some time on my hands to explore my interests until I hopefully manage to do something good with them. This made my day and I will try to recall this as much as I can whenever I feel lost. Break a leg y'all.
This was so beautifully put and enlightening because it described me and my struggles. As a child when I would be asked what I want to be when I grow up, the answer I gave changed almost every week. I used to ask my mother why I had to pick and why I couldn't be all of them? Lucky for myself my mother was very encouraging and did say I could be more than just one. Later on in life I struggled as I noticed that majority of people had things figured out, they had a purpose they were focused on and I felt stupid for not being able to decide.
But I have finally learnt to just allow my curiosity to take me wherever it goes and that this curiosity and life long passion for learning different things is my super power!
I am 24 and I am looking for something we called " Specialist" of myself. I found her book and watched this video. A new point of view just pops up inside of me.
oh man, almost cried at the end 😢
I feel like I needed this talk in my life. Thank you!
I ended up crying because all my life I have always thought that there was something wrong with me, because maybe I had commitment issues or that I wasn't normal like my friends because I got bored of doing just one thing.
This life is not enough for all the things I want to learn and do.
Thank you Emilie for helping us multipotentialites!
I keep finding my way back to this Ted Talk. The first time I heard it years ago, everything made sense for the first time. Fast forward - I'm now a music artist, sound engineer, producer, songwriter, guitarist, bassist, vocalist, pianist and music teacher. Thank you for changing my life in the best way! I have never been so happy and fulfilled.
I was asking God what do you want for me to do? I have so many things that i like, when I decided to quit one of them I felt frustrated, thanks a lot for being Gods answer to my life You really help meGod bless you
the truth is out there!
+Fox Mulder I want to believe!
Naa, it’s in you actually. Just got to listen
this message saved my life . thank you so much .
これ見て涙出てきた。
自分は色んなことに興味を持つけれど結局途中で飽きちゃって途中で終わってしまう。だから何かの病気じゃないのかってGoogleで調べてたらこれに出会った。
この動画は私の考えてることがほとんど当たってて嬉しいです。同じ人がいるんだなって、、
友達とか先生から「想像力凄いね。でももう少しひとつにまとめて欲しい」って言われた時何度も悩みました。これは私の悪いところ、治さないとって。だけど今はこれは才能だから気にしなくて良いと思えます。
文章がおかしい所があるかも知れませんがすみません。
本当にありがとうございました。
This is so awesome. I feel so seen!
I am 31 and at present I am interested in art, design, writing, acting, stand up comedy, psychology, coaching, sports analysis, business, marketing, wellness, travel vlogging,… the list goes on. I just can’t pick one from this!
I knew, after hearing about Renaissance men in 6th grade, that it was what I wanted to become, a Renaissance woman. Back then I didn't know I was already wired that way. I'm glad to know that I am not alone.