I am the Sum of my Talents
As with most of us I am multifaceted.
Multifaceted: A person who has many different talents in all kinds of fields and subject areas.
I do not think it is a bad thing to have a diversity of talents, I do struggle a bit with my complexity.
Earlier in my life it was easy. I was very focused and intentional but must admit that it was all mostly work related.
I started as a software developer; then in IT program / project management; then a website producer (dot-com bubble); followed by management and consulting roles; as well as mentoring and teaching. I love what I do and continue to do so, but by many accounts I may be a border-line workaholic… OK maybe not just border line.
But then things started to change a bit, I became interested in non-technology / non-work-related things and began to talk and write about them. I got into actively blogging and podcasting on a regular basis about these topics as well as drawing and doodling more. My technology skills have also come in very handy along the way.
As I get older I am noticing that the different parts of me are pulling harder for my mind’s attention and some feel like they are screaming for my “attention”. I do think this is a natural evolution as we age, but this COVID pandemic, and the actual need to separate work from personal has probably accelerated the process considerably.
The ONE thing that has been constant in most of my life is my continual curiosity and love of learning new things and create the solution. My own wife comments on this “fault of mine” that I cannot stay still without in depth research. She says, “Can’t you just enjoy something without looking up the facts?”
“Creative ability is the skill and talent to use our imagination to create and solve”.
In the dot-com era I worked as a project/program manager as well as website producer for several small and large creative agencies. In these companies I was in the client management side of the house, and I was asked nicely to please stay away from the creative side. For several years I took this comment, “Get in touch with your creative side” a bit personally. But then many years ago, I found the line “Creative ability is the skill and talent to use our imagination to create and solve“, wow what a relief to see this statement. Creativity should not be confused with artistic. I am a creative! In fact, I am TOTALLY a creative!
As far as artistic abilities, although I would have loved to play / compose music it was not in the cards for me. Thankfully I do have some drawing / sketching capabilities which have helped me all my life. I do put my software development and story-telling skills in the artistic category, both of which I do arguably well. My artistic wife says I am a genius in in these skills.
So where is my struggle today?
In channeling and publishing my ideas / thoughts and outcomes.
Over the years I have had several individual sites / micro-sites dedicated to talking about that subject matter and specifically abilities. I started to consolidate all of them into this blog a few years back, so it becomes more of a blog / journal of my doings and happenings.
Lately, because of the pull from the different pieces, I have been second questioning this decision, but the more I think (and write) about this, I am sticking to it. I get niches, but I think platforms are much more interesting…
I am also very much aware that I am the sum of my experiences, but I am also the sum of all of my talents. Work, fun, artistic, family & friends, interests, projects and very creative!
