Too Many Interests? This 3-Step Focus Method Changed Everything

If you're someone like me, curious, creative, multipassionate, people will say things like you're just a jack of all trades. and master of none, and what people didn't tell you. is the rest of that quote Jack of all trades, master of none, but oftentimes better than master of one. So I thought the answer was to finally commit to one thing. and shut the rest down, but it just never felt right. The problem isn't being multi passionate. The problem is trying to manage it all with other system. And let me walk you through the system that I created for myself.

and some exercises to help you so you can have so much more clarity. over everything. So imagine it's like three layers, like ripples of water. flowing out from the center. And the first layer is the first circle, and that is energy, which is the heart of everything. So this is the stuff that lights you up. You enjoy doing it no matter what. You get excited when you talk about it and you wake up. and you can't wait to either work on it or start learning about it. And this is something that my husband, Simon Alexander wrote in his book.

energize. The concept of energy is really found. throughout the ages and different cultures around the world. So in Maui culture, they call it mana. And in my background, this Chinese, they call it qi. and is considered the ultimate measure of our vitality. It's invisible, like the force in Star Wars, but yet it conveys so much of what we struggle to convey in words. And having that energy is contagious. You know this because having positive energy, it lifts you up, right?

And sometimes negative energy from toxic things and people can drain. you and pull you down because let's be honest, if something drains you. just thinking about it, you're probably not going to stick with it. So making videos for this channel, for example, for me, it lights me up because I get to hang out with the amazing viewers. who are learning along with me. If the energy from the community wasn't there, I don't think I would have lasted as long as I have.

So I want to say thank you. So the second layer, this is called alignment. This is where your interest and your strength begin to overlap. It's not just about what you enjoy, but what are you willing to get better at? When I started this channel, I was terrible on camera and my videos. were either overexposed or so dark that you can't make out my face. I shot most of my videos on my phone without any fancy gear, because I couldn't. figure out how to use a fancy camera and eventually video by video. I started getting 1% better each time.

It's only when you look back at how far you come along the process, it all clicks into place. So if your passion doesn't align with your natural strength or create value. for someone else, you probably won't prioritize it when the excitement fades. Because I learned about this concept of the shiny object syndrome, I was very guilty of. This is this tendency to chase when there is new novel or exciting until it's not. And I tried jump for workouts during the pandemic. I bought this beautiful jump rope with rose gold ribbons over it.

Sure, it was very exciting and new, and I even consider. starting an Instagram account documenting it. But after about a month, it just started collecting dust in the corner of my room. Because this shiny object syndrome wore off when I couldn't do. the harder moves. Because as time goes on, whatever you pursue, it will get hard. and you have to struggle through this dip in order to see the light. But struggle is always part of life. and part of the process, and that's just the truth. If you're not aligned, you just won't have the incentive to keep going.

Then most of us would just drop it and move on to the next thing, like I did, thinking this new thing would be the one. So without alignment, we're just collecting hobbies and half finished projects. For me, alignment is that filter that helps you stick with something long enough. to build momentum to pursue what you love and the life that you really want. And lastly, the third circle is call your flow zone. So this is where you ask, is this the right thing for me to focus on in this season of life?

We all go through different seasons of life. So for example, for me, what I had time for before. I had my daughter is very different to what I have time for now. And I wonder sometimes what it is. Laurie, who didn't have kids, do with all that time. I always ask myself, Will the skill or the thing I'm working on. make a difference in my life right now, either personally, professionally, or even financially? And in this flow zone one, the biggest mindset shift for me. was embracing what's known as the t shirt model.

So become a t shirt person. And what does that actually mean? It means that you can go deep one area and stay broad in your curiosity, like the shape of a capital T, so you have one vertical. skill or craft you're investing in deeply every day. Like video creation, writing or coaching. And you also allow yourself to explore a wider. range of other interests on the side without any guilt. Because I think that's what makes you valuable. And honestly, in today's world, that's what makes you unique. It's not about doing everything at once, but it's about putting together.

what lights you up and integrating them in ways that make sense for you. So when a project or idea flows through all three layers, that's energy alignment and flow zone. That would be your green light to go after it and put your focus on that. I think that's what deserves your time now. And everything else that you have on your list is not a no. It just simply a not yet. Because as someone once said, I think it was Oprah. Correct me if I'm wrong, you can have it all, just not all at once.

And in this case of being someone who's more type passionate, it's more like. you can do it all, just not all at once, because you can write them all down, save it for later, and you can always pick it up in your next season of life. And that's the whole beautiful. part of this, is that you're not forcing yourself into one box. You're just being intentional about where your energy and passion flows. Right now, they are where your experiment with your interests. You play with them and let your creativity really go wild.

And a lot of times it's those intersections, those weird, wonderful overlaps of different areas that unlock your most original ideas. And once I started getting clear on what to focus on, I realized something else. I was spending way too much energy just managing all the platforms. I signed up to showcase my multiple passions and businesses. So I had a tool for courses. Another one for one, two, one coaching, booking meetings, a third for digital downloads. It kind of felt like I was duct taping together my business,

and not to mention the additional cost of paying for each different platform. So that's when I found Stan. And this is what my Stan store looks like. I can literally hold all of my products and services. and even grown email audience in one simple place. And Stan was really kind to sponsor today's video. So if you're multi-person like me, you probably have a lot. you want to share with the world your skills, your story, or maybe even. products, templates, coaching or workshops that you can document and teach others.

But figuring out where and how to showcase it all. online can be a whole job in itself. I done my fair share of research, and I'm glad that now. I can do this on my own terms. With Stan. It lets you turn your multi-talented self into a platform that grows with you. So if this is what you're looking to do next for your multiple interests, check out Stan My link in the description. You can trial your first month for free. So here's what I want you to do. Take that entire list of ideas, hobbies, and skills you want to learn.

Then put them into this focus flow diagram we talked about earlier. and run each one through this method. So the question here is really does. it light you up and does it align with your skills and value. And does it make sense in this season of life right now? If the answer is yes to all three, then that will be your focus. So if you're like me, someone who loves learning, growing, exploring new ideas, here's the mindset I've adopted over time. The first one is that seasonal focus to do one that actually matters to you right.

now, and number two is strategic rotation on what you love to do. So in different seasons of life, go focus on something else and deep energy. in fewer things. But the rest is also available for later because you don't have to be a master one, but you do need to stop trying to be a master of ten things at once. Focus when you're multi passionate isn't about limiting who you are. It's about honoring your potential by creating space for you to grow.

And if you ever read the book Range by David, I've seen, you'll know this. the future doesn't just belong to specialists, it belongs to generalists, people who can make unexpected connections. between different fields, ideas, and experiences, and thus basically people like you and me being multi passionate isn't a curse. It's been around throughout history, such as the polymath and the Renaissance man or woman. It's your competitive advantage. if you learn to manage your focus with intention and place. If you take one thing away from this video,

and that is to stop comparing your path to someone else's. Because most high potential sites don't follow traditional timelines, you're not climbing one ladder like everyone else, and just because someone else looks like they got the next ten years planned out. doesn't mean that you're behind. Think about this way you're just taking. The more scenic route. to where you're going, and that's where all the best stories come from. Because whenever I felt like I should be doing more or knowing what's. next, the beautiful quote from Steve Jobs viral commencement speech at Stanford.

It always reminds me to stay in my lane. You can't connect the dots looking forward. You can only connect them looking backwards. So you have to trust that the dots was somehow connect in your future. And I'll be honest with you, I'm still figuring this out. But these are the ideas in the video that made me manage. my multi passion of life better over time, and allow me to pursue what matters in my seasonal life right now. I love to hear about your experience being a multi passionate person.

and any tips that you can share too. Thanks for watching and I'll see you in the next video.