Does Having Too Many Interests Hold You Back?

I’ve heard that specialization is key. Choose something you enjoy and become the best at it. But what do you do if you can’t choose one thing? Does having too many interests hold you back?

Image by Jack Ross

I’m the kind of person who wakes up and does what they feel like doing based on what inspires me and my mood that day. If I were to rewind the tapes in my mind to my childhood, they would play back with images of me drawing, crafting, sewing, taking photos, sewing, burning CD playlists, playing guitar, and writing poems and songs.

The jobs I imagined myself doing were endless. It ranged from fashion designer, textile designer, animator, DJ, VJ, songwriter, beat maker, cinematographer, photographer, set designer, music festival talent buyer, etc. The list could go on and on.

A common “dream” is to have your passions become your full time bread winner. But where’s the fun in having something that you once did whenever you felt inspired become something that you have to rely on to eat?

And when I start to feel like the life is getting sucked out of me, then I’m no longer having fun.

But you know what’s not fun either? Feeling like you’re not advancing to the next level.

When people know exactly what they want they can write a list of A to Z steps to get them to that goal. No plan B, no hesitation, no distractions. 

I’m someone whose always been okay with plan B. Someone who trusts in the divine that I’ll always end up where I’m meant to be. But have I always just been getting in my own way?

We’ve all heard about how it takes 10,000 hours to become a master at something, but sadly it doesn’t count if you’re doing 8 different things in those 10,000 hours.

Imagining my dream life, I’m leisurely waking up in a new city every few weeks. Camera and partner in hand exploring places and having experiences that even the greatest science fiction novels couldn’t come up with. Somehow I will share my stories with the world in a way that is unique and meaningful.

Eventually I’ll end up in the countryside with a view of the mountains and stunning body of water somewhere. Simple life and beautiful views.

Sounds nice but what about all the other interests, where do they go?

I’m good at knowing what I don’t want but what if I’m low key afraid to actually get what I do want?

Sometimes the idea of having something is better than actually having it, but how would you know if you never get it? 

In writing this, I’ve realized how I’ve been living in fear without even knowing it. Being too scared to choose one thing in fear of not mastering it, being too scared to put all my eggs in one basket and being too scared to be vulnerable and share things birthed from my soul.

To give up is definitely easier and so is making excuses but I’ve been banned from the realm of self pity.

Does having too many interests hold you back? No, it’s a distraction.