What’s Your True Calling as a Generalist?

Many people struggle with the question of what they want to do with their lives and feel pressured to find and follow one true calling.

This is the idea that each person has a specific purpose or passion that they should pursue for their entire life. It is the ultimate answer to the question: What do you want to be when you grow up?

But where does this idea come from? And why is it so pervasive and influential in our culture and education system?

To have ”one true calling” is based on the ancient Greek concept of “telos”, which means the ultimate aim or end of something. It is also influenced somewhat by the Protestant work ethic, which emphasizes hard work and dedication to one’s vocation as a sign of moral virtue and divine grace.

However, in this article, I want to challenge the myth of one true calling and offer a different perspective for people who have multiple interests and passions, such as generalists and multipotentialites.

People like yours truly don’t have one true calling; they have many.

One true calling is limiting for generalists and multipotentialites. Having more than one calling is valid and beneficial. I'll give you examples, reasons, and suggestions to help you accept yourself, find your purpose, and be happy.

Why One True Calling is a Limiting and Unrealistic Idea

One of the main problems with the idea of one true calling is that it assumes that there is only one thing that you can or should do and that you should stick to it for the rest of your life. But this is not how many people operate. In fact, many of us change careers, interests and passions over their lifetime.

According to a study by the Bureau of Labor Statistics in the US, the average American worker changes jobs 12 times in their career.

Not to mention that because of multiple major shifts (COVID, layoffs, technological disruption…etc), multiple careers are going to be the norm, says the World Economic Forum.

This means that most people either don’t know what their calling is, or they change their minds about it over time (voluntarily or not).

Trying to find or follow one true calling can lead to feelings of pressure, confusion, and regret. We might even miss out on opportunities because we couldn’t explore our full potential. For example, if you think that your true calling is to be a teacher, but you also have a curiosity for psychology, you might feel like you can't explore or study psychology without abandoning your teaching profession.

Some people might argue that having one true calling provides stability, success, identity and happiness.

However, these are not guaranteed or exclusive outcomes of having one true calling. In fact, the opposite can also happen: relying a lot on that one passion causes a lot of harm if, for one reason or another, it vanishes. If you think that your true calling is to be a writer, but you suffer from writer's block or get rejected by publishers, you might feel like you are worthless and have no other talents.

On the other hand, having multiple callings can also provide stability, success, identity, and happiness if properly managed.

Having More Than One Calling in Life is a Valid Option

One of the main benefits of having more than one calling in life is that it allows you to embrace your diversity and potential.

Instead of limiting yourself to one thing, you can explore and express your many interests and passions. Instead of conforming to one role, you can create and combine your many roles. Instead of following one path, you can design and adapt your own path.

Having multiple callings in life makes you more creative, adaptable, and fulfilled. It helps you generate new ideas, solve problems, and innovate. It also helps you adjust to change, seize opportunities, overcome challenges, and cope with uncertainty.

And don’t worry, you’ll be a good company: Leonardo da Vinci (artist, scientist, inventor), Benjamin Franklin (writer, diplomat, inventor), Marie Curie (physicist, chemist, activist), Maya Angelou (poet, memoirist, civil rights activist), and many more.

These people are not anomalies or exceptions. They are examples of what is possible when you embrace your multipotentiality and pursue your multiple callings in life.

How to Embrace Your Multipotentiality and Pursue Your Multiple Callings in Life

If you are someone who has multiple interests and passions, and you want to pursue your multiple callings in life, here are some tips and advice to help you along the way:

• Follow your curiosity. It drives you to explore, learn, and discover. Don't be afraid to follow it, even if it seems unrelated or unconventional. You never know what you might find.
• Experiment with different projects to apply your knowledge, skills, and passions. Don't be afraid to try risky or challenging projects. You never know what you might create or achieve.
• Integrate your interests and passions. Don't be afraid to combine them in creative ways. You never know what you might create.

Your Definition of “Done”

If you’re from the software or tech world, you might be familiar with this expression.

To put it simply, it refers to the acceptance criteria for a given feature/tool/app or any specific deliverable. Since we cannot be working on something forever, we must agree on some form of end that everybody is happy with.

The usual wisdom when it comes to personal pursuits is that you have to ‘finish what you start’.

While there’s some truth to it, it may not apply everywhere and all the time. Especially when it comes to generalists and multipotentialites.

For us, finishing means something else than for specialists, who aim for external mastery. We are “finished” once we have learned what we wanted to learn from a project or pursuit. I know this from personal experience. I have tried many things so far, and I have often felt judged or misunderstood by others who expected me to stick to one thing. From the outside, I may even come across as flaky. And I know firsthand how it can be complicated to explain that sort of path in a job interview.

But that shouldn’t be a reason to be someone I’m not.

I’m not going to apply specialist standards to myself; I’d rather embrace my curiosity.

Finishing what you start is not always the best option, and you should redefine what completion means to you. It’s actually the best starting point.

Conclusion

One true calling is not the only option, nor is it the best option for many people, especially generalists, and multipotentialites.

Having multiple callings in life is valid and beneficial. It allows you to embrace your diversity and potential, and find your purpose and happiness.

I hope this article has challenged the myth of one true calling and offered a different perspective for people who have multiple interests and passions. Hopefully, it’ll empower you to embrace your multipotentiality and pursue your multiple callings in life.

Now I want to hear from you: What are some of your callings in life? How do you pursue them? How do they enhance your creativity, adaptability, learning, and fulfillment? Share your thoughts and stories in the comments below.

Until next time!

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This article is part of a series on the topic of generalists and how they can find their purpose. We’ll provide opinion pieces, but also practical guides as well as interviews with contemporary generalists who’ll share their journey with us. Stay tuned!

Check out my other articles:

• Every Team is Made Up of These 4 Personality Types
• Being a Generalist: How to Leverage Your Diverse Skills and Find Your Purpose