In April 2009, I stumbled upon Barbara Sher’s Refuse to Choose, and my world changed. Suddenly, I realized that having „too many interests“ wasn’t a flaw—it was a way of being. It had a name: being a Scanner.
Barbara Sher described Scanners as people who are passionately curious about many different things. Unlike specialists, we don’t want to commit to just one path—we want to explore, create, and learn across multiple fields. Later, Emilie Wapnick coined the term Multipotentialite, reinforcing the idea that people with diverse interests can thrive without having to choose just one.
But how do we actually thrive as Scanners? How do we live up to our potential, create a fulfilling career, and stay balanced while juggling multiple passions? Let’s dive in.
1. What is a Scanner and Why Does It Matter?
My Story
I come from a family with many interests, so it felt natural to me to be drawn to different fields. But at the same time, I grew up with the implicit message that this was somehow wrong. We didn’t know what a Scanner or multipassionate person was back then, so people would say things like:
- “Why don’t you stick to one thing?”
- “You’ll never succeed if you don’t specialize.”
- “He’s squandering his life.” (A phrase I deeply dislike!)
Pain Point: Being Misunderstood
At first, others misunderstand you. Then, you start misunderstanding yourself. You feel guilty, ashamed, and lost.
The Turning Point: Finding Barbara Sher’s Book
In 2009, I found Refuse to Choose—and it changed everything. Suddenly, I saw my wide-ranging interests not as a weakness, but as a gift.
The Struggles and Advantages of Being a Scanner
- Disadvantage: Struggling to finish projects, feeling scattered.
- Advantage: Being able to see connections others miss, learning quickly, and innovating across fields.
Examples of Famous Scanners
Barbara Sher herself, Emilie Wapnick, Hedy Lamarr, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, and Leonardo da Vinci—all brilliant minds who refused to pick just one passion. Society loses talent when Scanners are discouraged from exploring their possibilities.
Exercise: The Map of Interests
Take a one-minute challenge: Write down all your interests.
Would you need more time? Much more? You might be a Scanner!
Permission:
Discover who you truly are by collecting all of your interests and passions.
You don’t have to choose just one—find your unique combination.
Takeaway:
You are right the way you are. Discover what you really love and give yourself permission to do it.
2. How Can I Live My Potential? How Can I Use All of My Interests, Passions, and Hobbies?
The Challenge:
“I don’t have time to do everything. I can’t be good enough at everything.”
The Truth:
You don’t have to go through full qualifications for each of your interests or pick just one major in life. Allow yourself to dabble. It all builds up over time. Enjoy the ride!
Building a Life That Works for You
Follow your bliss (Barbara Sher). Follow your muse (Elizabeth Gilbert). Use tools to structure your curiosity:
- Scanner Daybook – A place to track all your ideas, also known as Commonplace Book.
- Avocation Station – Small doses of what you love every day. Create a small set-up that makes it easy for you to do the thing you want to do. (like placing paints and paper near the living-room table).
The Minimal Effective Dose Strategy
- Start small. Start now. Do what you love and just don’t stop.
- Examples: Sing while commuting, sketch while on calls, listen to educational podcasts while cooking.
Takeaway:
Your way of living your personal Ikigai is a work of art. Think of it as a quilt or a collage that evolves over time.
3. How Can I Create the Life and Career of My Dreams? (Aka: Pay the Rent?)
The Common Objection:
“But, Jana—I don’t have TIME to do everything!” I know! I feel the same way.
Four Career Models for Scanners
- Good Enough Job – A stable job that pays the bills while you explore your passions on the side.
- Portfolio Career – A patchwork of different income streams and projects.
- Umbrella Career – One main career (e.g., writer, journalist, psychologist) that allows you to integrate multiple interests.
- Coach/Speaker Model – Teaching others what you’ve learned, like Barbara Sher did.
Reality Check:
No career path is completely easy. It takes constant effort to maintain balance, but you can choose what serves you best from the given options. And you can adapt as you go.
Exercise:
How can you maximize what you love without quitting your current job? Brainstorm ways to integrate your interests gradually.
Example:
I have a Great Enough Career, and I do everything else on the side, mostly without earning money from it—just for joy! I sing, play the piano and guitar, write songs, and perform for friends at private gatherings. That’s fulfillment, too.
4. How Can I Stay Balanced With Too Many Interests?
The Reality of a Scanner’s Life
- You need a whole portfolio of balancing strategies to make it work.
- Your creative work will always be incomplete.
- Even your balance is incomplete most of the time.
- So, make being balanced one of your interests.
Strategies for Balance:
- Exercise, meditation, yoga, and massage techniques.
- Recognizing that some projects won’t be finished, and that’s okay.
- Structuring your creative bursts into manageable chunks.
Conclusion: Build a Scanner Mindset
Give Yourself Permission To:
✅ Be yourself—with all of your interests and passions.
✅ Follow your bliss.
✅ Adapt strategies for a creative, productive life.
✅ See your life as an evolving work in progress.
✅ Find people like you—they exist!
✅ Ask and train your inner gyroscope that tells you what’s right for YOU.
POEM My Personal Universe
I am unique in the entire universe.
My gifts exist in this way only within me.
Only I can live my life,
use my gifts,
and follow my life’s purpose,
which reveals itself through them.
My gifts have been given to me.
They define my destiny.
My creativity can only be expressed by me.
To do so is my gift in return
to the creative force. To the world.
This is my obligation.
It is not for me to decide.
It is for me to do.
To do what brings me joy.
To do what I love.
To do what has been given to me.