Ep. 50 – The Multiple Interest Syndrome

Do you have multiple interests? You are sure you can do well at many of the things you are interested in, but you are not sure which of your interests you should start with. You may even be confused as to which one to invest time in developing. If this is you then today’s episode is for you.

I decided to add this to my breaking limits series in order to help those of you that have multiple interests. My desire is to show you a way to break free from limitations surrounding indecision and to show you how to live a fulfilled live: how to move from confusion to clarity and how to begin to step into the influence that God made you for.

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So What do I mean by Multiple Interest Syndrome? 

Let me tell you a story about a few years ago, I used to watch the shopping network, that’s the TV channel that has all sorts of really nice items that can solve all your problems as a woman. Like mops you don’t need to ring with your hands, and computer tables you can collapse and put out of the way to give you a beautiful home always.

Back then used to dream of making all sorts of great stuff,  While I am still thinking of one idea, I get distracted by another really nice one. Around that same time was when I wanted to create an online library of books.

If you are like me, you get fantastic ideas like water from a flowing tap. Anywhere you look you see opportunities and somehow your brain can develop a solution to the problems you see. Your mind works like a machine. And you don’t like to believe that anything you think is impossible, in short, you see possibilities everywhere. You even love to challenge assumptions and you come up with various solutions even in mundane situations.

You may even be in a meeting with someone and as they are talking, your mind is creating the solutions they need. You can see it clearly, you may even tell them about the idea and they find it really useful while other times they just can’t see it.

Your mind is truly a machine, depending on what book, movies, course or simply any material you are consuming or what place you go or who you talk to, Its very natural for you to see various opportunities and also believe that you can do it and succeed at it.

So Why did I add this as a limiting belief?

I know you may be asking why? Especially for those of you who find it hard to come up with ideas, you may not understand why I think this can limit people. I have seen a lot of people limited even with this kind of a great mind. It’s easy to come up with ideas, but whether you can succeed at it is another story altogether.

It’s easy to start but you either get bored of the idea or as soon as you face a challenge on the way, you stop. Also, there is a subtle fear of whether people will approve of your ideas. After giving up a few times on their ideas, you tend to hide your ideas or get scared of starting and stopping again.

One big problem people like this have is the inability to focus. You see, for any one idea to become fulfilled and matured it requires time and consistent work. However for my multi-talented folks, before their first great idea comes to life, they already have another better idea, remember their minds works like a machine.

They get excited about creating the ideas not so much for the execution of it. Many of this folks also have the lazy thinkers syndrome that I was talking about in episode 49, I will add a link below.

They become exhausted, confused and overwhelmed they can not decide what to do next. The same gifts seem to be their greatest limitation. You may even drive family members crazy. Many of this folks also have the perfectionistic tendencies.

I have seen way too many people that are not able to make much impact though they have a smart mind and though they can learn any skill really fast.

How can You be free?

If you are like this or you know someone with this multiple interest syndrome,  I am glad that you are listening to this. You see this is one of the symptoms that God has been working on in my life. Again this is a work in progress, but I am so grateful for where I am today.

1. Live fully devoted to Jesus.  Your idea must not be the one pushing you, Jesus must be the one. Make up your mind that Jesus is your lord, not your ideas.

2. Focus– “A double minded man is unstable in all his ways”. As the ideas come, you must write them down in order to focus. Don’t try to chase multiple ideas at once.  He who chases 2 rats gets none.

3. Recognize what each idea truly is:

• Sometimes they are distractions,
• Sometimes they are just passions,
• Sometimes they are for ambition.

4. Test your ideas out in private: to begin, you don’t have to announce all your ideas to the whole world until you know where it fits in your life. You may not be able to commit to it full time, just practice privately.

5. Test the strong ideas in public: As a child of God and tool in God’s hands, one of the things you get from the Body of Christ is to sharpen your skills, to practice your ideas. When an idea is coming to you, try it out in church with the support and guidance of your leaders and friends. Also, Mix and match the ideas into your life. For example, before you quit your job to start teaching people to go mountain climbing, go mountain climbing with some people, test it out, see the problems you can solve in it.

6. Live your life to the fullest. After decluttering, you will find some solid ideas that you can pursue.  Ask yourself: ’20 years from now, will I be mad at me if I didn’t do it? If Yes, then free up some time to pursue it.

And if you need help on how to turn your idea into reality, you should go to purposeuniversity.online to get the help you need to start. My husband and I created an online course there that will help you. Its called Ready Set Impact. Register for it, its free.

I know very many people that have so many talents and many great ideas but are not even bold enough to start one, don’t be that.

Conclusion

You were fearfully and wonderfully made, but you must live as a single-minded person. You must focus on one of your ideas and work it until its great.  It takes about 3-5 years to get a great idea to a mature stage, that’s if you know what to do. After that, you can then actually hire someone to continue that while you take the next major idea on the list and you also bring it to maturity and on like that.

All the best!

 

Ep. 37 – Effective Quiet Time Guide: A Peek Into My Personal Practice

Ep. 49 – Freedom From Lazy Thinkers Syndrome