I’m a masher and my work is a mash-up.
There are so many strands to include, sometimes I don’t even know what I do. In fact, there are definitely people at my work who don’t really get what I do.
So I try to work with the key themes that I find cropping up often.
You might be the same and want to ask yourself: ‘What are your themes?’
If you are anything like me then your multi-stranded themes can give you the edge in the workplace and in your business. Instead of a grey-scale worker, you are a kaleidoscope. Instead of pursuing a single discipline you’re a masher.
Here are some of the things that I’ve worked at:
Drummer, Recording Artist, Jazz Improvisor, Coach, Mentor, Education Consultant, Performer, Studio Owner, Producer, Blogger, Composer, Author, Publisher, Web Designer, Writer, Teacher Trainer, Educator, Workshop Leader, Group Facilitator
Now, whenever I’m in new networking situations, I’ve started revealing more and more about the range of things that I can do.
I used to move from one group to the next adjusting the persona that I projected out and trying to fit in by editing my history and accommodating who was around me.
It’s tricky to do, especially when each person asks you: ‘So what do you do?’
But there is a way of finding a number of themes that incorporate all of your skills and passions and allows others to connect with you.
It’s actually okay if no-one actually understands what you do.
I want to celebrate that I did web design for an international charity and worked as a band technician on the Jools Holland Show. The skills that I offer allowed me to spend six weeks writing songs at a local hospice and to also write and publish several books.
The days of the single job title and linear career path are over and the future belongs instead to those with a sense of their own themes.
My themes now are improvisation, play and creativity and how we can use them in our personal and work lives to find greater freedom, happiness and energy.