

Why is the grass always greener?  A manifesto for overachievers  - kateroth
http://katemats.com/2012/04/01/why-is-the-grass-always-greener/

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jonnathanson
Great piece, and the first part especially reminds me of a term I came across
in psychological literature a few years back. It's called the
"multipotentiality" problem. (<http://www.tip.duke.edu/node/784>).
Essentially, the problem is that those with the aptitude for, and interest in,
a number of diverse disciplines -- typically, gifted individuals -- may suffer
from an inability to choose one path over the others, or to stick with any
given path long enough to truly master it. Additionally, they tend to suffer
from an occasionally crippling form of regret over the paths they didn't take.
(Da Vinci, one of history's most famous polymaths, is said to have remarked
late in his life that "I've wasted my hours").

There is some debate about whether, and to what extent, multipotentiality is a
legitimate psychological phenomenon. But I've sure grappled with it, or at
least something that feels quite like it, for a large part of my life. I know
plenty of others who have, as well. And your article really struck a chord
w/r/t the topic.

[I'm not saying any of us is a Da Vinci, btw. Just pointing out that even
someone who legitimately _did_ master multiple disciplines suffered from
"grass is greener" crises every now and then.]

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mgkimsal
I've heard this described as "too many aptitudes" -
<http://megasociety.org/noesis/138/aptitude.html> \- but multipotentiality has
a nice sciency sounding ring to it.

~~~
bane
A lot of this article seems to apply to INTJ personality types, I wonder what
the overlap is?

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jzycrzy
Reminds me of the saying: "The grass is greener where you water it."

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meric
There's no point thinking what would have been if you only chosen this other
path - If you really chose this other path, you are not _you_.

