How to juggle multiple passions
The most realistic method I’ve seen so far
Last week, I posted an Instagram video about how it is a blessing to have both a day job and a passion (different from your job) at the same time.
But sometimes it can be a struggle. Is this something you’re currently experiencing?
“Kukoyi, how do you juggle multiple passions and not get burned out?”
It was the last Saturday in July 2023. I was sitting with a dozen other creatives (artists, fashion designers, musicians, business owners, designers, etc) at Iwalewa Gallery of Arts, Lagos Nigeria. Attending the Lagos Creator Convention, I expected gathering of the state’s best artists and creatives.
At least that’s what the organizers said it would be 😮💨
I wouldn’t call an event with less than 25 attendees a ‘convention’, but I digress (yes, I felt played because the attendance was less than I expected).
We were sitting in one of the gallery rooms with Kukoyi, a multidisciplinary creative with skills spanning fashion, creative arts, publishing, and interior design. Sounds like a lot right? I thought so too.
But then, I’m somewhat the same. I have interest in multiple areas including writing, photography, marketing, painting, and music. And I have devoted some level of effort to improve these areas in one way or another.
But Kukoyi, he had lived out his passions, embodying the different personas each one required to thrive. Being the girl who had neglected her passions for too long, I needed to hear how he did it.
Back to the question that someone asked Kukoyi.
I will summarize his answer thus:
Delegate certain times of the year to different projects. That way you don’t get burned out and too tired from sticking to one project for too long. So let’s say you have three major creative passions, like painting, dress making, and writing.
Use four months of the year for each one. Of course if its a business that needs to go own without you, appoint a manager or someone to handle it when it won’t be your primary focus for the rest of the year. You’ll have seasons for everything, and you can put in all your energy into a passion when it’s the season.
This answer seemed practical. But as someone who is still nurturing multiple passions on a smaller scale, I can’t afford to pay anybody to manage anything when I’m not there.
I’ve not build anything solid out of my passions yet— by solid, I mean a business or even some sort of registered enterprise.
So, what’s the solution for someone like me?
In June this year, I saw an Instagram video by Salem King, a Nigerian community building expert. He explained how he handles this issue of juggling multiple passions.
One thing he said that struck me is that you can juggle multiple things in the background of your life while pushing one forward for everyone to see. So if you’re nurturing a personal brand, start by telling everyone the one passion you’re best at in the moment, or whichever one you want to start with.
The one you start with should reflect your highest level of competence.
Use that as leverage to get what you need — an attentive audience, a community, popularity, money, a solid reputation etc.
Focus on building clarity in this first passion. After a year or two, you might realize you want to pivot. When I started personal growth writing on Medium, I talked about everything — money, career, emotional intelligence, fitness, personality types, creativity, etc.
This year, I’ve been focusing more on better work — how to deliver more value and solutions as a productive person, an employee, business owner, or freelancer. That’s my pivot.
When I grow this community to the level I want, and it gives all the benefits I originally planned it to, I can create a different platform to cater to my photography or music passion (or maybe integrate it into this one).
And as Salem said, the good thing about this method is that you’ve built a reputation from the previous platform. Your future audience may not be same as that of your current passion, but when they research about you, they’ll see how successful you were in the first thing, which improves your trustworthiness.
If you never want to create a platform for your passions, this may not apply to you. But I hope that’s what you genuinely want, not because you’re afraid you’ll fail.
Do you think this method will work for you? Let me know!
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