There’s one question that hasn’t let me go for quite a while: Why don’t I really know who I want to be? There are people who have known from childhood that they want to be, say, doctors or astronauts. Once I’d grown up I found out that, most likely, this had been their parents’ goal for their children. But I used to watch people dedicating themselves to dancing, for example, and saw how they became professionals in their craft once they got older. So, what’s wrong with me?
I used to hate myself for being so indecisive. Career guidance tests used to show that I could choose whatever career I like. Well, thanks a lot, I’ve always known that! So, I asked my parents if it was a good idea to take a gap-year, because I just didn’t know what degree I ultimately wanted to get. That’s why I was taking courses at three different departments in four different universities simultaneously. Everywhere, I got A-grades — but there was never a diploma at the end of it. It was only much later that I managed to get a qualification as a professional coach.
Now, I’m really happy with my life. Things have changed a lot. All my experiences, my highs and lows have brought me to where I am now. And I’m glad it’s happened. There are still a lot of challenges waiting for me around the corner — I know it, and I’m ready for it.
I’m currently reading ’Refuse to choose!’ by Barbara Sher, and my eyes are full of tears. I have found my people. I am perfectly fine! Got it? I am fine! I’m just a ’Scanner’.
It’s so hard to watch people criticising themselves for the fact that they can’t stick to one path in life. They consider their best qualities — such as curiosity, love of everything new, a readiness to learn and find things out, an exceptional ability to explore the unknown, and enthusiasm for experiencing new things — as an awful drawback. But all these things make them feel alive. Who was it that said that ’a scanner’ should change his or her way of thinking and lifestyle?
’Scanners’ want to have everything not because they are greedy or spoiled. The reason for it is the same as the one which explains why your muscles need exercise. ’Scanners’ love variety because their brains process all information very quickly, and they’re ready for new things far more quickly then others. Often, ’scanners’ have a whole number of talents, and they feel that they were born to use them.
Most ’scanners’ aren’t looking for stability, which is so important for other people. Quite a large number of people consider change to be something terrible and threatening which could disrupt their life in unpleasant ways. ’Scanners’ adore change. They are not afraid of becoming beginners again and again.
Unfortunately, there are far too many stereotypes in our society. They make us think that if a person does not spend their whole life doing only one thing, they’re likely to end up in serious trouble. Why do ’Scanners’ give up what they are doing?
When the magnet that drew ’scanners’ to a certain job weakens, it means they have realised their goal. And when the goal is reached, that’s it. That’s why ’scanners’ lose interest. They are not simply frivolous, lazy or absent-minded — they’re just more willing to quit what they’re doing when they achieve what they’ve intended to. This is no more stranger than eating when you’re hungry and stopping when you’re full. It might be obvious, but ’scanners’ themselves find it difficult to understand exactly why they are the way they are.
As a result, a typical ’scanner’ passes through his or her interests and hobbies at breakneck speed — because he or she has a great intellect and a hungry appetite for more knowledge. Above all, ’scanners’ love learning about something new. This is our main talent. And we should be proud of it.
