Pull out your Scanner Daybook and a pen. I have some important questions for you:
You’re about to discover that you may be more than one kind of Scanner. So before we move on to the Sequential types, let’s do a profile of how you’ve handled your interests, projects, and ‘hit & run obsessions’ in your past.
It may not be easy to remember everything, all the way back. Sometimes we don’t notice we’re Scanners when we’re young because most of our early schools are designed to expose us to many different subjects every day. (That’s fun for a Scanner of any age.)
As a Scanner, you’ve probably always had lots of interests, for as far back asyou can remember. Has this part of you changed in any way through the years? Were you more or less interested in many things when you were younger?
See if you can answer the following questions about yourself:
- Before the age of 12 or so, that is before I had to choose a major or think about a career, what do I remember as my experience as someone with lots of interests? (Be general or write up some anecdotes if you can remember them.)
- What did I notice regarding other people with many interests as I went through middle school and high school? Did I know any other kids like me at school? At home? Were we taught about famous people with many interests? What was the general reaction towards such people?
- At some point, students my age were expected to start making some choices. As high school seniors or in college it was considered to be time to think of special training or look for work. How did I respond? What did I decide to do?
- In college or the world of work, what area of specialty did I choose for myself? What became of all my interests at that time?
- As time went on, did my interests change from when I was younger? Did I have different interests, or many of the same ones? Was there any signifciant difference between how I felt about all my interests when I was young and freer to be interested in many things and when I had to start making choices? What do I remember?
- When (if ever) did I begin to have problems with my Scannerness? That is, when did I start realizing I couldn’t fit the typical life plan if I continued being interested in many different fields?
- If I selected a profession, when (if ever) did I start to realize I had changed my mind and didn’t want the path I had chosen? About how old was I at this time?
So what’s your score? You know there isn’t one. But you can sense that trying to figure out answers to these questions is important to every Scanner’s identity.
Scanners are so very different from each other. Especially now, when you’re learning about types—that is, what you have in common with other Scanners—it’s important to remember how unique you are. Even among other Scanners.
These aren’t easy questions to answer (they were even hard for me). You might not be able to remember the answers to all these questions right now, but you’re stirring your memory so answers will come to you as you continue to work through this part of Refuse to Choose.
But for now, you are among friends who are glad they found you. So tell us: What did you learn? Any surprises?
Answer the questions in your Daybook, then share are much or as little as you feel comfortable sharing with us in a new comment below. After you share your experience, read the rest of the comments and reply to a few.
Please be sure to subscribe to future comments on this exercise or to check back here on Wednesday evening or Thursday morning for new ones.
Use the Next link (up above the title) to continue on to What I Learned from Chapter 13 after you are done adding your comments and reading the two pages of Chapter 13.
The sad thing about this exercise is I remember exactly what I wanted to do in all these time frames, but I never had a “career mindset.” I did silly stuff because I was trying to impress others or just not get hassled. Instead of having the conviction to tell others to pound sand, let me play the long game, and carve my own path.
Oh well, I’m there now. There aren’t too many “old” hobbies I have new flames for. I know the 4-5 I’m going all-in on. Maybe I’ll monetize 1-2; maybe none. But that’s the fun of it. Not making any long-term goals or plans. Just gonna try them all in the moment, and when I’m done, move onto the next
I spent a lot of time shooting hoops. I took apart my bicycle and put it back together. I enjoyed the organized height differential while mowing grass. I spent a lot of time listening to music. I enjoyed visiting the library. I was interested in girls, but I did not know how to interact with them. I felt like an outsider at school.
I was curious about theater types, but focused on activities that might give me the life I wanted. I thought about teaching and coaching basketball. I don’t recall having more interests than others or noticing others with many interests. I took classes during the summer based on interest (programming and consumer finance). My dad has many interests.
I started with physics because it seemed challenging for others. It got too hard for me in college. At the same time, I fell in love with economics. I enjoyed Communication and Philosophy, but viewed them as unprofitable areas of study.
I chose consulting because it seemed like a way to not choose. I continued to play basketball late at night and attended many concerts. I dropped the idea of teaching; I was looking for more money. I did teach in college. I eventually figured out how to interact with women, to some degree. I built a group of friends and organized outings.
I became interested in finance, perhaps an extension of economics. I obsessed over ways software and algorithms could help humans live better, perhaps an extension of an early interest in what computers can do. I continued to prioritize playing and watching basketball. I felt life would be easier if I could specialize, but I couldn’t stick to one field. I don’t know that I ever really felt the need to choose. I was adept at redirecting. I got married and ignored social interests. I feel like an outsider in my current community. I’m still curious about acting. I fantasize about success. I’ve lost interest in physics, economics, finance, and law. I prioritize mental health interests, body movement, and diet – better than I ever did before. I’d like to make music. I’m happy to share what I learn; formal teaching seems unpleasant. I still think about figuring out women, but wonder if those days are past. I dream of more social organization. I have idealistic ideas about how software and norms could be significantly different.
I find my Scannerness sharing a house with my wife to be a real challenge. I thought I needed to be someone for her to love me. I’m growing suspicious of that thinking.
I changed paths every few years.