Confession. I read a sentence in a social media post last year and it’s been haunting me. (Yeah, I know you shouldn’t believe everything you read or take it for applicable, personal advice.) Okay, it felt more like a directive: “Pick a lane, people.” I can’t exactly pinpoint where I read it or what the context was, but instead of inspiring me, the thought made me feel cornered in some way. While I work in marketing, technology, and enterprise business in my professional life, I agree with the importance of focusing your products, services, message, and mission. Having a clear brand identity, whether a company’s or a person’s, helps you identify with an industry, attract your target audience, and define your market. And, everything from social media followers to website traffic, sales, and people who invest in your “lane” do so because you picked a direction.

What if you have multiple interests or varied areas of expertise?

A couple of years ago, a colleague and friend, Ryan, asked me to connect for an informational interview while he was navigating some career changes. One question he asked was, “You seem to have many interests and areas of professional experience, just like I do, which can make it difficult for the job search. How do you focus them?” I was really glad he asked this question because I totally fall into the camp he described. At the time, I had just redesigned my website, expanding it from just entertaining-related content and ideas, to include other facets of my life, career, marketing, design, and travel.

My answer to Ryan was, try to find a common thread among all of your interests. For example, each of my blog topics and interests revolve around practical ideas you can bring into your own life, and bringing people together to create more human connection (marketing and dinner parties can have the same outcome!)

Also, like a chameleon, play up the different  pieces of your personality and life in contexts that apply. For example, when meeting a chef at a restaurant, mention you cook and write about food on your blog. When at a professional networking event with marketers, you can relate on your marketing experience and different brands you work with. Simply highlight each passion when the right time and place calls for it. And, you’ll find that you’ll attract the people who are interested in specific aspects of your work, creative projects, and portfolio, so those niche audiences will self-select the parts of you they can relate to!

Also, if you highlight a totally unrelated passion of yours in a job interview, it can make you stand out, and find others at the company with the same interest. In other words, sometimes highlighting the unexpected and showcasing all of you exemplifies the multi-dimensional human experience, and how awesome that you like to indulge in different interests to make the most of your life on this planet!

But really, should I pick a lane?

Sure, many people and companies are hyper-focused. But, it’s also SO common for both to step outside of their traditional. And, the more well-rounded you are, the more opportunity you have to connect with more people since you’ve essentially doubled or expanded your possible audience segments! I mean, how often do we see actors start their own apparel line, like Sarah Jessica Parker, Eva Mendez, or Fabletics by Kate Hudson. Or, video producers Palmer West and Jonah Smith, who founded Aether Apparel. How about the fact that Ellen, talk show TV host, has a lifestyle brand. ED by Ellen, and even makes bed sheets! (True story, I tried to buy them but they were sold out.)

How about multi-faceted authors? Reese Witherspoon just launched a new cookbook:

And Adam Grant is a Wharton professor, but also a podcaster, blogger, and author:

And, those left and right brained ambidextrous unicorn chameleons? Leonardo DaVinci was both an artist and a scientist, who developed flying machines based on bird flight, in addition to his most famous paintings like The Last Supper. Sure, he was known more as an artist, but he didn’t have social media to showcase his full self at the time (insert eye roll).

Bottom Line? 

Chameleons are everywhere. We blend in in multiple environments, we have lots of interests and a thirst for life. I’m writing today, starting a cooking class this week, and have a work trip around the corner.

I dabble in photography, travel to stay grounded, and I’m an extroverted introvert (check it out it’s a thing). If you can relate to having lots of dimensions, styles, hobbies, and talents, you are in good company! And, you get to drive your direction, add a new skill, pursue a new profession, have a non-linear career path, and craft your own story. While you’re Owning Your You, feel comfortable in your own skin, even when your environment changes. Blend in, or stick your neck out, celebrate your chameleon self and keep defining who you are – definitions are meant to be broken!

And just when I was pondering writing this post or not, I turned to chocolate (don’t we all turn to chocolate to answer life’s questions?), and the answer lied within the wrapper. It reminded me that our wrapper can change, and our story can evolve, but one thing remains the truth, you are you no matter what. This year, embrace what makes you, you!