Dabbling

If you’ve known me for any length of time, you’ve probably realized that I, ahem, dabble in quite a few passion projects. From blogging to flower farming, yoga instruction to managing multiple businesses—I’ve always felt pulled in many directions. And for the longest time, I thought this made me a bit… well, flighty.

Then, I stumbled upon Barbara Sher’s book, Refuse to Choose!, and my world cracked wide open. There, in black and white, was a term that finally described me: scanner personality. I was only on page 54, but it’s already the most validating thing I’ve ever read.

“You’re not going to find one passion so great that all the others will disappear… Your genetic mandate is to make many commitments and enjoy each one to your full capacity.” – Barbara Sher

Let’s pause and appreciate how discovering I’m a scanner has changed my entire outlook on life. I used to believe my inability to stick to one passion meant I lacked commitment, that I was lazy, non-committal, or even just a big, fat failure. Why couldn’t I commit to one thing? Why did I always get bored as soon as things got good?

And the worst thought of all: Why am I the only one like this?

The realization that being a scanner isn’t a flaw but an inherent part of who I am has been life-changing. Let me tell you how I stumbled upon this revelation—and yes, it’s a miracle it took almost 40+ years!

How I Discovered the Scanner Personality Type

I was in a “blogging” Facebook group (because of course I was, scanners love their communities) linked to the Elite Blog Academy. I was struggling to find the perfect domain name, so I made a post about my blogging struggles. Here’s a snippet:

“I have been sort of a stalker on here for a couple of years… I’ve started and paused several ideas. I thought I was through Unit 1, but I keep going back to my domain/avatar/blog name. Hopefully, some of you that have made it big or are struggling with this too can help a girl out… I’ve had many passions: writing about personal struggles, entrepreneurship, yoga, goal setting, and even mental health solutions. But niching down? Impossible.”

A few comments trickled in, but one response stopped me in my tracks: “As a scanner personality, niching down has been incredibly difficult for me too.”

Naturally, I googled “scanner personality” and dove down a two-hour rabbit hole. Finally, I understood myself. For years, I thought my scattered passions were a weakness. But no—ta daaaa! I’m a scanner!

Traits of a Scanner Personality

Barbara Sher describes scanners as curious, creative, and multi-passionate individuals who are never satisfied with just one path. Here are some signs you might be a scanner too:

• You crave variety and dive into new interests with passion and energy.
• You’re equally fascinated by art, science, languages, and new technology.
• You love starting projects and learning new things, more so than finishing them.
• You have endless creative ideas, from books and businesses to TV shows and art projects.
• Your brain lights up in nature or at rest, inspiring you with new ideas.
• The thought of sticking to one career or passion forever terrifies you.
• You’re great at making connections between seemingly unrelated ideas.
• And let’s be honest: your house and car may be messy (it’s part of the scanner charm!).

If you’re nodding along, you might be a scanner like me. And guess what? We’re not lazy or non-committal; we’re just wired to explore the world in all its endless possibilities.

Here’s the thing: now that I’m sober, I can look back and see how feeling like I never fit in—struggling to finish projects, juggling too many ideas, and fearing commitment—made me feel so lost that I used alcohol to numb the pain.

Embracing the Scanner Life

Being a scanner has its perks. According to Sher, our broad focus allows us to make connections between fields that specialists might miss. We’re open-minded, fast learners, and happy to share our discoveries. Sounds pretty amazing, right?

Of course, the downside is that society doesn’t always celebrate our multipassionate nature. We get called “Jacks of all trades” or “masters of none.” But it’s time we embrace our uniqueness. Some of the most remarkable people in history were renaissance men and women, after all.

I could go on forever about this topic, and trust me, more posts are coming. If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed by your many passions or worried that you can’t “settle down” into one thing, I invite you to embrace your inner scanner. It’s a journey worth celebrating.

Remember, if something scares you or excites you, try it. You might hate it, but you might not. And hey, you’ll never regret the things you did, only the things you didn’t.

Actually? You can.