Ever start a new hobby and immediately Google “best supplies for beginners”, buy them all while also signing up for a course and making a Pinterest board? Welcome to the Scanner Personality club.
If your brain is a curious, creativity-fueled pinball machine and you’ve been made to feel flaky, inconsistent, or “too much” because of it, I’m here to introduce you to the identity that might just change your life: the Scanner Personality.
Here’s how I discovered a scanner personality and how it changed everything.
This isn’t a diagnosis—it’s a celebration.
You’re not a failure for changing your mind.
You’re not lazy for losing interest.
You’re not broken.
You’re a Scanner—and that’s a superpower.
So… What Is a Scanner Personality?
The term “Scanner” (which I actually prefer multi-passionate) was coined by author and career coach Barbara Sher to describe people who are intensely curious, wildly multi-passionate, and creatively driven by exploration rather than specialization.
Instead of walking a straight-and-narrow career path, scanners want to explore the whole map. We want to try all the things, learn everything, dabble, master, and move on—not because we can’t commit, but because curiosity is our fuel.
How to Know If You’re a Scanner
Scanners often:
- Start a project, fall in love with it, and then… wander away when it’s 87% done
- Collect notebooks, course logins, tabs, and Pinterest boards like a dragon hoarding treasure
- Struggle to choose a niche or commit to one “thing”
- Feel energized by starting… but heavy when expected to “stick with it forever”
- Think “just pick one” is a cruel joke, not helpful advice
If that feels like reading your diary—you’re probably a Scanner too.
But Wait—Isn’t That Just… Being Flaky?
Nope.
The problem isn’t that you lose interest. The problem is you were taught that losing interest equals failure.
Scanners aren’t scattered, flaky, or unmotivated—we’re expansive. We thrive when we get to follow our fascinations, cross-pollinate ideas, and stay curious. What looks like inconsistency to others is often growth, evolution, and creative pattern recognition.
You’re not “too much.” You’re just playing a different game.
How I Found My Way Back to Myself
If you want to know how I, personally, manage my Scanner brain and run multiple businesses without losing my mind—I wrote a full post on that here:
👉 Living with a Scanner Brain: My Favorite Routines, Rituals & Reframes
That post is the warm, real-talk version of this one. Go read it when you need a dose of “oh wow, it’s not just me.”
So… How Do You Make It Work as a Scanner?
Start by accepting that you’re different—and that’s not a problem to fix. Then, build strategies that work for your brain, not against it.
Here are a few Scanner-friendly ideas I’ll be digging into more in upcoming posts:
✳️ The Idea Parking Lot
A go-to spot on Pinterest for brain-dumping all your shiny, magical ideas without feeling pressure to act on them all right now. (I’ll share a free version with you below.)
✳️ Seasonal Rhythms
Instead of rigid routines, use 90-day cycles or monthly themes to focus your energy without boxing yourself in.
✳️ Project Menus
Create a flexible “menu” of projects you rotate through based on your energy and capacity. Some days are for main dishes, some for snacks.
Want a Free Tool Made for Your Brain?
I made a downloadable Scanner’s Idea Parking Lot to help you get those creative bursts out of your head and into a system that feels safe and not overwhelming.
👇 Grab your copy here and start giving your ideas a cozy place to live.
[Insert Flodesk form or link here]
What’s Next?
This post is part of a new series for Scanner brains who want to thrive in life and business without squishing their spark. Coming soon:
- How to Focus Without Selling Your Soul (Scanner Edition)
- Routines for the Restless: Building Flexible Structure That Works
- How to Build a Business as a Multipassionate Creative
You don’t have to choose one thing forever. You just have to choose what matters for now.
You’re not broken. You’re brilliant.
