What Multi-Passionate Creative Leaders Do Differently

Based on observation.

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Welcome (or welcome back!) to Multifaceted, a weekly newsletter about finding delight and direction in a creative life made up of many different interests.

It’s not always easy to find multi-passionate role models we can learn from. 

When we do find them, we might feel a little lost in their non-traditional and non-linear paths to success. Each creative journey is like a mad science experiment, calling for such an unusual and volatile blend of ingredients that the alchemist in question couldn’t replicate if they tried.

Just because a successful someone earned this credential and worked at that company doesn’t mean we should follow in their footsteps. Chances are, our interests – and our definitions of success – look so different from theirs that their achievements aren’t even applicable to us. 

So, what can we learn from the multi-passionate people we look up to?

We can learn a lot by observing how these creative leaders show up in the world through the work they do and the way they live.

After thinking about some of the multifaceted movers and shakers I admire, I came up with 6 things they do well. Maybe these tactics will inspire you to inch a little closer to your own spotlight!

1. They put their faces and voices out there 

One of the first things that sets creative leaders apart is their visibility. They don’t hide behind their best ideas or expect their work to speak for itself.

Instead, they speak up and take up space. They make themselves seen and heard. They’re not anonymous or invisible – they’re real people we want to follow and hear from.

A couple of my favorite examples from the Substack publishing world are

Hannah Ashe

(who writes about creative pivots and multi-hyphenate work) and

Anna Mackenzie

(who writes about portfolio careers). 

For starters, they’re both engaging writers with great ideas. But they both also share photos of themselves as well as podcasts or audio clips where they speak their minds. 

Seeing and hearing these women makes them both personable and memorable. I’m only a few months in as a follower, but they pretty quickly caught my interest and trust.

I know this more extroverted approach doesn’t come naturally to everyone. But, if you want to be known or remembered for your work, you’ll need to invite people to learn about who you are and what you do. 

2. They’re on a clear mission 

I know the idea of a niche can be triggering for us square pegs. But having a mission is not the same thing as having a niche.

A niche is mainly what you do and who you do it for. A mission is about your why. It’s the purpose driving everything you do, even if you operate across different activities and niches. 

Think about Oprah Winfrey. Her creative leadership reaches far and wide – across television, movies, magazines, philanthropic initiatives, book clubs, and beyond. She’s a multifaceted marvel stretching all over all the niches. 

But she has a clear mission that fuels everything. Oprah is committed to educating, inspiring, and uplifting women and children around the world so they can live their best lives. 

If Oprah suddenly decided to become, say, a large-scale installation artist, you can bet her work would have something to do with that mission. 

We mere mortals can follow this blueprint, too. No matter what we’re doing, we can make it clear to people how we serve them or the world at large. 

Once we do the deep work to understand our mission, it’s worth taking the time to communicate it to those around us. This might involve crafting bios or elevator pitches, or replacing bland job titles with original identifiers that speak to our purpose. (Some more ideas on this here.)

3. They radiate creative confidence and passion

Maybe it’s genuine confidence. Maybe it’s fake-it-’til-you-make-it flair. Either way, it comes across in a real and impactful way.

We don’t often see creative leaders publicly hemming and hawing, second-guessing themselves, or putting themselves down – even though we all encounter doubts throughout the creative process. (If you’ve been following along, you’ll remember that this is all part of the messy middle.)

When creative leaders share vulnerable glimpses into their processes, they do it to forge deeper connections and understanding with their audiences. They're not out there sabotaging and criticizing themselves. 

When they speak up, they’re confident in what they stand for. They’re comfortable in their creative skin and palpably passionate about their mission.

4. They’re unapologetically creative

If we can look past the fame and fortune, some of the most beloved creative leaders out there are more than a little weird – in the best way.

Take musician, actor, and fashion icon David Bowie. Wacky – and wonderful, right? While embodying personas from Ziggy Stardust to The Thin White Duke, Bowie wasn’t afraid to channel a mishmash of inspiration and leverage his artistic expression to the fullest. 

We’re all fascinated by his weird, arty journey because it shows us that it’s okay to be our own weird, arty selves.

Or how about entrepreneurship guru Marie Forleo? Her self-help book launch was a dance party spectacular. “Imagine if a Beyoncé concert and a TED talk had a baby.” That's how she pitched the idea to her publisher – and they went for it.

Literally nobody launches a book shakin’ it onstage like a popstar in silver pants. Except Marie Forleo – a former dance fitness instructor who never tries to hide her many creative facets. Although her business coaching empire took off and led her away from the dance studio, she stayed in tune with that passion. 

These multi-passionate doers show us dreamers that we can do anything.

5. They’re powerful storytellers

Those of us who follow non-linear paths may struggle to tell our stories. Where to start? How do the dots connect?

But multifaceted creative leaders own their stories. They turn wibbly-wobbly journeys into compelling narratives that evoke emotion and action. 

Plus, they know how to tailor their message to various audiences, delivering bite-sized insights without suppressing the whole truth.

Case in point: Emilie Wapnik. As founder of Puttylike, a blog and online community for multipotentialites, Emilie faced the challenging feat of condensing years of work and passion into a 12-minute TED Talk. 

The widely shared talk presented the problem of not having one true calling as a “superpower,” opening the door to a lifetime of interlocking passions and potentials. 

Framing this message in a simple, accessible, and complimentary way was a brilliant move. What underdog doesn’t want to be told they’re the superhero of their own story? 

It’s no wonder Emilie’s powerful message has reached 9 million people and counting.

6. They take care of themselves

We’ve been talking about some pretty high-octane people here. Leaders who not only have all the above qualities, but who also have hard-earned credentials, smarts, and unparalleled quality standards that inform everything they create. 

If that’s not enough, as multi-hyphenates, they’re not just pursuing one thing – they’re firing on all cylinders. They’re undoubtedly some of the busiest people out there.

And yet, they don’t let their work drive them into the ground. Instead, they prioritize their physical and mental health. 

Many influential leaders like the ones I’ve mentioned uphold work-life boundaries and cultivate healthy practices like daily walks and meditation. This allows them to show up calm and collected, not stressed and high-strung.

They know the best creative music comes out when they take good care of their instruments.

We all have the potential to be creative leaders in our own ways – even and especially as creative, multi-passionate people.

You don’t necessarily have to be an expert or a higher-up in some established hierarchy. Maybe you’re leading on your own small-scale project. Or maybe you’re leading by example. By shining your light, you inspire others to do the same.

So, a few questions worth reflecting on as you think about what all of this means for you:

• Are you in the habit of showing up as your most authentic self? 

• Do you unapologetically embrace your creative sides and your story?

• Do you know what mission you’re on? 

• Are you stepping into your full potential?

• Do you want to? 

• Are you afraid to? Why?

While you’re noodling over all of this, I’d love to hear from you: Are there any other admirable qualities you can think of? Any other multi-passionate leaders we should know about? 

Drop a comment below and let’s discuss.

More from Multifaceted:

Answering “What Do You Do?” When You Do It All

Reporting Live From the Messy Middle

What’s Your Why? (And Why Does It Matter?)