Time Wealth and Multipotentiality
Redefining Success on Your Own Terms
We all contain multitudes. Inside, you live many "selves" – parts with different interests, values, and perspectives. The analytical problem-solver. The empathetic listener. The creative visionary. The structured planner. The playful explorer. This inner diversity isn't a liability – it's your greatest asset in today's complex workplace. This newsletter series aims to encourage you to celebrate the richness of your inner diversity:
Understanding Multipotentiality – making sense of having broader skills.
The Path of Many: Why Generalists Sometimes Struggle
Building Bridges: The Renaissance of Generalists – The underestimated potential
👉Time Wealth and Multipotentiality – Ways to Redefine Success
A Multipotentialite's Path Forward – Embracing Inner Diversity Without Falling into the 'Labour of Love' Trap
And if you want more, feel free to write me an email, so I can send you a recording of my masterclass on «Nurturing Inner Diversity».
The Courage to Embrace Multiple Paths
The pandemic created a natural experiment as our full lives became visible on Zoom. In this merger of professional and personal, organisations discovered that people are more innovative and engaged when they bring their whole selves to work. Research shows that generalist employees – those who leverage diverse aspects of themselves – are 51% more likely to thrive in ambiguity and 65% better at handling stress than specialists1.
During that time, I felt inspired to realign my own path. Although I didn’t know exactly what lay ahead, I listened to an inner voice urging me to explore what my life could become if I gave my multiple passions more room to unfold. I left my high-ranked position at Swiss public broadcast without knowing what was next – for the first time allowing myself to design my future by doing rather than planning. I discovered an unexpected passion for facilitation and program design while piloting the Swiss market for a global creative business school, which became part of my new work-life portfolio. This journey led me to coach global executives and individuals, take on leadership roles like managing director at crowdfunding platform wemakeit in a co-role, and later consciously step away when it no longer served me.
Portfolio careers aren't just about variety – they're about consciously choosing what nurtures us most. As a coach, I've witnessed firsthand how much happier people become when they redefine success on their own terms. But it took experiencing my own work-life portfolio to understand my true drivers: natural curiosity for learning and holding space for others. While doing do, I discovered one of my highest currencies – Time Wealth.
Time Wealth: A New Prosperity
Time wealth goes beyond having free time. It encompasses five key dimensions:
Free time: appropriate amount of freely available time
Pace: sufficient time per activity
Plannability: stable horizons of expectation
Synchronization: satisfactory coordination of different time requirements
Time sovereignty: self-determined conditions
A portfolio career gives me freedom to control my time – aligning work with my natural energy, scheduling meetings when I'm most focused, and syncing projects for balance. This flexibility extends to my personal life, allowing me to manage work, spontaneous activities, self-care, and relationships without feeling rushed.
However, time wealth reflects deep inequalities in society. Who can afford to work less without pay? The burdens of time poverty fall disproportionately on women and essential workers. True time wealth must be a collective goal that ensures equal access to the freedom to shape time.
Redefining Success
For a long time, the fear of not earning enough held me back from exploring my many passions. Today, money still matters—but it’s a means, not the measure. Regardless of how much you make, the most liberating shift for a Multipotentialite is redefining success beyond titles and salaries.
Having enough time and autonomy
Making meaningful impact across various domains
Continuous learning and growth
Integration of different parts of yourself
A deep sense of connection – to yourself and others
Your career path might look less like a ladder and more like a web – interconnected, expansive, uniquely yours.
In a business landscape that increasingly values innovation and adaptability, your internal diversity isn't just personally fulfilling – it's professionally advantageous. Those who can draw from multiple inner perspectives are uniquely positioned to thrive in complexity and lead with both empathy and vision.
If you've been trying to force your multifaceted self into a specialist-shaped hole, stop. The world needs your diverse perspective. Your non-linear path isn't a detour – it's your actual journey. And it's not just valid; increasingly, it's valuable.
These findings are based on large-scale research conducted by the O.C. Tanner Institute and are detailed in their Global Culture Reports and related articles. The research highlights that generalists bring a broad range of experience and thinking, making them well-suited to the challenges of today’s rapidly evolving workplaces.