Some of us, more than others, find ourselves drawn to a multitude of passions. In her book Refuse to Choose!, Barbara Sher delves into the psyche of such people and calls them “scanners”.
Scanners aren’t easily categorized. They’re the ever-curious, the ones with an insatiable appetite for learning and a zest for varied experiences. But it’s not just whimsical hopping from one interest to another. Scanners dive deep, absorbing the essentials, and often, when a new intrigue appears on the horizon, they follow its call.
In a nutshell, if you find yourself constantly curious, if you’re ever torn between multiple passions, or if you have a stash of half-finished projects waiting for their next turn in the spotlight, Sher’s insights might resonate with you.
Curious about the scanner mindset, I had a rather enlightening chat with ChatGPT (funny, isn’t it?). It’s all in this post: Not just book summaries: how I use ChatGPT to ask personal questions and receive coaching advice.
With a bit of ChatGPT wisdom in my pocket, I dug a bit deeper. I mixed some insights from Noam Wasserman’s The Founder’s Dilemmas with the scanner vibe. What came out of it? Check this out: Partnership arrangements with scanner mindset.
Let’s see what tips ChatGPT has for us this time. Here are ten actionable ideas that help an entrepreneurial personality harness the strengths of a scanner.
Rapid prototyping. Whenever a new business idea strikes, create a quick prototype or mockup. This lets you test the waters without fully committing, leveraging the scanner’s love for starting new things.
Idea journaling. Keep a dedicated journal or digital note-taking app for all your business ideas. Regularly review and annotate these ideas, so you can revisit them and combine them in innovative ways in the future.
Collaborative partnerships. Identify partners or team members who complement your scanner strengths. They can help see projects through to the end while you hop to the next exciting venture.
Short-term milestones. Break your entrepreneurial goals down into smaller, bite-sized tasks. Celebrate each accomplishment to maintain momentum and motivation.
Dedicated exploration time. Block out specific times in your week solely for exploring new ideas or industries. This lets you indulge your scanner tendencies without feeling guilty about diverting from ongoing projects.
Failures reframed as learnings. After each project or venture, successful or not, hold a reflection session. Focus on what you learned and how it can benefit future endeavors, rather than dwelling on what didn’t work.
Diverse skill acquisition. Enroll in short courses or workshops that align with your varied interests. This not only satisfies your scanner curiosity but also equips you with a diverse skill set that benefits entrepreneurship.
Networking across industries. Attend networking events or join online communities from varied industries. This feeds your diverse interests and can lead to unexpected entrepreneurial opportunities.
Regular pivots in what your business offers. Introduce seasonal products, limited-time services or short-term projects in your business. This keeps things fresh and suits the scanner’s love for novelty.
Mindfulness and self-compassion. Make mindfulness exercises or meditation part of your daily routine. This helps you recognize when self-blame starts to creep in and lets you address it compassionately, focusing on growth rather than criticism.
Being a scanner on the entrepreneurial scene has its quirks. You dive into varied domains, bringing in fresh ideas, but there’s also that frequent itch to chase new passions, sometimes leaving tasks in limbo. Merging Barbara Sher’s insights with some hands-on strategies offers scanner entrepreneurs a potential route through these waters. It’s less about fitting a specific mold and more about recognizing your scanner quirks and exploring whether these tips can help streamline the business journey.