The Renaissance Soul by Margaret Lobenstine
Tagline: Life Design for People with Too Many Passion to
Pick Just One
In high school, I was highly successful, I graduated 3rd
in my class, had the lead in the musical, captain of the golf team, on the
class advisory board. You name it, I was probably involved in it. This
lifestyle was celebrated by family and for college acceptance packages, yet as
I grew up it was expected that my interest should narrow and now the celebrated
lifestyles seem to be of those who dedicate their life to one activity and
excel at it. Did I miss a key to growing up? Is there something wrong with me?
This book answers those questions and gives direction to people like me who
still desire to do it all and well.
Today’s society defines people with a plethora of interest
as scatter brained, flighty, easily distracted, passionate but unable to commit
to projects. This book starts with defining what a Renaissance Soul is and
giving historical examples like my influencer Da Vinci and one of the greatest
Renaissance Souls, Benjamin Franklin. There are 4 parts to Lobenstine’s book:
-
Part 1: Claiming Your Renaissance Soul
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Part 2: Thriving on Many Interests without
felling scattered
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Part 3: Practical Realities: Career Design for Pursuing
your Passion
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Park 4: Successful Life Design for Renaissance
Soul
This book makes many great points and I would highly suggest
it to anyone who feels like their vast passions are a hindrance and not an
asset in his or her life. Yet my biggest takeaway will have to be on her
concept of harnessing these passions. Lobenstine uses the analogy of choosing
an ice cream flavor to deciding what to do with your time. No one could eat
every flavor and not get sick (though many of us relish the idea to try). So
she gives the option of a sampler. 4 smaller versions of different flavors and
to return whenever you want to try 4 different flavors. So keep a list of all
of your life flavor or interests and choose 4 to focus on for a certain period
of time. Any time something new pops into your head, add it to the list for
later. Then you can manage the 4 focus points in your life.
My Current Sampler:
- MBA Program – fall classes until 14th Dec
- Blogging/Writing – focus shift for NANOWRIMO
- Running – Training for ½ marathon 19th October
- Sewing/Embroidery – Christmas Presents
Each item will be focused on until completed and then I can
pick new items to fill my sampler. This
means that my scrapbooking project or home reno projects will have to wait into
their turn in my sampler.
After your sampler is set, each week you can sit down and
decide what activities need to be done for the focus point. Once you have these
activities you set blocks of time in your schedule for Focus Point Time. A
great tip from this book that I am trying to implement is to set aside enough
time for all the activities but don’t specify the activity needing to be done
in that block. For example if I come to my scheduled block of time and find
that I am not motivated to write, I can work on my school work or visa versa if
I feel too inspired to stare at a textbook for a couple hours I can write.
The idea that there are many people out there with a Renaissance
Soul actually helped inspired by blog here. The Da Vinci spirit is for those
who don’t like to be defined as right or left brained, creative or calculating,
why can’t I excel at math and art. I hope this book inspires you like it has
me!
