Why My Life is a Portfolio Not a Path (Yours Too)

My life is not a path.

It is a collection of paths.

And I am not just a writer.

I am a poet.

A husband.

A father.

A friend.

A healthcare professional.

A teacher.

A composer.

A marketer.

An artist.

Among other things.

My artistic influences are are not a handful of people who happen to be top-of-mind.  My influences are everything I’ve come in contact with since birth.

I am Southern.

But I’m Georgia Southern.

Florida Southern.

Texas Southern.

Louisiana Southern.

And Tennessee Southern too.

My family is American.

It’s also Chinese.

And Irish.

And Scottish.

And English.

And Prussian.

And Cherokee.

My career is not a path either.

It is a collection of projects.  And companies.  And groups of people.

This blog is not my only platform.

I use Twitter and Facebook too.

And other websites.

And email.

And print publications.

I even happen to like face-to-face communication.  One-to-one.  Small groups.  And big groups too.

Path-thinking, although poetic, is limiting.  It’s linear.

And the world in which I live and work is nonlinear.

It’s like a bustling city at rush hour.  A million different people doing a million different things in a million different ways at a million different times.

For years, I tried to live a linear life in this nonlinear world.

And I felt stuck.

I didn’t know what I was called to do in life.  (As if it were only one thing.)

I didn’t know if I was doing the right things.

I never knew if I was heading in the right direction.

I never felt my life was balanced.

Until I came to realize that everything in my life (and life in general) is a collection of things, rather than a single thing.

Think about your body.

Think about an ecosystem.

Think about the internet.

Think about language.

Think about a garden.

Think about a meal.

Everything is a portfolio.

A painter is a portfolio of his paintings, philosophies and influences.

And one of his paintings is a portfolio of materials, colors and textures.

And each color is a portfolio of ingredients.

My life is not a path.

It is a portfolio…

…of paths

…of projects

…of personas

…of places

…of people

…of platforms.

Your life is a portfolio too.

So quit looking for a road to take.

And quit misreading poems about roads that diverge in a yellow wood.

Imagine, instead, that you are Thomas Edison standing in his laboratory.  Hundreds of experiments going on.  People in lab coats bustling about.

And no one, neither you nor Edison, knows what will happen.  Or which invention or experiment will captivate people’s imaginations.

The only way to know is to try.  And try again.  Until something works.

The porfolio life is one of trying, testing, measuring and adapting.

It's about practicing a life of harmony, not balance.

It frees me to be whomever I need to be right now.

And do whatever I need to do.

And use whatever people and platforms are available to me.

And go wherever I need to go.

To do the creative work I am put on this earth to do.

(Creative Commons photo by Jim Bumgardner on Flickr)

Keitharsis is a blog designed to help writers & artists get and stay unstuck in their creative life (and everyday one).  If you like what you read, please help spread the word.  And join me on my new Facebook page too: KeithJenningsHQ

Comments

[Joe Bunting]

Great post, Keith. I've been hearing about your work from Michael Perkins and Jeff Goins. I love this idea.

It makes me think about how much of literature is written with from the perspective of "the path." Could there be a novel or short story structured like a portfolio? How would that look?

[Stacy @bklynstacy]

Fantastic post. I wrote about a similiar realization (not as poetically), that my life was one of "and and and," a little everything all at once. I'd been "one thing" for 20 years and suddenly not having that was challenging. But now I think I'm back to my natural state: a portfolio, a work in progress, an exciting experiment with results and echoes not yet known.

[Bubbleoffcentre]

love this, keith! vicki :)

[Larry Carter]

I love this. Our lives are portfolios...and connected ones at that.

[Keith Jennings]

Joe,

Thanks so much for reading and reaching out!

I think literature up to our parents' generation was path-oriented, because life was bound by space and time. However, in our world today, we can transcend space at least digitally. And we can cheat time a bit too with autoresponders, feeds, etc.

That's why I want to introduce people to a new metaphor and flesh it out. I think Creatives, even in past generations, lived and worked in more nonlinear, project-oriented ways.

I certainly think any genre of literature could be structured in a nonlinear way. Although some genres are more conducive than others.

As a poet and essayist, everything I do is nonlinear. Poetry books and essay collections can be read randomly without missing anything. I like that.

[Keith Jennings]

Hi Stacy!

I've always like the metaphor of a portfolio as a Creative. We writer/artist types understand the value of a good portfolio. We're only as a good and productive as our portfolio of work, right?

Thank you for your comment! Keep experimenting!

[Keith Jennings]

Thanks for reaching out, Vicki! Very intrigued with where you came up with "Bubbleoffcentre". I like it.

[Keith Jennings]

Indeed, Larry! Thanks for commenting!

I love that you pointed out the fact that a connection exists. My definition of creativity is connecting existing things in ways that produce new things (even if it's only new to one person).

And I believe we don't write to express. Rather, we write to connect.

[Michael Perkins]

I wish I could add something really poetic and insightful, but I don't believe I can.

I do believe though, that this post gave words to what has been on my heart. It's a liberating type of feeling to know that my life is a portfolio, rather than path.

[Keith Jennings]

Michael,

Everything I've been writing about on this blog (creativity, the creative impulse, creative block, roots, harmony vs. balance, tension) is connected by this metaphor of a portfolio.

And I can't wait to continue unfolding all this for you! Keep reading! And keep inviting others to help us think all this through.

Thank you so much for your encouragement, support and feedback. It means so much!

[Lindsey]

Oh, I love this - it's such an affirmation of something I'm personally coming to realize: that there's no "one" thing for me, no single passion or realization that will make everything else make sense. Instead it's just one big portfolio, as you say. I often use the image of a kaleidoscope - as much as I wish I were a laser, I'm just not. Much more kaleidoscopic. xo

[Eileen]

Lots to think about. I once wrote that my life felt like a mosaic...kind of like the picture you used in this post. If we focus on just one little square the picture is not going to look right and not make much sense. We have to step back and look at the whole picture for it to start making sense.

You reminded me of that when you talked about harmony. The beauty is the whole picture.

[Live The Dream - David Trees]

OK so I will say/ask something that might seem counter to what you are suggesting...

Where does focus come into all of this.
I was taught by a significantly successful person who, from a purpose point of view not money, is super successful...

Focus stands for
F-inish
O-ne
C-ause/Course
U-ntil
S-uccessful...

It's not linear to him it's all process oriented. Do you think/believe that "FOCUS" clashes with your thoughts and concepts above?

I like the way you have suggested this and I think it kind of reminds what it's like constructing a mind map, that is the way you're thinking & expressing your life's ebb and flow at the moment...

So, where does conclusion come in all of this or are there only a series of beginnings without any ends... Or is ending something that's too linear? If there is not any conclusions, how can there be any innovation which is really powerful form of creativity...?

Smiles... Keith, honestly, thanks for taking the time to craft this blog it is cool!

[Nikki]

"It frees me to be whomever I need to be right now."

For me the key is 'right now'. Who am I right now, in this moment, and what is my responsibility to it but to be present with it.

:) Great post.

[Keith Jennings]

Appreciate your comment, Lindsey! And your experience. Sounds very similar to my own.

[Keith Jennings]

Beautiful perspective, Eileen! Thank you for extending this idea and giving it some more texture!

[Keith Jennings]

Thanks for your comment and questions, David! They're excellent!

There are a LOT of moving parts to this. So I can't give a comprehensive response, but I'll try to respond on a surface level.

Let's start with focus. Every chord in music, no matter how simple or complex, has a root note. And that root note is the focal point around which the arrangement, orchestration and song is built. I believe the same is true for our lives. Many notes, few roots.

The tension at work here is depth vs. diversity. If our root note is to live as a diverse portfolio, we will not achieve much depth in a specific area. And that's fine for those that want that. For others, like me, their root note requires them to go deep in an area. But they give up diversity.

So both offer rewards and sacrifices.

Now, to your question about how completion/deliverables play into this. A portfolio is only made up of completed things, right? A writer's reputation exists solely on her published work. So the portfolio life, by nature of what it is, means having accomplished things.

Thomas Edison's successes were accomplishments. But, I firmly believe his failures were accomplishments too. Because he tried something and followed it through to completion. Then he learned from it.

This is pathetic response, I know. But the bottom line is I think we can focus on one thing OR many things. Our choice. And our life (or creative) portfolio is the collection of things we've actually done.

[Keith Jennings]

Thanks Nikki! Much more to come on this idea. This is just the teaser to get us started, so stay tuned!

[Live The Dream - David Trees]

Keith, bro, nothing you wrote in your response is pathetic at all :).
As a basic muso, someone who plays a little Bass G in church meetings, I get it all 100%.

Here is my challenge to us all... If that is OK..

I think, gulp, we can have honestly have both depth and diversity if we stay focussed, staying the course long enough and on purpose long enough to see it happen...

One apple yields many seeds which will all germinate in their own time if they get a chance, Ecc 3v11 - All things beautiful in their time, bulbs bloom in their time... the best songs come out in their time, a baby is born when it's time, generally...LOL. Got 3 sons I have some small experience of this one.

I totally, totally appreciate your "deep & diverse" response mate (aussie talk).

Thanks again for challenging me to rise to a higher level of life and purpose in the purity and care with which you wrote your response... You took some time I can tell. Blessings for that.

[Jason Vana]

I don't really know what else to add, Keith. This is a beautiful and poetic view on life, one I've been feeling for awhile, just haven't been able to put into words. Thank you for this challenge and encouragement!

[Keith Jennings]

Really appreciate your comment, Jason! Thank you!

What this idea of a portfolio life brings to the surface is our deep need connection and integration. Stay tuned...

[Jennifer]

Great post. Near the end of every semester, I get writing students to create (or re-evaluate) their portfolios. Not so much as a career tool, but a creative one, and a source of personal celebration. I ask them to include in it ALL creative projects, not just written ones.

But you present these ideas on a whole other level. It is officially my thought for the day. And probably tomorrow... Thanks!

[Jeff Goins]

Excellent. A credo for the modern creative.

[Keith Jennings]

Really appreciate your feedback, Jennifer!

[Keith Jennings]

Thank you, Jeff!

[Irilyn]

Thank you for the encouraging view Keith!

[cat york]

Love this! Thank you!