Comments on: Help me Define “Insanely Interested in Everything”

By: will fan

will fan — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 03:01:16 +0000

I was just looking for the definition of being interested in everything. I find beauty, order, and even chaos and seem to thrive from it. I’ve studied law, languages, programming, flying planes, violin and piano, finance (currencies and stocks, astrology, history, animals ect. The problem is, I can’t seem to find the time to do everything at once. My personality type is definitely curious. I seem to find a common feeling of belonging in almost everything I study. However, I am prone to jump from one idea to the next. Everything is interconnected to the point that I can find the beauty of music can be found in stocks…. Sometimes it’s a curse. Not being able to everything definitely makes me feel sad

By: kathryn

kathryn — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 10:51:26 +0000

ME!

By: Jarkko

Jarkko — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 15:19:09 +0000

@Scrubs: A sponge… I like that metaphor. That’s why I’m absorbing it just like a sponge.

I sure hope this approach will bring success… Otherwise, I’ll be doomed for spreading the idea over the internet ;)

By: Scrubs

Scrubs — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 13:19:45 +0000

I think it’s a curiosity in everything, just an ever growing thirst for knowledge. Becoming a sponge and learning every bit of knowledge you come across. IMO, this always brings success.

By: Jarkko

Jarkko — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 06:36:19 +0000

@Mark: That pretty much confirms my thoughts, thanks! I believe we’re on the right track to defining the topic for this blog.

@Ryan: Hehe, I know the feeling of having people roll their eyes at your ideas ;)

I just finished reading The Medici Effect, and your description fits perfectly what the author calls an intersectionalist: someone who works at the intersection of things outside of his/her own expertise.

By: Ryan

Ryan — Mon, 01 Sep 2008 20:59:18 +0000

Curiosity and ideas are what drives me. I’m curious about what’s new and I try to figure things out. I come up with ideas all the time – especially in areas not in my expertise. People tend to roll their eyes in my company when I say “I got an idea.” I’m also talented in the sense that I can think of new uses for things or adapt things for new uses. My only wish or regret is that I could focus on one thing long enough to be a success at it. I tend to start over a lot – like learning a program – because of distractions.

By: mark_hayward

mark_hayward — Mon, 01 Sep 2008 12:56:45 +0000

Hi Jarkko – well, I had a chance to mull it over and I guess “Insanely Interested” to me means that I have many goals, interests (duh!), and ideas.

People who allow themselves to pursue their insanely interested nature, I think, tend to be entrepreneurial in spirit and they are not afraid to fail.

By: Jarkko

Jarkko — Mon, 01 Sep 2008 02:56:52 +0000

@nimic: Good point.

That goes well with C2162’s notion that we want to make things happen: maybe one way we use to make things happen is exactly through reaching out to others and inspiring them (so that we can get inspired too).

@Joshua: That’s an interesting thought. I guess I need to learn more about ADD. But from what I know about it so far, I guess there is more than a grain of truth in what you’re saying. Switching attention from one thing to another sure seems to be something that goes rather (too) naturally for an IIiE.

Great thoughts so far! Keep your ideas coming! :)

By: Joshua Clanton

Joshua Clanton — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 19:51:28 +0000

"That’s why, to make the definition perfect, I need your input. I need to hear how you would define yourself, and what being insanely interested in everything (= many things) means to you." Personally, I think that one characteristic shared by many IIiEs is ADD or ADHD. This means that switching from topic to topic comes naturally (and is often a major weakness), but that they can also have amazing powers to hyperfocus when they find something absolutely fascinating. I'm pretty sure that if my educational experience had been conventional, that I would have been diagnosed with ADD. Speaking of conventional, most IIiEs that I can think of are pretty unconventional in their thinking, probably as a result of constantly switching topics, and thus seeing the connections between them. So, yeah... I'm pretty sure that I qualify as an IIiE. :-)

By: Nimic

Nimic — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 18:28:27 +0000

I think something else we have in common is that we want to share our knowledge. Educate, if you will. We want to reach out to others, not just for self validation, but perhaps to inspire meaningful change to others and the world around us. In sharing our knowledge we hope that others will show knowledge with us, who in turn inspire us further.