This sounds like you must have read the Children of Time series by Adrian Tchaikovsky.
And if you haven’t, I recommend reading it, especially for all the Octopus people out there. It confirms many of the Octopus personality traits you described and adds some more facets.
I’m about to finish the third book and had to click on your post when I saw the title. Really enjoyed reading it. Thanks
Thanks Simon never heard of this book series, I read a quick summary online, so apparently there’s some kind of super evolved race of Octopuses? I’ll be honest, I probably won’t read the book, but just curious what the Octopus people do in the novel? If it’s too hard/long to explain don’t worry about it, I’m just curious how they’re portrayed.
the way the octopi (There's a debate in the book about the correct plural form. I think it said that octopi is actually not the correct word) are described in the novel, overlaps a lot with the attributes you used to describe 'Octopus People'.
Here's some key characteristics:
Curiosity:
This is the dominant character trait described in the novel. It's the main driver for everything the octopi do. Humans can't train them like Pavlov's dog, since they are not after quick rewards, but after novelty.
Visual communication:
This causes one of the barriers of human-octopus understanding. Octopi use their skin (color and structure) and movement (dancing with their many arms) to communicate. Their communication is much more emotion focused, and it's an effort for them to not communicate. They constantly wear their emotions and opinions on their skin.
Disloyalty in a positive way:
They are open to new ideas and arguments, and can easily be persuaded to switch sides in a discussion, without being called traitor by their previous allies.
Distributed brain and consciousness:
There's an interesting relationship between the head brain (called 'Crown' in the novel) and the arm brains (called 'Reach'). The 'Crown' can set a goal, and the arms work together but independently from the 'Crown' on a solution. When the problem is solved, the octopus - or the 'Crown' of the octopus - might not understand how the goal was achieved.
I'm not sure where to draw the line between actual octopus biology and fiction, but I guess that's intended in good science fiction writing.
Thanks Simon, I googled and there seems to be no official term for plural octopuses, perhaps because they tend to be solitary creatures and are not found in groups.
These traits from the book are interesting, curiosity is definitely a dominant trait as well as the distributed brain. It’s interesting how disloyalty is framed, Octopus people tend to get bored easily or lose interest in things so might be seen as flighty, changing their mind, or “switching teams” often.
What I like about the novel’s characterizations is that there are perhaps some downsides to being an Octopus, I will probably elaborate on what I think these are in a future post. I think we need to be realistic that every personality type has shadow/risk sides that must be dealt with and overcome or minimally at least acknowledged so one can still operate effectively as an Octopus despite those potentially negative traits.
Thanks for taking the time to provide this summary!
That's so strange... it's not the first time this week I've come across a recommendation to read *Children of Time*, and in the most unexpected contexts. The book has been downloaded on my Kindle for a while now, so it seems like its time has come.
Love this. Couldn't agree more... I wrote a similar (albeit, far less articulate) article about having many creative interests and a rejection of 'specialisation' or 'finding a niche'. It's called 'Stay In Your Lane, Boy' if anyone cares to read it...https://thecommoncentrist.substack.com/p/stay-in-your-lane-boy
Hi Pete, glad you like the concept, I read your Stay In Your Lane post, I thought it was great, definitely a common conundrum for artists, musicians, and other creative people trying to make a living from their craft. By definition creative people have diverse interests, so it is tough when the market demands they focus only on one. It does seem to be possible, but difficult.
This is great. I'm definitely an Octopus person. I work part time as an adult education tutor (teaching creative writing and leading guided walks), part time as a wildlife surveyor. I'm also a conservation volunteer and a writer.
Hi Juliet, glad to meet a fellow Octopus! I like that your "tentacles" are different but also do seem to have a common thread of nature/wildlife/conservation. Will be interested to see where your projects take you.
Ah good, now I'll have to change my Substack's name from Multipassionaut.... :) Just kidding.
But Dave, loved your piece and it resonated with me so deeply. Not many people understand it around me why I have so many interests and why I'm dancing between those. Coming up with The Octopus Life approach is awesome, cannot wait to read more of your thoughts on that.
Sometimes I still struggle to find balance between roaming around my different interests, passions, and curiosity, but time to time I realize that a pinch of imbalance is not a bad thing to explore and create a new path.
So nowadays, I embrace this even more. I distinguish between the "octopus arms" where I focus on balance (health, friends, love, mental health, spirituality) and where I allow myself to surf on the waves of imbalance (experimenting with creative pursuits, day job, hobbies).
While all human beings' lives are kinda about constant exploration, experiments, and balancing, I believe that the life of an Octopus has these at an even greater magnitude. And while I used to be more anxious about it, now I just try to enjoy the permanency exploration and experimentation.
I like the Multipassionaut name, you should keep it!
Glad the piece resonated with you. I feel like the world has become so specialized that Octopus people are seen as oddities. But I also think there are more “closeted” Octopus people out there, they’ve just been forced into a specialist mold and haven’t been allowed to live as an Octopus. They just need to see that Octopus lives are a viable option.
Keep being yourself, stay curious and enjoy your meandering explorations!
Dave, great post. I believe I am very much the same as you. I have endured career-choice-paralysis out of an unwavering discomfort of choosing one thing for the rest of my life. That concept still perturbs me. Octopus life is a fantastic analogy, and I can't help but get excited by the prospect of living one myself. I do think, however, that it's a luxury you can buy yourself if you are wealthy and well-established, or the inverse as well - a life you can lead if you are willing to make certain sacrifices (a big home in a nice area, or a family). I guess what I'm saying is that I believe it's hard to achieve - however I'd gladly be proved wrong! Thanks for the post - a refreshing read. Subbing for more stuff life this.
Hi Ned, thanks for the comment and for subscribing, glad you like the Octopus analogy. How to fund an Octopus life is a definitely a big challenge, especially if you don’t want to be forced to do one thing as your main occupation and source of income. But with the rise of freelancing/fractional work, and the ability to monetize creative projects like never before, I think it’s possible to cobble together the equivalent of one full time job’s traditional salary. I’m working on this now and hope to make it work, and show other people what’s possible. I’m not independently wealthy but I do have some cushion for experimentation, which I don’t take for granted, and don’t assume everyone has. But the nice thing is it doesn’t have to be an “all or nothing” endeavor. One can “add a tentacle” to one’s existing occupation and build from there.
Adding a tentacle at a time... that's a great point. It could be seen as a longer term, more gradual goal. Well power to you anyway, I'm excited to follow your journey.
There's a book by Barbara Sher (Refuse to Choose) about people she calls "Scanners" and it's pretty much the same thing, though analogy to Octopus feels much better. Thank you for this content, finally I found a spirit animal (other than Sloth) I can relate to!
Hi Jacek, yup I’ve heard of Barbara, I think I saw her give a talk on Youtube but have not read her book. I don’t like the term “scanners” because it just implies looking at options but not necessarily doing anything, but I get her point.
I can be a sloth sometimes too :) I’m a slothopus.
I immediately thought of Barbara Sher’s “Refuse to Choose” as well. Probably worth the read for an insight or two, but it also sounds like you’ve given a lot of thought to this as well. Love the octopus spirit animal idea.
It’s been a while since I’ve read it, and it looks like I haven’t finished my notes on it yet. But I do remember her being an awesome cheerleader for embracing one’s uniqueness. Like, it’s okay to be who you are and here’s how to deal with being interested in and curious about everything. 😆 She covers many things you touched on (this and the other post) in more depth. Like, famous “scanners” throughout history, strategies for being a scanner (or octopus!), identifying different types of scanners, exercises, etc. A fun quote: “To Scanners the world is like a big candy store full of fascinating opportunities, and all they want is to reach out and stuff their pockets.” I believe I discovered her through Emilie Wapnick who later described the same thing as “Multipotentialites” in her TEDx talk, book “How To Be Everything” (haven’t read that one yet) and community “Puttylike.”
Got it thanks Justin, I may give that book a try, I like the idea of just totally embracing this way of life and being OK with it. Other people have recommended David Epstein's "Range" which I haven't read either. I did watch Emilie's TED talk about Multipotentialites and thought it was great. It is interesting how many different names there are for Octopus people, I suppose in a funny way it makes sense, that we have so many interests and we think about things in so many different ways, we may as well have many names for ourselves too! I would love to join Emilie's community but I'm a bit short on community cash at the moment. Thanks for sharing your experience with the book.
Of course, isn't it great!? Thanks for laying out the Octopus concept! And thanks for mentioning "Range" again / it looks like I'm going to have to pick that one up sooner rather than later.
This is brilliant! I resonate a lot with it - in fact I've just started my own newsletter on substack and I'll be talking about unexpected connections between all my interests: tech, yoga, music, movies, space, and more.
Octopus people sounds like a character out of Doctor Who, but I get the sentiment.
The problem is work taking so much of our lives, typically up to half of our conscious waking hours. I think I came to the conclusion recently that maybe it's better to focus on seeking purpose outside of the 9 to 5, rather than within it. If you can find purpose in your work, amazing, but having tried so many different roles, I'm wondering if I've put too much emphasis on this and not enough in creating a life outside of work that I'm happy with.
Hi Zed, this is a legit strategy. It is really hard to expect our day job to be filled with meaning and purpose, largely because as an employee, we are helping achieve someone else's dream. And no matter how hard we try, we may just not be able to find that perfect role that ticks all the boxes. I feel like I've encountered only a handful of people who seem truly "aligned" with their jobs.
But going solo as an entrepreneur is also not for everyone, that's a hard path of another kind. So for those who prefer a 9 to 5, if you can find meaningful work, then great as you say, but if you cannot, I think it's perfectly reasonable to find a day job that pays the bills and doesn't make you miserable, then fill your nights and weekends with things that make you happy.
Dave, thank you so much for writing this. I feel so seeeeeen!
What you're saying resonates deeply; I found myself nodding along throughout the piece, feeling like "ahhh, finally someone who gets it" — incredibly validating and refreshing. The "octopus person" label is brilliant and memorable, and I'm excited to consider myself a member of this multi-tentacled crew. Also I absolutely love the clarity of your writing, and the visuals are such a nice touch.
Can't wait to follow along the rest of your journey!
Cool thanks Vidhika, glad you like it and welcome to the Octopus Family :) Hopefully having an Octopus Life will be more accepted and adopted, so we can live with more freedom and less constriction!
Thank you for finally giving me a word to describe my own characteristics! I am definitely an Octopus person, and I need to have many tentacles out there in the world to swim. The comments here have been inspiring and educational too. I’m going to research this some more now.
Hi Rebecca, it’s nice to meet another Octopus person! And I’m glad this is resonating with you, I think a lot of people desire to think and live this way but our specialized work world causes us to suppress or deny it. I want to support and encourage people to live their true, fullest selves and not limit what they can do. I wish you the best in your journey!
I have not looked deeply into the research, but I'm pretty sure you are right. Some other people who work in this space have told me ADHD, giftedness, etc are common traits of generalists/polymaths. Can I ask how you were diagnosed? How do they actually determine if you have ADHD, is it some kind of written test or physical test or something else? I haven't been diagnosed but I think I have some ADHD tendencies.
Hi Dave, the official diagnosis is firstly a questionnaire. For people after ADHD medication there are extra steps after that (at least in my country - Australia).
Hi Jessica, I read your post, thanks for your honesty in sharing your story. I also read your latest post, I'm glad to hear you're coming out of your burnout season and are doing better. I wish you all the best in your ongoing journey of self-discovery and improvement in this next season.
Banger. Such a helpful model. Slays the specialization lords. And nearly all of the charlatan coaches out there who never move any needles out there preaching the gospels. This model is apocryphal. Wonderful.
This sounds like you must have read the Children of Time series by Adrian Tchaikovsky.
And if you haven’t, I recommend reading it, especially for all the Octopus people out there. It confirms many of the Octopus personality traits you described and adds some more facets.
I’m about to finish the third book and had to click on your post when I saw the title. Really enjoyed reading it. Thanks
Thanks Simon never heard of this book series, I read a quick summary online, so apparently there’s some kind of super evolved race of Octopuses? I’ll be honest, I probably won’t read the book, but just curious what the Octopus people do in the novel? If it’s too hard/long to explain don’t worry about it, I’m just curious how they’re portrayed.
Hi Dave,
the way the octopi (There's a debate in the book about the correct plural form. I think it said that octopi is actually not the correct word) are described in the novel, overlaps a lot with the attributes you used to describe 'Octopus People'.
Here's some key characteristics:
Curiosity:
This is the dominant character trait described in the novel. It's the main driver for everything the octopi do. Humans can't train them like Pavlov's dog, since they are not after quick rewards, but after novelty.
Visual communication:
This causes one of the barriers of human-octopus understanding. Octopi use their skin (color and structure) and movement (dancing with their many arms) to communicate. Their communication is much more emotion focused, and it's an effort for them to not communicate. They constantly wear their emotions and opinions on their skin.
Disloyalty in a positive way:
They are open to new ideas and arguments, and can easily be persuaded to switch sides in a discussion, without being called traitor by their previous allies.
Distributed brain and consciousness:
There's an interesting relationship between the head brain (called 'Crown' in the novel) and the arm brains (called 'Reach'). The 'Crown' can set a goal, and the arms work together but independently from the 'Crown' on a solution. When the problem is solved, the octopus - or the 'Crown' of the octopus - might not understand how the goal was achieved.
I'm not sure where to draw the line between actual octopus biology and fiction, but I guess that's intended in good science fiction writing.
Thanks Simon, I googled and there seems to be no official term for plural octopuses, perhaps because they tend to be solitary creatures and are not found in groups.
These traits from the book are interesting, curiosity is definitely a dominant trait as well as the distributed brain. It’s interesting how disloyalty is framed, Octopus people tend to get bored easily or lose interest in things so might be seen as flighty, changing their mind, or “switching teams” often.
What I like about the novel’s characterizations is that there are perhaps some downsides to being an Octopus, I will probably elaborate on what I think these are in a future post. I think we need to be realistic that every personality type has shadow/risk sides that must be dealt with and overcome or minimally at least acknowledged so one can still operate effectively as an Octopus despite those potentially negative traits.
Thanks for taking the time to provide this summary!
I see this series all the time in bookstores!
As a fellow Octopus, you inspired me!
Hey Mark, glad to meet a fellow Octopus! Welcome to the tribe. I subscribed to your newsletter too, let's stay in touch on our polymathic journey!
That's so strange... it's not the first time this week I've come across a recommendation to read *Children of Time*, and in the most unexpected contexts. The book has been downloaded on my Kindle for a while now, so it seems like its time has come.
Maybe it’s a sign you should read it! I have it on my to-read list too.
Love this. Couldn't agree more... I wrote a similar (albeit, far less articulate) article about having many creative interests and a rejection of 'specialisation' or 'finding a niche'. It's called 'Stay In Your Lane, Boy' if anyone cares to read it...https://thecommoncentrist.substack.com/p/stay-in-your-lane-boy
Hi Pete, glad you like the concept, I read your Stay In Your Lane post, I thought it was great, definitely a common conundrum for artists, musicians, and other creative people trying to make a living from their craft. By definition creative people have diverse interests, so it is tough when the market demands they focus only on one. It does seem to be possible, but difficult.
Thank you. I appreciate that.
This is great. I'm definitely an Octopus person. I work part time as an adult education tutor (teaching creative writing and leading guided walks), part time as a wildlife surveyor. I'm also a conservation volunteer and a writer.
Hi Juliet, glad to meet a fellow Octopus! I like that your "tentacles" are different but also do seem to have a common thread of nature/wildlife/conservation. Will be interested to see where your projects take you.
Thanks Dave. I should also add that I craft things too, I enjoy sewing and making jewellery.
In that case you are a true Octopus!
Thanks!
Ah good, now I'll have to change my Substack's name from Multipassionaut.... :) Just kidding.
But Dave, loved your piece and it resonated with me so deeply. Not many people understand it around me why I have so many interests and why I'm dancing between those. Coming up with The Octopus Life approach is awesome, cannot wait to read more of your thoughts on that.
Sometimes I still struggle to find balance between roaming around my different interests, passions, and curiosity, but time to time I realize that a pinch of imbalance is not a bad thing to explore and create a new path.
So nowadays, I embrace this even more. I distinguish between the "octopus arms" where I focus on balance (health, friends, love, mental health, spirituality) and where I allow myself to surf on the waves of imbalance (experimenting with creative pursuits, day job, hobbies).
While all human beings' lives are kinda about constant exploration, experiments, and balancing, I believe that the life of an Octopus has these at an even greater magnitude. And while I used to be more anxious about it, now I just try to enjoy the permanency exploration and experimentation.
I like the Multipassionaut name, you should keep it!
Glad the piece resonated with you. I feel like the world has become so specialized that Octopus people are seen as oddities. But I also think there are more “closeted” Octopus people out there, they’ve just been forced into a specialist mold and haven’t been allowed to live as an Octopus. They just need to see that Octopus lives are a viable option.
Keep being yourself, stay curious and enjoy your meandering explorations!
Dave, great post. I believe I am very much the same as you. I have endured career-choice-paralysis out of an unwavering discomfort of choosing one thing for the rest of my life. That concept still perturbs me. Octopus life is a fantastic analogy, and I can't help but get excited by the prospect of living one myself. I do think, however, that it's a luxury you can buy yourself if you are wealthy and well-established, or the inverse as well - a life you can lead if you are willing to make certain sacrifices (a big home in a nice area, or a family). I guess what I'm saying is that I believe it's hard to achieve - however I'd gladly be proved wrong! Thanks for the post - a refreshing read. Subbing for more stuff life this.
Hi Ned, thanks for the comment and for subscribing, glad you like the Octopus analogy. How to fund an Octopus life is a definitely a big challenge, especially if you don’t want to be forced to do one thing as your main occupation and source of income. But with the rise of freelancing/fractional work, and the ability to monetize creative projects like never before, I think it’s possible to cobble together the equivalent of one full time job’s traditional salary. I’m working on this now and hope to make it work, and show other people what’s possible. I’m not independently wealthy but I do have some cushion for experimentation, which I don’t take for granted, and don’t assume everyone has. But the nice thing is it doesn’t have to be an “all or nothing” endeavor. One can “add a tentacle” to one’s existing occupation and build from there.
Adding a tentacle at a time... that's a great point. It could be seen as a longer term, more gradual goal. Well power to you anyway, I'm excited to follow your journey.
There's a book by Barbara Sher (Refuse to Choose) about people she calls "Scanners" and it's pretty much the same thing, though analogy to Octopus feels much better. Thank you for this content, finally I found a spirit animal (other than Sloth) I can relate to!
Hi Jacek, yup I’ve heard of Barbara, I think I saw her give a talk on Youtube but have not read her book. I don’t like the term “scanners” because it just implies looking at options but not necessarily doing anything, but I get her point.
I can be a sloth sometimes too :) I’m a slothopus.
I immediately thought of Barbara Sher’s “Refuse to Choose” as well. Probably worth the read for an insight or two, but it also sounds like you’ve given a lot of thought to this as well. Love the octopus spirit animal idea.
Thanks Justin, I may give it a read, was there anything in particular from her book that jumped out to you?
It’s been a while since I’ve read it, and it looks like I haven’t finished my notes on it yet. But I do remember her being an awesome cheerleader for embracing one’s uniqueness. Like, it’s okay to be who you are and here’s how to deal with being interested in and curious about everything. 😆 She covers many things you touched on (this and the other post) in more depth. Like, famous “scanners” throughout history, strategies for being a scanner (or octopus!), identifying different types of scanners, exercises, etc. A fun quote: “To Scanners the world is like a big candy store full of fascinating opportunities, and all they want is to reach out and stuff their pockets.” I believe I discovered her through Emilie Wapnick who later described the same thing as “Multipotentialites” in her TEDx talk, book “How To Be Everything” (haven’t read that one yet) and community “Puttylike.”
Got it thanks Justin, I may give that book a try, I like the idea of just totally embracing this way of life and being OK with it. Other people have recommended David Epstein's "Range" which I haven't read either. I did watch Emilie's TED talk about Multipotentialites and thought it was great. It is interesting how many different names there are for Octopus people, I suppose in a funny way it makes sense, that we have so many interests and we think about things in so many different ways, we may as well have many names for ourselves too! I would love to join Emilie's community but I'm a bit short on community cash at the moment. Thanks for sharing your experience with the book.
Of course, isn't it great!? Thanks for laying out the Octopus concept! And thanks for mentioning "Range" again / it looks like I'm going to have to pick that one up sooner rather than later.
This is brilliant! I resonate a lot with it - in fact I've just started my own newsletter on substack and I'll be talking about unexpected connections between all my interests: tech, yoga, music, movies, space, and more.
Very cool! Sounds like you have a lot of diverse interests, go for it!
You may have just saved me from a meltdown
Glad it helped! Meltdown aversion is always a good thing!
I liked reading this. I think I might belong to the octopus people tribe🌹😊
Hi Desiree, thanks for reading this, I appreciate you stopping by, and you are more than welcome to join the tribe!
Feeling seen
Hi Erika, glad this resonated with you!
Octopus people sounds like a character out of Doctor Who, but I get the sentiment.
The problem is work taking so much of our lives, typically up to half of our conscious waking hours. I think I came to the conclusion recently that maybe it's better to focus on seeking purpose outside of the 9 to 5, rather than within it. If you can find purpose in your work, amazing, but having tried so many different roles, I'm wondering if I've put too much emphasis on this and not enough in creating a life outside of work that I'm happy with.
Hi Zed, this is a legit strategy. It is really hard to expect our day job to be filled with meaning and purpose, largely because as an employee, we are helping achieve someone else's dream. And no matter how hard we try, we may just not be able to find that perfect role that ticks all the boxes. I feel like I've encountered only a handful of people who seem truly "aligned" with their jobs.
But going solo as an entrepreneur is also not for everyone, that's a hard path of another kind. So for those who prefer a 9 to 5, if you can find meaningful work, then great as you say, but if you cannot, I think it's perfectly reasonable to find a day job that pays the bills and doesn't make you miserable, then fill your nights and weekends with things that make you happy.
Great post and heartening to know that I’m not alone in having multiple passions and foci.
Hi Rebecca, thanks and you're definitely not alone!
Dave, thank you so much for writing this. I feel so seeeeeen!
What you're saying resonates deeply; I found myself nodding along throughout the piece, feeling like "ahhh, finally someone who gets it" — incredibly validating and refreshing. The "octopus person" label is brilliant and memorable, and I'm excited to consider myself a member of this multi-tentacled crew. Also I absolutely love the clarity of your writing, and the visuals are such a nice touch.
Can't wait to follow along the rest of your journey!
Cool thanks Vidhika, glad you like it and welcome to the Octopus Family :) Hopefully having an Octopus Life will be more accepted and adopted, so we can live with more freedom and less constriction!
Thank you for finally giving me a word to describe my own characteristics! I am definitely an Octopus person, and I need to have many tentacles out there in the world to swim. The comments here have been inspiring and educational too. I’m going to research this some more now.
Hi Rebecca, it’s nice to meet another Octopus person! And I’m glad this is resonating with you, I think a lot of people desire to think and live this way but our specialized work world causes us to suppress or deny it. I want to support and encourage people to live their true, fullest selves and not limit what they can do. I wish you the best in your journey!
I think a lot of "octopus people" are undiagnosed ADHD 🤷🏼♀️ (speaking as someone who meets all these attributes and diagnosed earlier this year).
I have not looked deeply into the research, but I'm pretty sure you are right. Some other people who work in this space have told me ADHD, giftedness, etc are common traits of generalists/polymaths. Can I ask how you were diagnosed? How do they actually determine if you have ADHD, is it some kind of written test or physical test or something else? I haven't been diagnosed but I think I have some ADHD tendencies.
Hi Dave, the official diagnosis is firstly a questionnaire. For people after ADHD medication there are extra steps after that (at least in my country - Australia).
I share some of my diagnostic journey in this post: https://neurodivergentnotes.substack.com/p/finding-hope-and-beauty-in-the-fallow, but if you want to subscribe or follow I'll soon be talking about how I knew I was ADHD. Thank you for asking :)
Hi Jessica, I read your post, thanks for your honesty in sharing your story. I also read your latest post, I'm glad to hear you're coming out of your burnout season and are doing better. I wish you all the best in your ongoing journey of self-discovery and improvement in this next season.
Thank you for your kind words. Looking forward to hearing more from you :)
Banger. Such a helpful model. Slays the specialization lords. And nearly all of the charlatan coaches out there who never move any needles out there preaching the gospels. This model is apocryphal. Wonderful.
Hey Richard, thanks, glad you liked it!