Have you ever felt like you live in two worlds?

You're leading teams at a tech company by day, but at night you're choreographing dance pieces.

Or you're a venture capitalist who's also producing music, or an engineer who performs opera?

You're not alone and you're not weird.

Welcome to the Ampersand Manifesto, the podcast for people who make their mark in multiple fields.

I'm Jessica Watt and after 50 interviews with Multi Passionate Ampersands, I'm sharing the manifesto, why we keep doing what we do even when it's hard, and what it means for how we live, lead and create.

Last month I Co hosted the Ampersand Summit in San Francisco.

For 50 people who, like me, straddle multiple careers and passions, the event was magical and one-of-a-kind.

The room was buzzing with energy and the 3 1/2 hours we shared flew by.

We brought together leaders, creators and change makers who refused to be boxed into one path.

The conversations were alive with curiosity and connection, ideas bouncing, experiences shared, and that quiet acknowledgement that we all understood each other's complexities.

Don't just take it from me.

Here's what one of our attendees said.

I've attended many events over the years, and this one was truly one of the most valuable uses of my time.

I had the opportunity to showcase my own work and watch others share theirs.

It was inspiring from start to finish.

You know the word Summit has a few meanings.

1 The convening of a group of people who have a common purpose, and two, the highest point of a hill or mountain.

For me, this event hit both meanings.

I first got the idea to have a larger public ampersand event back in April.

I researched venues, formats and grappled with questions of scale.

How could we maintain intimacy while also increasing access?

By June, I'd found my collaborators, Reichi and Steph, and we'd booked the date and venue of the San Francisco Community Music Center.

We climbed the mountain and it was a thrilling journey.

And then on the day of the summit, we were up there looking out at the clear sky and beautiful view.

As the last hugs were exchanged and the space emptied, I felt a familiar shift.

The high of performance day.

The summit itself was giving way to that tricky, all too familiar question.

Now what?

I've learned that for me, and I suspect for many high achievers, the days after a big goal are a roller coaster performance day.

Pure elation, the kind of joy that makes you stop and think, wow, is this real?

I actually did it.

But then the next day there's a full body exhaustion.

You replay the events in your mind, trying to savor the contentment but also wondering if it really happened, if it was all as perfect as it felt in the moment.

And then comes day three.

That's when the absence of structure hits.

The routine I built to reach this goal is gone, and suddenly I feel untethered, unmoored.

Wait, am I in a rut?

This pattern isn't just a quirk of my own personality.

I've heard that some Olympic athletes have their hardest year after they win a medal.

I'm not an Olympian, but I can relate.

The days after the summit, I found myself wandering through my schedule, looking for purpose in small ways.

That's when I got a request from my kids.

School volunteers needed to assemble yard signs.

This was it, the perfect opportunity to leave my house and put together 50 signs with my hands.

For the first time in a few days, I felt grounded again.

It wasn't recuperation in the passive sense that I needed.

It was regeneration, The kind of energy that comes from doing, from creating, from making something tangible in a completely different arena.

What struck me in that moment, and what I want to share with you, is that being an ampersand isn't just about juggling multiple interests or careers.

It's about having somewhere else to go when the main event is behind you.

It's having that freedom to shift focus, to apply your skills in a new way and to find meaning in doing other important things.

After the summit, I found myself reflecting on what those post peak days really revealed.

Here are a few of the most important lessons I walked away with.

One achievement is not the end point.

We often treat big goals as finish lines, but the truth is, the climb doesn't end when you reach the top.

You got to get down somehow.

Yes, the peak is exhilarating, but it's also temporary.

What comes afterwards, the pause, the reflection, the what now is where growth continues.

The summit reminded me that achievement is a moment to celebrate, but it's not a permanent state.

And that space afterward can also be rich with possibility to embrace the in between the days after a big achievement can feel uncomfortable, even disorienting, But they're the perfect time for reflection and learning.

We sometimes forget about these liminal times in between the big moments, but that's really when life is happening.

Life always continues to happen, so why not make the most of it?

The Monday after our event, I went to the Berkeley Rose Garden with my notebook and turned off my phone for about an hour.

I wrote down everything in my mind so I could capture these reflections while they were still fresh.

From tiny tactical things to big existential questions to all the feelings I was feeling in the moment.

I needed to write that all down.

Three from reflection to action for me after a peak experience.

Reflection alone can feel isolating.

Moving into action no matter how small.

Jump starts momentum and keeps you from getting stuck in a post peak lol.

Remember, action begets action and I knew I needed to take that first small Step 4 Regeneration instead of recuperation.

After the summit, lots of people gave me well intended advice to relax, chill, bask in the afterglow.

But I have learned that what I need most isn't just rest, it's also regeneration.

Doing something useful with my hands, helping in a different context, or shifting my focus to another area of my life reignites both my energy and my inspiration.

5 The Ampersand Advantage One of the most underrated benefits of living a multi passionate life is having multiple arenas to apply your skills.

When 1 milestones achieved, there's always another place to explore, contribute, or create.

As an ampersand, you can move fluidly between worlds and prevent stagnation.

Being an ampersand isn't just about juggling interests or careers, it's about building resilience and adaptability within your life.

As I reflect on the Ampersand Summit, I realize it wasn't just about reaching a peak.

It was about the entire journey, from the spark of inspiration to the long climb up the mountain, to taking in the extraordinary view and basking in the joy and also enjoying the climb back down and seeing things from a new perspective.

The highs, the pause, the restlessness, the small acts of regeneration, they're also part of the journey.

Being in Ampersand means knowing there's always another arena to engage, another way to create meaning, and another path to explore.

So here's my question for you.

When you reach your highest highs, where do you go next?

Do you pause, reflect, and regenerate, or do you rush toward the next goal?

And if you do take the pause, what small, purposeful action could reignite your energy in a completely different way?

I'd love to know what resonates with you from this episode.

Leave me a voicemail at the ampersandmanifesto.com/voicemail or send me an e-mail at j@jessica1.com.

Hope to hear from you.

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