How to Discover Your True Talent and Grow With It
When you know what your talents are, you feel more in tune with your life.
‘Do I have any talents?’ ‘What if I’m not doing what’s right for me?’ ‘What if I’m calling in life is completely different?’ questions of this kind run through the minds of thousands of people around the world regardless of their age. Your perception of yourself is very complex. If you’re one of those people, maybe it’s time to take a break and work out who it is you really are. It might sound difficult — and it is — but think about it logically and you’ll realise that the more you put it off, the longer you’ll be stuck in the same cycle of doubt and confusion about where you’re going in life.
It can be really hard to identify your brightest talents and they are often in the places you least expect. You may even be very good at things that you perceive yourself as being bad at. There are many good reasons to want to explore your talents but it’s going to take a little work.
1. Open your mind to all paths.
Because you are likely blind to what some of your talents really are, a good place to start when evaluating your talents is to just open your mind to the possibilities. Keep in mind that talents extend beyond just playing the guitar or dancing like a pro. Talents come in all shapes and sizes and extend into many areas of life.
2. Try things you would never have tried before.
Sometimes you may tell yourself that you can’t do things, but you will never know what you are capable of unless you go outside of your comfort zone. Maybe you think you’re not good enough or not smart enough. Most often you see yourself as “not that kind of person”. But the thing is that you don’t know you’re that kind of person until you start becoming that person. You have to give life a chance to surprise you.
3. Think about what you enjoy.
The things that make you happy can also reveal your talents. Think about the things that you love to do. Do people ever give you compliments on it? Do they ever ask for your help with it? You might not think of it as a talent but it probably is.
4. Evaluate what you’re good at.
You possess unique talents that come easily to you and are inborn. Maybe you’re great at explaining things or making people laugh, or maybe you’re great at painting or sculpting, or maybe you’re great at drawing graphs or working with numbers All those things that come easily to you have always been in you since you were born; you just never thought of them as talents. Let’s say drawing or sketching comes fluently to you, and those close to you are like, “OMG, you drew that? Are you a robot or something? Can you make me one?” You definitely have a natural talent for drawing. You can profit by selling your drawings.
5. Think about times you were successful.
Look back on your life and think about times where you really succeeded, times where you felt about to burst with the pride of your success. This can indicate a talent you possess. For example, maybe you helped your boss rearrange and reorganize his office and helped things at your work run so much more smoothly. Organization is a very useful talent.
6. Listen to others.
Having an outside perspective, other people may find it easier to see what you’re good at. So ask them. People around you usually know what your talents are, even when you don’t, because when they need something done well—you’re the one they’re always asking, or sending their friends to. Have you ever wondered why everyone wants you to help them negotiate that new car deal? Or help them with repairing their credit, or fixing their car? If you think about it, people have likely been telling you that you are good at something for a long time. You just weren’t listening. Now is the time to listen!
7. Make “your” time.
While other people can help you find your talents, it’s also important to take some time that’s just for you. Self discovery does require a lot of self reflection and if you’re spending all of your time watching movies with your friends, you probably won’t get the time you need to really understand yourself. Take some quiet days that are just for you and spend them doing new activities.
8. Build on your existing skills.
You probably already have some basic skills. Any skill that you possess can be turned into a real talent, but you need to take the time to develop it and really work on experiencing all of the different activities that go in to that talent. You might have experienced only a small aspect of a possible talent and you will need to experience much more if you really want to cultivate it. For example, let’s say that you’re pretty good at interior design. You certainly made your room looks pretty nice. Well, try developing that skill into a full talent.
9. Travel to expand your experiences.
Traveling is one of the most impactful experiences you can have. It will challenge you and teach you more about yourself than you thought possible. However, you can’t just take the easy route and go on a cruise or guided trip. Go on your own. Go somewhere different from anywhere you’ve ever been. Immerse yourself in the experience. Try new things. You’ll find yourself struggling in some areas but you’ll also find that there are other activities that you can do with ease or that make you really happy.
When you know what your talents are, you feel more in tune with your life. You can also use those talents to excel in the business world. Whether you leverage those talents in your product or service, or you use them to network and make quality connections, they are important to know. When you capitalize on your talents, it no longer feels like work, it just feels like living. And anything that makes business and life more enjoyable is bound to be a good thing.
