How to discover your talent? Each of us has a talent (yes, you do too!). The latest scientific research even says that we have several of them. Like strengths, talents enjoy the company and appear in groups.
Interestingly, even if now you think you are not gifted at all, talents are with you all the time. Your talents are deeply rooted in your patterns of behavior, thinking and feeling.
You don’t think you have any talents? Do not worry! I will give you 3 best practices and questions that will help you discover your talent.
WHAT IS A TALENT
Why is it so difficult for us to discover our talent? Because talent is usually associated with artistic ability: singing, painting or creating literary works. However, excellence in some field is not limited (and fortunately!) To art. Talents occur in various areas of life and also relate to non-artistic skills.
This is best seen in Gallup’s 34 talents. Go through the list of talents and you’ll be surprised what counts as a talent.
What is a talent by definition? These are inborn predispositions that are manifested by an above-average degree of skill in a given field or the ability to learn it quickly. Talents are reflected in the neural connections in your brain. These are the well-trodden paths in your brain that have been formed through multiple repetitions.
In a word, it is something that is almost written into your DNA. You’ve always had it in you, you’ve got used to it, that’s why it’s so hard for you to see it.
HOW TO DISCOVER YOUR TALENT
Okay, you already know what talent is. But how to discover it?
In my opinion, the best way to discover talent is to act. Only here an important note – action can also be … thinking and, for example, deepening interpersonal relations. Yes, that is also an action!
The action does not have to have tangible results. After all, your talents can result in a brilliant idea or deep relationships with other people.
3 WAYS TO DISCOVER YOUR TALENT
There are several methods that can help you discover your talent. It is most convenient to do a test that will discover your talents. But I know that not everyone likes to do tests. Not everyone also believes in the results and reliability of the tests – a topic for discussion for long winter evenings.
Another method is to simply observe your own actions and behavior. The problem is that this method takes some time – not everyone is patient with it. Besides, we do not always know what talents can be. I’ll be back on Gallup’s talent list again for my favorite talent spell. In my life, I wouldn’t think it could be a talent! And I know a few people who have this talent and use it well in life and at work.
The third method is just as simple but takes some courage. This method is based on the opinions of other people about your talents. However, not everyone has the courage to face the opinions of others about themselves and their behavior. That is why I recommend it only if you have people around you who support you and are kind to you. If you ask these people for their opinions, there is less risk that they will criticize you or point out your weaknesses.
I am an advocate of combining different methods. Therefore, I believe that the best way to discover your talents is to use all of the above methods. This way you will be able to verify your observations very quickly, the opinions of other people with psychological tests.
3 QUESTIONS THAT WILL HELP YOU DISCOVER YOUR TALENTS
If you would like to discover your talent here and now, I have prepared 3 questions for you that will help you with that.
1. HOW ARE YOU COMMUNICATING WITH OTHERS?
The first question should be reasonably easy for you to answer. Especially if you are a woman.
Have you ever had a situation where you watched someone and literally went out of your way? Did you feel like saying – listen, give it to me, I’ll do it faster / different / better? Or “Please let me help with this”
This behavior most often indicates areas that you have mastered perfectly. These are activities that usually come naturally to you with ease. In a word, you are great in this area.
2. WHEN ARE YOU LOSING TRACK OF TIME?
If you find it hard to remember situations regarding the first question, I have 2 more questions for you.
Now consider activities that are running out of time. Activities that you like to return to can be a valuable clue here. What makes you so involved in it?
Remember that your talents are firmly entrenched in you and are easy to overlook. What will allow you to discover your talents is a sense of satisfaction. Talents in action give you pleasant feelings – satisfaction and a sense of agency. Therefore, you are eager to return to these activities and repeat them. It makes you consolidate and develop them even more.
3. WHAT CHALLENGES HAVE YOU HAD?
I mentioned that talents are most visible in action. Therefore, it is easiest to spot them by looking back on your life. Remember all the challenges you have overcome.
These don’t have to be just professional challenges. Your character is shaped primarily by overcoming life’s obstacles. A situation when you have overcome a difficult life problem may indicate the effect of your talents.
It is similar to success – your talents and strengths have certainly influenced your effectiveness. Take a look at what you are proud of and think about how your actions, behavior, thinking and feeling influenced it?
WHY IT IS WORTH DISCOVERING YOUR TALENT
I think I don’t have to convince you that discovering your talents can significantly influence your career and life. Talents make it easier and faster to achieve what you want.
Pursuing your dream goal can also be more fun because you use your favorite repetitive activities. This is especially true if you are moving outside your comfort zone to pursue this goal. If you recall your talents in such a situation, you will feel more confident and better prepared for a new challenge.
I am sure that if you follow these 3 methods and questions you will find a wealth of talents within you.
