This is a lot like the argument that a child has with his father when he can’t climb a tree. The father says, “Use your muscles”. The child says, “I just don’t have any muscles”. Of course he has muscles. They might not be developed enough to give him the strength to climb the tree, but he definitely has them. The same goes for our skills and talents. The problem lies in the fact that these abilities haven’t had time to thoroughly develop.
There are several items and methods on the market that are specifically used to assess our talents. Most of the time, after providing answers to a series of questions, an individual comes to realise the general area their particular talents and skills originate from. Maybe you have artistic capabilities or are good at organisation. It never fails though; we don’t often get the talents we think we should have, but don’t let that trivial detail distract you.
There is a unmistakable link between the feeling of satisfaction and the expression of a talent. For example, if an individual’s talents lean toward the creative side, but their day job is as a financial accountant, their life might not be anywhere near as fulfilling as it might otherwise be. In this example, this person certainly isn’t playing to their strengths. What is it that they say? “If you love what you do, then you don’t work a day in your life.”
Start with childhood. What did you like to do? It might be drawing, singing, playing a sport, or something totally different. Why does it really matter? It matters because our skills are learned. We learn to ride a bike. We learn to sew. We learn to play football. The talent comes into play when we have a natural inclination toward something in particular. If you are good with your hands, then once you learn to sew, you could easily create a wedding dress, a clothing line, etc. In these cases, this talent was nurtured and practised until it flourished.
We are happier doing the things that we enjoy doing, and talent that is encouraged almost always leads to a certain satisfaction in life. You don’t have to play basketball in the NBA or be the next Bill Gates, but using your talents in some way – each day, fulfils a deep need inside every one of us. If you love to draw, you could be an accountant by day and a sketch artist by night.
The feeling that comes to us when our abilities are allowed to express themselves in new career opportunities is priceless. This feeling shapes us and has a direct impact on those around us as well. You may not work at your talent full-time, but if you embrace it and make it a part of your life, your sense of self-worth will grow and grow. Find you talent, and that missing piece inside yourself will no longer be missing anymore. You’ll feel fulfilled.
Discover your own talents – take control! They may be hiding behind those skills that you seemed to learn so easily – so early on in life. If so, let them out and make them an integral part of your daily life.
Alan Gillies is the Managing Director of the Learning 2 Live Enterprise, an online Lifestyles resource which explores various aspects of business and pleasure, comprising an array of Lifestyle topics which cover Relationships, Health, Wellbeing, Career, Travel & Coaching, and more. Alan has a great deal of hands on experience throughout a wide variety of business disciplines including Coaching and Mentoring, Change Management and NLP training techniques.
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