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March 1 , 2007
Discover Your Talent Arguably, the thing we get the most enjoyment from in life is doing something we are good at, something that utilizes our talents. If we are lucky, we find it in our work, and when we do, we are not only joyful but more productive. Some find it in their avocations. Very often people find it in retirement, which may be why the years after 60 have been called the “creative years.” Relieved of the necessity of working for a living, they are now able to do what they have always wanted to do. A survey I read awhile back showed that as many as 80% of people are doing work they don’t enjoy. It was not just about people employed in industry, but business owners, “doctors, lawyers and Indian chiefs...” In other words, across the entire spectrum of working people. If anywhere near accurate, that is a sad and startling statistic. I do know from my own life and business experiences, and from my work as a coach, that the number of people unhappy with their work is disturbingly high. When we are doing work we “have to do” rather than work we “choose to do” there is less joy, more stress, and reduced performance, even among the highly skilled. Some people confuse skills and talents, but they are not the same. Skills can be learned, and we spend millions teaching them. They are acquired abilities, learned through study, imitation, training and practice. Talents, on the other hand, are our genetic endowment, gifts unique to each of us. And it is that talent that brings the kind of joy, involvement and dedication that leads to true success. Many think of talent in relation to the arts...writing, music or painting for example. But talents cover a wide range of natural abilities. They are our true God-given strengths. Very simply, you know your talents by the work you enjoy. As a practical matter, here’s what to look for when looking for your own talents, or for that matter, as in the case of a manager looking for a hire, the applicant’s talents.
We hear and read so often about the power of enthusiasm. But, true enthusiasm is not possible unless we are working at what it is we love to do, i.e. utilizing our talents. We wrote awhile back about self-discipline and how self-discipline is the result of our caring more deeply about something than what is in front of us at the moment. I read that Michael Jordan made hundreds of jump shots every day, without fail. Surely he was tempted to slack off from time to time, but his love for the game, and for the excellence he strived for, helped him put practice first. I believe every one of us has a gift, has brilliance in at least one area, but I have also seen that some people won’t acknowledge theirs, perhaps because they lack the courage to do something about it. If you are one of these, you may find the following words inspiring. They were spoken by South African President Nelson Mandela in 1994 in his inaugural address, but were written by Marianne Williamson:
Maybe you are one of the many who cannot, realistically, change your “day job,” even though it is not a true expression of who you are. Don’t let that hold you back from finding a place to express your natural talents in other ways. Invent, arrange, play. Develop a hobby. Volunteer in your community. Believe me, every community has great need for people who are willing to share their gifts. Follow your talents; find your bliss. ***************************************************************************** “A musician must make his music, an artist must paint, a poet must write if he is to ultimately be at peace with himself.” Abraham Maslow ***************************************************************************** Resources I am proud to recommend: Search engine marketing at the local level. Need
to target would-be clients The
Idea Factory. Presenting your business/service
for success with Web site design, Janet Greenwood, PhD, RN, Licensed Marriage and Family
Therapist. 25
To read the previous issue's articles
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