Would you like a new job, to set up a
business or just get more from life? Tapping into your talents is the first
step, says Dr Nicola Bunting, author of Who Do You Want To Be?
Are you feeling a bit trapped and finding
it hard to see a way to change things? Maybe you have a job you’re not crazy
about but need to keep working, or you’re just not where you’d imagined you’d
be at this stage. A crossroad, such as redundancy, relationship breakdown or an
emptying nest, can also force us to think differently.
Whatever your reason, the good news is that
we all have particular abilities, but too often we don’t see them, take them
for granted or don’t realise how to put them to good use.
Finding something that draws on your
natural talents – whether it turns out to be a full-on career, a money-making
scheme or a hobby – isn’t as hard as you think. After all, it’s doing what
comes naturally. Using our talents instead of going through life trying to
adapt to whatever is required of us is the difference between getting “good”
and “great” results, between feeling “fine” and feeling “fabulous”. Here’s how
you can do it…
Discovering Your Talent…
“The good news is that we all have
particular abilities,
but too often we don’t realise how to
put them to good use”
Ask Other People
Our talents are often invisible – or hidden
– to us simply because they come so easily to us. We take them for granted and
don’t consider them to be special, so others see them first. Ask colleagues,
friends and family what they see as your strengths, and what talents you have
that others may benefit from.
Remember Compliments
Think back to various points in your life
and ask yourself what people have complimented you on again and again: “You’re
such a good listener, you’d be a great teacher/ therapist…” You may well have
brushed these comments away, assuming that anyone can do what you find it so
easy to do, but that’s not the case. Taking it one step further as a course is
a good way to find out if tapping into your talent is a pleasure to enjoy more,
or even the beginnings of a new career. Now is the time to act.
When Were You Happiest?
We enjoy what we’re good at. Take a good
block of time out and, using a notebook, think back through your life. Write
down the points when you were happiest, the moments you were really enjoying
yourself. Include your working life and your personal life, and don’t forget
your childhood – childhood joys can be quite revealing. What talents were you
using?
Determine What Is Easy
Which are the areas that you sail through
while others struggle? What are the tasks that you do well, almost without
thought, that others avoid – or ask you to do on their behalf?
When Have You Excelled?
Now write down the times you have had great
results, where you have been recognised for something, where you’ve been
exceptional – again, think about all aspects of your life. When has everything
come together and you have felt proud? Again, write down the talents you were
using.
Look At Energy Patterns
We tend to be most energised when drawing
on a strength, more tired and bored when we’re not. Write down the points in
your day when you feel most motivated, the tasks that don’t feel like work, the
points where you lose track of time. It could be creating a family dinner,
planning the perfect birthday party, writing up a report or going for a run.
What talents are you using?
Find out
what your (hidden) talents are
The
Subject That You Always Come Back To
Is there
something you love to talk about, read about, think
about, sometimes to the point of overload? (Maybe you’ve been known to rant
from time to time!) It could be an area that frustrates you because you’re sure
you could do a better job. Could it be connected to one of your talents?
You’ve Uncovered Your Talent… Now What?
Your talent
could be a source of income as well as satisfaction.
Match It
To Your Values
First,
match your raw talent to your values and personality. You may be a motivating
keep-fit, fanatic, but if you are risk averse, you probably shouldn’t set up as
a personal trainer. We’re not all budding entrepreneurs. You might be better
off working for a firm or taking on a franchise.
Consider
The Whole Range Of Related Careers
List all
the careers that would best utilise your talents. Think about all the part-time
jobs you’ve read about, or jobs friends have done that you’ve envied. Which
ones match your strengths and your values? Narrow it down to create a shortlist
of about ten.
Research,
Research
Take each
option and find out everything you need to know. If it’s a job, how much
training is required – and how much are you prepared to do? Explore every
possible point of entry. Find people who are already doing it and speak to
them. If you want to start your own business, where is your market? What’s the
competition? What can you offer that’s unique? How will you let people know
about it?
Find A Cheerleader
All too
often, our natural reaction to a new idea is to focus on all the reasons not to
do it. You will need others to bounce ideas off and to motivate and support
you. A coach is a great option, but find one who’s
properly qualified, such as an associate certified coach (ACC), professional
certified coach (PCC), or master certified coach (MCC). Otherwise, form your
own group of people who want similar support.
Dip Your
Toe In
Don’t try
to change your life overnight. Start small, with a realistic plan. It could be
selling in a craft market or volunteering your time in your chosen career. If you love to write, create a blog or see page 130 on how to
publish an ebook. If you’d like to be a personal trainer, drum up
interest in a weekly group run. One of my clients was an accountant who could
never walk past an estate agents without stopping. She
started by buying one property, renovating it and selling it on, while working
full-time. She now has her own property empire.
Don’t
Give Up
When you’re
blazing a new trail, there will be setbacks and times you want to give up.
Quite often, the lowest points come right before a big success. One watershed
moment is finding that first client or making that first sale. Once you realise
that it’s possible to get paid to do what you enjoy, there’ll be no going back!
