Imagine you are a great explorer set out to find the most valuable gems in the world. Your mission, if you dare to accept, is to uncover those gems and use each one for what you love to do. To your surprise, each gem is hidden inside just waiting for you to unveil its purpose. In other words, you have hidden skills and talents!
Whether it’s a matter of necessity or simply a desire to enjoy your job (and therefore, your life) more, many people consider switching careers at some point.
Most people know to be successful, they have to be good at something. The question often becomes: how do I figure out what I am good at doing? The answer could take months or years of work and life experiences to find. A good thing to remember is you already have some knowledge to use in the process.
Never interpret struggling to find an answer immediately as not having adequate skills to make meaningful changes in your life. Investing your time exploring might even take you back to childhood experiences that laid a foundation for personal growth. Start from what you know and what you want to learn.
Whatever has propelled you to this moment, welcome the chance to create a plan that can lead to much personal and professional success. The key is to take an honest assessment of what you do well and decide how those skills will work best in a new role.
Identify the skills you already possess. Match those skills with how you’ve benefited from them in your current and previous jobs. Typically, skills do not disappear; they become stronger with practice. Think about how those skills helped you thrive and link them with a position or career field that interests you.
Think about the times you were most comfortable when you were doing something. What sparks the most excitement — when did you felt like a true success? You were in your comfort zone and recognized you were performing at top level. This could be an experience from sports, a hobby, your job, your family — anything.
Even if you said, “I really enjoyed coaching my child’s soccer team” or “I’m a great cook and love to entertain.”
At first, you might think, “OK, but that experience isn’t something I can turn into a career.”
Break it down a little further — jot down the things you felt made you a success during the experience. For example, “I felt I was able to inspire the players to play their best, teach skills in a way they understood, and boost their morale when they lost a game.” Sounds like a manager to me — could you improve on those skills and land a management job? Or become a teacher?
Or in the cooking example, “I’m great at creating dishes that complement each other, planning ahead to make sure dishes are ready at the appropriate time, and making my table look beautiful and inviting to my guests.” These skills could translate into starting a catering business!
You can also ask yourself, “What would I most want to do, even if I didn’t get paid to do it?” The answer could provide the clue you need to help you discover a hidden passion.
This exercise helps you identify marketable, transferable skills in areas of your life you might have overlooked.
We all have areas of natural giftedness that make us the exception to the rule – areas that make us stand out among the herd. It might surprise you to know that not everyone can do what comes naturally to you. Has anyone ever told you, “I wish I could do that like you”? Bingo — that might be your area of natural talent!
Try these strategies to begin a journey toward a fulfilled life. Doing so exposes you to an exciting venture filled with hidden gems yet to be discovered. Those gems are your unique skills and innate talents, powerful enough to build the life and career that you will love.
What experience comes to your mind when you think about a time you felt totally on top of your game? Let us know in the comments section below!
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