How to discover your talent

Wouldn’t it be amazing to be paid to do something that you loved? To actually work or run a business doing your passion every day?

According to research, as many as 80% of us work in jobs or run businesses that we don’t enjoy. Every day we do things that aren’t fundamentally something we’re naturally drawn to.

So why is that? Often it’s because we don’t know what our ‘thing’ is – a talent we’re completely passionate about, and are naturally gifted at.

Trethowans
Coach, consultant and author of Your Life Plan Erica Sosna reveals how you can discover your latent talent, and how it can help you to be happy, excited and fulfilled – and more successful.

We should all work in our area of genius
In an ideal world, talented ladies all over the world get to work in their area of genius. “Genius?” you cry! Isn’t that a bit of a tall order?

Personally, I don’t think so. Okay, so the education you received thus far perhaps never helped you to explore what your brilliance might look and feel like, but that doesn’t mean that it isn’t there.

Every month, I get to work with talented women to help them unlock and discover their area of genius. They find out that they have more resources than they thought, are more gifted than they thought and that much more than they knew is possible. They’re filled with energy and excitement as they unleash the power of their genius.

How to unlock your latent talents
Today I want to share with you the secret of how we unlock the energy and excitement of your latent talents. And to do this, you need to answer the Key Question.

This is a question that, as a career coach for parentpreneurs, I really do ask a lot. This question unleashes a different way of thinking about your key talent and I will share with you why. But first, the question:

What is it that you CANNOT stop doing?

What is it that you do, regardless, because it is so built into your nature that you could not stop even if you tried? What is that are of specialism and focus that you do better than anyone? What is the key niche that you have a gift for?

Successful people concentrate on what they’re best at
In his book Good to Great, Jim Collins talks about how the most successful firms concentrate on doing only what they can do better than everyone else. And they are focussed and disciplined about doing only that.

Well the same is true for people.

Let’s look at this in more detail. Try not to censor yourself or to tell yourself what you already know. Look at your life and your day to day behaviour. What is it that you do compulsively and skilfully without even thinking?

Is it organising things?
Making connections?
Providing structure and efficiency?
Juggling a number of priorities?
Distilling down to the essential?
Spotting trends?
Sharing ideas?
Find out what you can’t stop doing
So what is it you cannot stop doing? Here, as an example, is my ‘thing’. I cannot stop being curious about people, learning new things, asking provocative questions and sharing ideas.

These behaviours are fundamental to who I am. This is my sphere of genius. It encompasses my passions, my interests, my unique style and strengths.

And as long as I stay in this zone, I will be happy, excited and fulfilled. Step out of it, however, and I risk undermining my path to success.

What’s your latent talent?
So what’s yours? What would you do even if no one paid you? If no one was looking? What have you always loved to do since you were little?

Discovering a latent talent can be like unlocking a treasure chest you never knew you had. The magic lies in the fact that on some level, you knew it was there all along.

Ask someone who loves you
If you are struggling with how to unlock the treasure chest of your latent talents, try asking someone who loves you – what is it that they think you cannot stop doing?

The consider how could you turn this into a business or use it to leverage your existing profession. What things are taking you away from this zone? How could you find partners or support who are geniuses in the areas in which you struggle? How would that transform your experience?

You don’t need to be good at everything
You do not need to be good at everything. Sure at the very start, you need to develop a level of competence in some basic aspects of say marketing, or accounting or project management.

But no entrepreneur or solopreneur actually succeeds alone. To be successful, we need to strongly play into our area of genius and find others to work with who will play into our gaps.

My last tip – try new things!
My final tip for discovering a latent talent is simply to keep trying new things. Nurture your potential. Discover and notice what gives you energy and what depletes it. Stay curious about new experiences and new ways of doing things.

Never stop exploring or being curious about the genius within you, for you never know when you’ll stumble across something new that you absolutely love!