People often have talents they never cultivate because they’re busy doing what they’ve always done. As a result, they may not find their work especially meaningful. Maybe they have a hidden talent for design, but they don’t work in a creative role. Or maybe someone has a knack for making conversation, but they work mostly remotely and don’t get that face-to-face interaction.
It’s important to know and understand what you’re good at it so you can use your talents to excel in your career. Knowing how to find hidden talents in yourself allows you to leverage them in your offerings or use them to network and make quality connections, according to Michael Michalowicz, the founder of Profit First Professionals.
In this issue of Promotional Consultant Today, we share his guidance for discovering your inner strengths.
1. Ask those who know you well. Your strengths are often highly visible to your family, friends and coworkers. You might not think you’re particularly good at something, but someone else may have an entirely different opinion. Michalowicz recommends asking people who you believe will give you honest feedback about your hidden talents. Just ask them to tell you 1-2 things that you are particularly talented at and compile what you learn into a list.
2. Determine what you find easy. Chances are, you enjoy some aspects of your work but find others boring or challenging. Michalowicz says that if completing certain tasks feels like a cakewalk, you may have found your hidden talents. Reflect on what comes easiest to you and you may uncover some skills you hadn’t thought about before.
3. Think about what you especially enjoy. When you consider what you like doing outside of work, you may uncover some hidden talents you can apply in the workplace. For example, if you love attending events and chatting with large groups of people, you may excel at public speaking.
4. Get outside your comfort zone. This is one of the best ways to figure out a hidden talent. This is because your hidden talents typically reside in the most predictable places — you just have to find them. Michalowicz recommends doing something like teaching a course in a subject you know or leading a presentation. He says when you put yourself in an unfamiliar position, you can learn where your strengths and weaknesses are and build from there.
5. Act like a detective. Look back on previous jobs and your time in school. Do you see any patterns? Think about ways you succeeded in prior roles or classes you excelled in. You could also take some personality or aptitude tests. Many of them are free online to help you understand your work style and professional strengths.
When you work in alignment with your hidden talents, work doesn’t feel like work. If you feel stuck or like you aren’t using all your talents, consider the points above to tap into your strengths and find more fulfillment in your career.
Compiled by Audrey Sellers
Source: Michael Michalowicz is the founder of Profit First Professionals, a membership organization of accountants, bookkeepers and business experts.
