Content

• To step
• Part 1 of 3: Discovering your talent
• Part 2 of 3: Developing your talents
• Part 3 of 3: Using your talents
• Tips
• Warnings

Talent refers to innate skills, of which everyone has some. It is true that a talent can help you further in life and it is good to try to discover what your talents are in order to develop them further. But try not to put too much emphasis on discovering your talents. Many people lead perfectly happy lives and can learn all kinds of skills without having a clear talent.

To step

Part 1 of 3: Discovering your talent

1. Think back to your childhood. A good way to figure out where your talent lies is to go back to your childhood and think about what you wanted to do as a child. This is often the time when you still had plans that weren't limited by what people see as "realistic."
   • Fear of failure is one of the things that keeps us from finding our talent. By going back to your childhood you can break that mentality of fear of failure or limitations.
   • Think about what you wanted to be when you were a kid, and what things you liked to do as a child. That doesn't mean you can start breeding dragons (sorry) or anything, but it can put you on the right path in your search for your talent. You may not be able to breed dragons, but you can, for example, start writing stories.
2. Consider what it is that makes you forget the time. One of the most important things you can do is look at what you love to do so much that you forget everything around you. Remember, not all talents will be very visible. You may have to dig a little deeper into the things you enjoy to discover where your passion lies.
   • For example, if you love to play computer games, that could be a talent. You may not be able to play them for your profession, but there are ways you can leverage this talent (reviewing computer games on a blog, for example).
   • Think about questions like: What do you fantasize about when you are bored at work or in class? If you had an unlimited budget, what would you do with it? If you could go anywhere in the world, where would it be? If you didn't have to work, what will your day look like? By answering these and similar questions, you can discover what you are good at and what inspires you.
3. Ask others. Sometimes you cannot see it properly yourself, but it is good to ask others for their opinion. Your friends and family know you well, so they can help you better understand the areas in which you suspect your talents.
   • Sometimes others see talents that are not within the areas where you hope your talents lie. It does not matter! Just because you don't have a certain inborn talent doesn't mean you can't get good at something. And if you have talent in something, you don't have to continue with it in your life.
   • For example: Your family and friends may point to your talent for math, especially arithmetic and numbers, but your passion is mountaineering. Instead of giving up your ambitions as a mountaineer, consider how you can use your math skills in your passion for mountaineering.
4. Try new things. Especially if you do not yet know what your talent could be, it is good to go out and try new things. This way you can discover what you are really good at and what you like.
   • Observe and enjoy the talent of others. If you are looking for your own talents, it is good to look at the talents of others. Think, for example, of your mother who can listen so well, or your father who can cook deliciously.
   • Do something around you. Take a course at the university; attend lectures in the library or bookshop; take a cooking class, go climbing in the climbing hall, or start tutoring primary school children.
5. Make room. While it's good to hear other people's opinions, sometimes you just need to give yourself a little more space and time to figure things out. You shouldn't just listen to others.
   • Many people discover their talent at a time when their life is changing, and it cannot be planned or expected. You may find yourself attending a fantastic concert that sparks your love for music. So if you come into contact with something that can change your life, sit still and absorb the experience.
   • Make sure you do things alone. Do things alone, especially new things. This gives you the time and opportunity to discover if you have talent without feeling that you have to behave in some way towards others.

Part 2 of 3: Developing your talents

1. Practice. Although talent can be very important to be able to do something well, it is even more important to practice a lot. It doesn't matter how talented you are. If you don't practice, you will never get as good at anything as if you do. In many cases, people who have a talent for something only become less good because they feel that they don't need to practice.
   • Set aside some time each day to work on your talent. If writing is your talent, take half an hour every morning before work to write. If you are good at football, go to a football field every day.
   • Focus on the areas you are less good at. Even if you do have talent, it doesn't mean you are talented in every aspect of it. For example, if you are good at writing dialogues, you don't have to be good at writing a coherent plot just yet.
2. Kick negativity out the door. Talent or not, if you think negatively you quickly weaken your skills. The more you fight against negative thoughts, the easier it is for you to discover and develop your talents, because you don't always doubt yourself.
   • Discover your thought patterns. The first step towards fighting negativity is realizing when you are doing it and what you are doing. Maybe you only allow bad thoughts or you have a tendency to blow everything up. Pay attention to how you think about yourself or situations, and about your talent (perhaps you are underestimating your talent?).
   • Look at what you think every day. You must be aware of your thoughts before you can change them. If you find yourself a doom thinker ("I'm a failure because I always forget to return my library books), stop and identify the thought.
   • Practice thinking positively or neutrally about yourself. The trick is to replace the negative thought with a positive or neutral one. For example, if you start to think that you are an idiot because you just can't get the hang of that piano piece, turn it around and think, "This is a difficult piece and I have to practice harder if I want to perform it properly. ". With such a thought you no longer make a value judgment about yourself.
3. Be nice to yourself and to others. People sometimes have a tendency to identify with their talents and when that fails (and sometimes does) they feel themselves fail. To maintain your sanity and happiness, you have to be nice to yourself when it comes to your talents.
   • Your talent ensures that you are good at what you do. By being nice to yourself and not allowing your well-being to depend on how well your talents are doing, you will become much happier.
   • You can use your talent to serve others. This gives you a sense of satisfaction, and you don't just focus on what your talent can do for you. For example, if you are a good writer, you can write a story for a sick friend to cheer him up.
4. Challenge yourself. Talented people often run up against the limits of their development at some point. The talent has taken them as far as they can, but they don't feel the need to develop or grow. If you always stay in your "comfort zone" your talent will stagnate.
   • Challenging yourself is also a good way to stay humble. There's nothing wrong with being proud of what you've accomplished, but bragging or thinking you can't make mistakes is a sure way to annoy people, or get on your face.
   • Challenge yourself by going beyond what you have done. Are you fluent in Spanish? Then try translating your favorite book into Spanish, or start with a new, more difficult language, such as Chinese or Arabic.
   • If you feel like you can't develop an aspect of your talent, take it to the next level.
5. Do other things. Focusing on your talent (be it studying the New Testament or composing music) is very important to improve. But make sure you also do things that are outside of this area, so that you don't focus all your energy on one thing.
   • Do things that have nothing to do with your talent, things that you are not good at at all, or things that you just enjoy. This way you do not limit yourself and you can gain all kinds of experiences. For example, if you are good at math, take a drawing class or yoga.
   • Don't base your self-esteem or your entire life on your talent. You can be motivated or focused without letting the talent take over your entire life.

Part 3 of 3: Using your talents

1. Find unusual outlets for your talent. There are great ways to use your talent that you wouldn't expect, especially when it comes to getting a job. You may find a job, or you may create a job based on what you think is needed.
   • For example, if you are a trained singer, you don't necessarily have to become a professional opera singer. You can also use your musical talent to give singing lessons or to perform for sick children.
   • Shop around to see what it takes in terms of your talent. If you notice that there is a certain need, you can come up with your own company. For example, if you are good at getting to know people, you can start a business that connects people in a community.
2. Find a way to use your talent in your job. You don't necessarily have to have a job that is all about your talents. But there is no reason why you should not be able to use them in your job. By being able to use your talents at work, you will enjoy your job a lot more.
   • For example, if you are very creative and you work in a cafe, you can decorate the chalkboards nicely or make a really nice cappuccino.
   • Stop and think about how you can use your talents at work. What do you have to offer with which you can come up with a creative or unusual solution to a problem.
3. Do something with your talent outside of work. If you can't figure out how to use your talent at work, find ways to use it in your spare time so that others can benefit as well.
   • Consider creating a blog about your talent. You may be able to teach others Arabic through your blog.
   • Find people with the same talent and collaborate, online or in person. This is also a good way to stay humble, and it can be a lot of fun. These people share the same passion and can help you in your development.
4. Do something for society. Transform your talent into a way to support society and help others. Think of all the people who have ever helped you and try to do the same for others.
   • Teach math to children from poor families. If you are good at acting, help out at a theater club. Help out in the local vegetable garden. There are so many ways to give back.
   • Be a mentor to someone in the same field. If you are already experienced, offer to help a student in your field so that you can help discover his / her talents!

Tips

• Never stop learning or discovering something because you find it too difficult. If you let that get in the way, you will never get further.
• Remember: All beginnings are difficult!

Warnings

• Don't just focus on making money with your talent. In our society you do indeed need money, but if you are only concerned with making money you will hate it.
• Don't think that your talent has to be something specific like acting, writing or dancing. It can also be more vague, such as "being able to listen to someone well" or "connecting well with others". These are just as good as the specific talents, and you can easily fit them into your job.