3 Tips to Figure Out What You’re Good At
Do you have the desire to contribute in a meaningful way to something greater than yourself?
Whether we know it or not — we all have a lot to give.
You might find yourself confused, however, because you don’t exactly what that is or what it looks like.
You may look around at other people and feel like they all have at least one or two things they’re super good at, but you, you're just kinda sorta good at a lot of things (or nothing)!!
Jack-of-all-trades master-of-none ring a bell??
Guess what? Lots of people feel this way. It isn’t just you.
In fact, there might be other people looking at you and thinking you have this clear gift to give to the world, and they wish they had that.
Sometimes, it’s hard to see these things in ourselves. Our natural abilities/talents/gifts come so naturally to us that we often don’t even notice them!
We tend to assume that our gifts come just as naturally to everyone else, therefore, they aren’t special or unique, nor are they particularly useful.
But that assumption isn’t accurate because we all have multiple gifts and something to offer the world — it’s just a matter of getting clear on what those things are so that we feel confident in sharing what we have to offer.
In order to figure out what you’re really good at (because it isn’t blatantly obvious), it’s often necessary to get a little feedback.
Simple.
Here are some tips on ways to go about getting that feedback:
Tip #1: Pay attention
It’s so obvious, but it works. Commit even just one full day to paying attention to what you’re good at, and you’ll have a much clearer idea of where you truly shine.
Here’s what you need to pay attention to:
- Things that give you energy (’cause you’ll probably feel energized and motivated when you’re using your strengths!).
- Things you do differently than everyone else… When do you stand out from the crowd?
- Concepts/activities that you grasp quickly.
- Things that you look forward to in your day… When you wake up in the morning, what activities are you most excited about?
Tip #2: Ask around
Very simple and very effective.
All you gotta do is take a handful of people aside (or send them an email) and tell them you’re doing a little self-work and would like some feedback.
Ask a variety of people — people you know well and people you don’t know as well — and pick out the patterns in the feedback you receive. Colleagues, friends, family, and even acquaintances are all good people to ask.
Here are some sample questions for the task:
- What would you say I’m really good at?
- What really stood out to you when you first met me?
- What stands out to you about me now that you have known me a while?
- What was I good at when I was a kid? (If they knew you when you were younger…)
Tip #3: Take an assessment!
Oh wait, I take it back.
Assessments have proven to not hold up scientifically. And anecdotally, as someone who used to have my clients do assessments back in my early days of career coaching, I can also say that they almost never produce any type of clarity.
They’re simply too broad, too general, too traditional/outdated, and lacking the nuance of today’s world of work.
Stick to collecting feedback. Stick to reflecting on where you shine and show up engaged. And don’t forget to tune into your own knowing as you do so — after all, you are the expert on yourself.
My friend, go forth and build on what you’re naturally good at. Serve more and love what you do more as a result.
Have fun :-)
-Rebecca
P.S. — Are you looking for more clarity on what to do for your career?
Check out www.rebeccabeaton.com and sign up for my FREE, 3-day mini-course, Clear the Way to Your Dream Career.
