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Feeling like your work is a “grind”?
Have you ever stopped to notice what you ENJOY vs. what you have to do?
Do you ever feel like you're just going through the motions?
If you are like many of my clients and friends, you do stuff daily that you have to do. Much of it you don’t LOVE. And you know it’s not tapping into your superpowers.
But the truth is, your greatest path to success, fulfillment, and impact lies in unearthing and amplifying the unique gifts you were born with. These innate abilities are like your own personal superpowers - when you learn to wield them, you'll be unstoppable. I’m using the term superpower lightly. In the 28+ years I have been coaching leaders, I have witnessed the significant change when a person starts doing more of what comes naturally and well and stops doing the stuff that requires struggle and extra effort.
So how do you know what are true natural talents?
Here are three key steps:
1. Take an Assessment
One of the best ways to uncover your natural talents is to take a validated assessment like the Clifton StrengthsFinder by Gallup. This tool analyzes your responses to a series of questions and identifies your top 5 "signature strengths" - the areas where you have the greatest natural potential.
The great thing about the StrengthsFinder is that it doesn't just tell you what you're good at - it dives into the underlying talents and thought patterns that drive your strengths. This gives you a much richer understanding of how you're wired and where you can truly excel.
2. Ask for a Reflection
Another powerful way to identify your natural talents is to ask the people who know you best. Reach out to close friends, family members, colleagues, or mentors and ask them to reflect back to you what you do well, with questions like:
What do you think are my greatest natural strengths and talents?
What have I always been good at?
What have I always loved doing from your perspective?
Ask them to tell you stories and just listen. Don’t judge what they say as right or wrong. And don’t forget to say thank you.
The insights you gain from the perspective of your loved one’s can be incredibly illuminating. Often, we're blind to our own superpowers, but those around us can clearly see the unique gifts we bring to the table.
3. Reflect on What Comes EASY to You
Finally, take some time for deep self-reflection after you collect input from a few key people in your life.
Think back over your life experiences - both personal and professional.
What are the activities, tasks, or challenges that you consistently excel at, even when others struggle?
What are the things you can do almost effortlessly, where you lose track of time because you're so engaged and energized?
These areas of ease and flow are usually a strong indicator of your natural talents. Pay attention to the things that just "click" for you, where you have an uncanny ability to perform well without having to try too hard.
Once you've gone through these three steps - taking an assessment, soliciting feedback, and reflecting on key life experiences - you should have a much clearer picture of your natural talents and abilities. The key is to then focus on actively developing and leveraging these strengths, rather than constantly trying to "fix" your weaknesses.
After all, the most successful and fulfilled people aren't necessarily the ones who are the best at everything. They're the ones who have learned to harness their unique gifts and superpowers to create their own version of greatness.
So don't be afraid to lean into what comes naturally to you. Embrace your talents, own your strengths, and use them to propel you towards your biggest dreams and goals. That's where the real magic happens.
Now that you've uncovered your natural talents, it's time to put them into action. Tune in to my Deep Work Fast video series, where I share proven strategies to help you maximize your strengths, boost your connection to purpose and impact, and make meaningful progress on your most important life goals.
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