Some people may find this hard to believe, but every single person in this world is good at something. Yes, everyone!
Your strength could be your artistic hand or by making eloquent speeches. The key is to figure out your strengths and become an expert at them.
How to Discover Your Strengths
You can do your own assessment of what you think you’re good at and what you’re most comfortable doing. Here are a couple of ideas:
Make a list. Think about all the responsibilities of your job and everything that’s expected of you. Now go through that list and put a star next to everything you excel at or enjoy doing. Don’t be modest; be honest with yourself!
Study your list and meditate on your choices. Really focus your mind on the direction you want your career to take and which skills you need to sharpen to achieve your goals. Focus your attention on the skills that will immediately benefit you.
Discovering Your Strengths In Conversation
The second way to discover your personal strengths is to talk to others. You may tend to believe you know what you’re good at, but when you talk to someone who sees you with fresh, unbiased eyes, you’ll get a completely different perspective.
Don’t be afraid to approach your boss and ask him or her about your strengths. Be proactive! Take control of your career and take the necessary steps to improve your leadership skills and develop your expertise.
Take additional training and development courses. Does your job or company offer any kind of continuing education programs? Are there training classes that sound interesting and pique your interest? Follow those instincts and register for the class to build upon the knowledge you already have.
Of course, you can ask your loved ones to characterize your strengths and weaknesses. They know you better than anyone else, so they’re more likely to be able to read between the lines and help you discover new things about yourself.
Chances are your friends and family won’t want to hurt your feelings by saying you’re no good at something, so instead, ask them to help you pick out your strengths. Or ask an open-ended question such as, “What jobs or skills do you think I have a talent for?”
Make sure you understand your family’s biases before making any big decisions. Just because your Uncle Bob owned his own company doesn’t mean that’s the road you should take.
How to Develop Your Expertise
Now that you’ve found your strengths, it’s time for you to bolster your expertise and become a true authority. This means you have to seek out opportunities to work on these skills.
For example, if speaking is your strength, consider taking a public speaking class at a local university to improve that skill. Take every opportunity to speak in front of groups, whether it’s a fundraiser, company meeting, giving a toast at a special event, or speaking to your child’s class.
Remember: no one becomes an expert without practice. That old adage “Practice makes perfect,” is true. You have to seek out the opportunities and take advantage of them. The goal is to find ways to get out of your comfort zone and challenge yourself to sharpen your skills.
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