Ready For A Few More Gift & Talent Facts?

 

The Difference Between Gifts & Talents

"So, to help you find your gifts and talents, there are a few more facts you need to know.

"First ...

using your gifts and talents helps reveal more

"The process seems to work just like the game of 'spot the red car'. When you start paying attention to your talents and gifts ... in all their forms ... you start noticing more of them. And noticing them brings more out of the woodwork.

"Second, gifts and talents are both natural skills, but they have important differences. And you have to know which you are dealing with to understand how to develop and use it.

"I like to explain it this way ...

Gifts are like presents, ready to be unwrapped and used.

"You access them rather than develop them. The process of using them feels like you 'tap into' them. And the more experience you gain with using them, the easier it is to access them. Gaining knowledge and insight about them also helps.

"On the other hand ...

Talents are more like muscles that must
be developed.

 

"Talents require specific training and lots of practice to master. Learning is great, but it is in the doing that talents are made whole.

 

Types of Talents & Gifts

"Each of your gifts and talents falls into one of four categories. Knowing what these categories are helps you identify them ...

 

• Action based abilities
  These are abilities that are linked to being excellent at some task. They include being able to play music by ear or create a four course meal at a moments notice.
  
  
  
• Sensitivity based abilities
  These gifts center around being sensitive to a specific aspect covered by one of the six known senses. They include being sensitive to the existence, nature or amount of some thing. Examples include being sensitive to musical harmony, comedic timing, or the energy of a place.
  
  
  
• Awareness based abilities
  These abilities are best described as having an awareness that is not based on logic or mental reasoning. Examples include being aware of when something is out of place, when someone is ready to accept help or when when danger is near.
  
  
  
• Knowing based abilities (instinct)
  These abilities are best described as knowing something that is beyond memory or normal cognition. They include always knowing which direction is north, who is calling when the phone rings or where a misplaced item is to be found.
  

 

Running In Families

"The other thing about gifts and talents you need to know is that they sometimes run in families. Whether they are linked to physical attributes such as fast twitch muscles or manual dexterity ..."

"Are these important?" I asked

"Talents make us what we are ... so fast twitch muscles are important to speed athletes who need fast reflexes while manual dexterity is critical to neurosurgeons. Without them, you do not have the level of skill needed to participate at a world class level." She looked at me to see if I understood.

I thought about all the recent changes in the world ... and asked, "Am I competing at a world class level?"

"Yes. The world is growing more flat, and what you can do and how well you do it ... well, there is no easy way to put it other than we are all competing with each other for the world's goods and services. With money and people and goods able to move anywhere freely on the planet .... they go to where they will be most valued.

"It is the better mousetrap theory. Whoever has one can now sell it to the world. That means people doing mediocre work are going to be out of a job. Bad for mice, good for men (and women) who know who they are and what they excel at ... as well as anyone stuck in a mediocre job who wants out.

"But that is lookingon the bright side of things." She paused and looked at me.

"Anything else I should know abut gifts and talents?" I asked.

 

Finding Them In School

"One last thing .... unlike the skills taught in school or on the job ... gifts and talents can be developed and enhanced, but they cannot be learned," she explained.

"Is that why I never discovered mine in school?" I asked.

"That is one of the reasons. Schools are a great place to learn how to speak fluent French, write a term paper or solve a quadratic equation. But they were never designed to help you discover your gifts and talents. So you have a higher chance of being hit by lightening than discovering your five to ten talents in school."

"So how do I find them?" I asked.

"The best way to find them ... is to go looking for them. Believe it or not, all the answers are inside of you. You may not be able to read them yet, but it beats waiting to find someone who can tell you what yours are."

The skepticallook on my face must have given me away.

"It's not that hard. And it can be fun finding out what you excel at. It just takes a few great questions, a little imagination, and some jogging on your part."

"Jogging! You didn't say anything about exercising ..."

 

 

 

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