I hear often and have many times asked myself this question: What is my purpose?, do I even have any gift? What do I have that is of value to others?
As abstract as this question may sound, I believe the answer is very simple, and the best answer I have heard to this question is by Steve Harvey who asks: and I paraphrase “ What is the thing that you do better than anyone else around you with the least amount of effort?”
It is ok, if the answer does not come to you right away; it is not because it is not there, you just need some time to sort through and really look deep.
To further break this down, take some time to think about answers to the following:
What is it that your parents always complained that you did too much of?
What is that thing that gives you the most energy?
What is it that makes your eyes light up?
What do you always find yourself talking about? Where no matter how the discussion started you always end up talking about this thing?
What do you gravitate towards?
What were you known for as a kid?
What did you always get in trouble for?
What do you find yourself wanting to teach or tell others about?
What do you find unbelievable that others cannot do and you do so effortlessly?
What is it that may not have been paid for, but you always do?
What do you think fondly about?
What do you do that you hope you are able to pass on to your kids?
What do you wish that your friends and family could learn to do the way you do?
What do you find yourself spending money on?
When you find that thing, let us figure out how to invest in it. Investing in your purpose is a seperate and necessary step because often that is the channel through which you can provide value to others. And you know what is a by-product of offering value? Money, yes Money and there is no reason why you shouldn’t have it, and lots of it.
How to find out what you are good at
In the quest for self improvement, financial independence, self discovery, personal resolutions, etc. a popular advice is to find out what you are really good at and focus on that, leverage that, make money from that, invest in that, find joy in that, … and the list goes on.
But how do you find out what you are really good at?
Some people are self aware enough to instinctively know this, some of us need to do a little digging. One trick is to ask people around you…
It truly can be this simple.. Ask your colleague, your mom, your teacher, your best friend, your colleague, your neighbour. You may be surprised by the answers you will get. What happens is that because we are so familiar with what we are good at, and do things without any effort (the things that come naturally to you), we assume that other people can, that there is nothing special about it. But the truth is that the fact that you find it so effortless is exactly what makes it special and there are many people who will give anything to learn that skill or pay you to do it for them.
So think simple things like, you talk a lot, you like telling stories, you draw, you speak 2 languages, you speak one language, you love cars, you love driving, you nag your friends into submissions, etc. really, it can be anything like that.
So, next time you wonder, what am I good at, you know how to find out. I know some of you will be curious what happens after I discover what I am good at.. Well your guess is as good as mine. What I promised with this blog is to help you discover how to find out what you are good at.. And I think we achieved that wouldn’t you say?.