I wonder if you sat and pondered for a while and really thought it through if you could identify the one thing that you are really good at? People always say that you should focus on what you are good at and by doing so have a greater likelihood of success. Most my life, I have tended to focus on what I am really bad at. I suppose I am intrigued or challenged by what eludes me, or perhaps I am a gluten for punishment. However, I still come back to this thought from time to time. What am I really good at? Here are some ideas for figuring this out. Maybe this would help.
Is there something that you end up doing, without being prodded. Do you just do it, because it is so natural for you? This will be the thing that your family naturally would turn to you to do. Do people come to you with their personal problems, asking for advice? Do they bring technical challenges to you and ask you to solve them? When they need to organize or plan an event are you automatically the chosen person? You can tell a lot about what you tend to be really strong in by what people come to you with, or what you naturally take over on when in a group setting.
You may also want to spend some time thinking about what you put the most energy and enthusiasm into. When you are working on something, at work or at home, or wherever is there a specific type of task that gets you really excited? Is there something that you spend hours on and not even notice the time go by? When you are focused on an activity that is in your sweet spot, it does not sap you of energy, but rather gets you going. You can work all night long on this, because it is natural for you.
What do you get the most compliments about? When people do give you a compliment, what is it usually about? This can also be a clue. You may do a decent job at things, but that will generally not inspire people to compliment you. When you do something aligned with a strength of yours, then it comes alive. It is powerful, inspiring and very unique. As a consequence they will say something to you. That can be a strong clue about what your one thing is.
You can also talk to others. Funny how people that know you have already figured this out. It is obvious to them. They will probably know it already. Ask 5 people that you know well what they think your greatest strength is. Do not be surprised when they all come back with the same thing. Is it that obvious? Yes, probably it is.
Guy Reams
