Every man and woman here on earth possesses one thing or another that is unique; “this thing” could be something that has been done before or maybe something that hasn’t been done yet.
That “thing” could be something you like doing or maybe you don’t even enjoy doing it, but you know you have that unique ability. That “thing” is your talent!
Most of the time, when opportunity comes, it doesn’t look like it and 95% of the time when we find it, it’s always under our feet, then we say things like “oh! Had I known I would have…” Opportunity needs us to recognize it while it’s around.
Your talent is an opportunity, your talent gets a value when it is used and becomes money when others test it. When your talent is tested by people and they find it useful, then they are willing to pay for it. So how do we discover these talents?
Here are two simple steps that will help out:
Step #1: Know that you have a special ability and look out for it
Although some people are lucky to have discovered their talent while they were very young, other don’t.
If you fall into this category, then you’ve got to know that you have a special ability that you have to look out for. After all, it’s only when you know that you have a unique ability that you would look out for it.
Step #2: Your talent is usually something you enjoy doing
Check yourself, there is something you have a special ability for, usually something you didn’t even learn before you knew how to do it.
Discover that “thing”, whatever it is (now I don’t mean you should continue sleeping because you didn’t learn it before you were able to do it).
In most cases, we discover that we actually love to exercise our talents; it’s something that you don’t mind spending a whole day doing, you just always enjoy doing it.
It could be telling stories, which you could employ writing or even acting. Maybe its cracking jokes which could make you a comedian, which is one of the best earning jobs in the entertainment industry today. Maybe you enjoy making analyses about the economy, you could become a renowned economist if you pursue it as a career. Maybe its the ability to give credible advice under different circumstances which could make you a renowned consultant, it could be anything!
So how would you make it work for you? Did I just say how you’d make it work? Of course I did!
Here are few tips that will help you discover the stuff you’re made of, your talent(s):
1. Acquire the necessary skills needed
The fact that you have a talent does not imply that you don’t have to learn more. No, you still need to sharpen it by acquiring the necessary skills needed in that particular field.
You need to educate yourself about what you’re going into, talents are inborn but skills are learned, they are two different things. A little mistake which you should have known about in the course of learning could ruin all your work, or are you saying you don’t have the money to acquire the necessary skills?
What about your friends and family? Have you asked them for help? If that’s not possible, what about he free lessons on the internet. You can learn virtually anything on the internet today. If that’s not still possible, give it all you’ve got! Now I don’t mean you should go do illegal stuff, but find every legal means and struggle it out, understand the fact that you may have to go through the days of humble beginnings, before you actually have a good success in what you’re doing.
I’ve always loved internet business as a kid. I’d use my math set as a laptop and act like I was transacting online, I could spend hours doing that especially when I didn’t have other things to do.
Then I started learning forex trading – an online business that involves buying and selling of currencies. When I started I had no resources at all. I am now in the business of freelance writing today because I discovered that I could make nice write-ups, I went into it and it’s going on well!
2. Be passionate about your talent
The more passion you have the easier it will be to face challenges.
Now, because it’s your talent doesn’t mean or imply that you would not face challenges pursuing it as a career. Always remind yourself that nothing good comes easy.
3. Don’t see your age as a barrier
What you have in you has nothing to do with your age. Seeing your age as a barrier would only waste your time.
4. Don’t entertain excuses
Think outside the box and stop blaming the economy, your parents, friends or whatever you’re blaming.
Whenever excuses tend to arise, see it as things you can defeat and tell yourself “it’s only when you fail that you’d have the chance to give excuses, so I’m not giving it a chance!” Of course everything will not always turn out as you expect.
Recognize the fact that there is a business in your talent which you have to bring out giving it all you’ve got.
5. Advertise yourself
Erasmus Desiderius once said “no one respects a talent that is concealed”. If you don’t advertise what you do, no one will see you or your products.
One very effective way of showing yourself even beyond your locality is by creating your own blog, where you share your ideas on what you do.
This makes people who would be visiting your blog understand that you are an expert in your field, where you let people know about your products, include your price, budget and all that.
Don’t cultivate the habit of saying stuffs like; I don’t like showing off or I don’t want people to think… the fact is just that if you don’t show yourself, nobody will see you and if nobody is sees you, nobody pays you.
Eagle Iron once said “God doesn’t give people talents he doesn’t want people to use.” If God has given you a talent, use it! Advertise your talent whenever and wherever you have the opportunity so that you’ll get paid for it.
This is a guest post by Victor Ijidola, a freelance writer and blogger at veeblogs.net; a blog designed to help prospective entrepreneurs, start-ups and established entrepreneurs who demand success in what they do. On twitter @veeblogs
