The main factor in being happy in life, professionally and personally, is to figure out what you’re good at. But how to find out what you are good at is another story. A lot of people often have this dilemma. (don’t worry, it’s not just you)
Realistically, there are several ways to figure out what you’re good at. But don’t expect it to be that easy. The concept is simple, but the actual ‘figuring out part’ would be easy for some and difficult for others.
1. Ask yourself
Take the time to actually ask yourself what you are good at, or what makes you feel the happiest. Take some time out of your usual day to do some self-introspection and self-analysis.
We’re living in an age where anything and everything can be transformed into a career path, chances are that there’s someone out there already doing what you want to do.
Ask yourself, and if you’re confused then gather some data on the career path or subject. Having the data in front of you will allow you to make better decisions based on statistical facts.
A few questions that will help you to discover your strengths are:
- What do I like to do?
- What are my unfair advantages?
- What information do I register effortlessly?
- About what do other people ask me for advice/ help?
- On what can I focus effortlessly?
2. Ask your close ones
If you don’t enjoy laborious self-analysis, then you can even go out and ask the people around you. Ask those few people who know you inside and out what they think your skills are.
Just like a writer who has difficulty seeing the mistakes in his or her own work, we tend to have blind spots in our own skill sets. Instead of guessing your talents, you’ll hear about them from others.
Here are some sample questions for the task:
- What would you say I’m really good at?
- What really stood out to you when you first met me?
- What stands out to you about me now that you have known me for a while?
- What was I good at when I was a kid? (If they knew you when you were younger)
3. Peek into your childhood
Naturally, every human is born with certain skills which easily show. It’s as though those skills long to be recognized and allowed to work.
As children, we do what we love to do—even if it makes us an oddity. When you look back on your childhood pastimes, you are likely to discover an innate talent.
Think about your childhood and figure out which things brought you prizes and recognitions. Think about activities and hobbies you enjoyed when you were younger that came to you easily, they may reveal an innate talent.
Since some of these things may not be easy to remember, engage your parents. If they are not available, you can check with your siblings or relatives. Childhood friends can also help you remember some of them. These may pass as mere hobbies for that period in time but they probably weren’t.
4. Experiment a lot
In the end, the best thing that you can do is go out and try a lot of different things. Doing this one thing will expose you to a lot of experiences that ultimately lead you to figure out what you’re good at.
In the end, doing something is far better than reading about it or thinking of doing it. The actual experience will lead you to learn a lot about a subject or task. Consider everything is temporary, keep your entire focus on skills and the betterment of work. Experiment with various fields and various branches and test your interests.
During this process, you’ll also figure out what things you don’t like.
There is no shortage of jobs that need to be done and problems to be solved, but there’s only one of you. Once you’ve homed in on your underlying assets or your core strengths, you can more easily identify your distinctive strengths—what you do well that others in your workplace do not.
If you’re looking to be successful, look for problems you feel especially passionate about, then get to work, by playing to your distinctive strengths.
5. Personality Tests [BONUS]
They are not exactly comprehensive or accurate, but they are a good starting point. While they have their limitations, the best approach is to have fun with them and take from them what you can. Your personality is probably the best source of answers. Thus, it's a good place to start.
Despite the variety of personalities, your personality is unique to you. For the price of your email address, you can get to know your values and behaviors. Among these, the Enneagram Test stands out as the most popular, offering intriguing insights despite its simplicity.
This is a good place to start: Free Personality Test
This will actually give you a very detailed description of the type of personality that you have, according to your answers. (it’s a bit long though)
Good luck!