In my coaching practice, I find clients divide easily into two groups:
- People who believe they are born with a talent or aren’t and that’s the end of the story
- People who believe they can learn new skills, thereby developing and perfecting new talents
Before I say more, if you didn’t guess already, I personally fall into the second category of belief. I think of that old quote “If you think you can or think you can’t, you’re right”!
Having said that, let’s take a closer look at these beliefs. I find that as adults, it can be very hard for us to be beginners at something. We want to be an expert and quickly. We don’t want anyone to see us in the early stages of fumbling around, figuring things out. Understandably, this is particularly true if you have expertise in any field.
It’s hard to come to something new and be a novice. You sometimes feel out of sorts. Sometimes you even want to scream out loud:
In my REAL LIFE, or in MY OTHER LIFE, I’m a competent and accomplished ___________.
A friend of mine, who was thinking about buying and running a small inn, was advised to try working in one for a summer to see what exactly was involved and how she felt about it. Thinking it good advice she did just that. In a small inn, you do everything – make beds, clean bathrooms, do laundry, prepare and serve breakfast.
She was a successful business owner in a major city when she took the summer to try out the inn, in a small resort town where no one knew her. She was uncomfortable all summer by how she was perceived by guests. She told me she wanted a T-Shirt that said, “In my real life, I’m a successful business owner”.
It was painful for her to be seen in any other light. I think that’s part of our problem with acquiring new skills – how will people see us, what will they think? One way to look at it all is that your life is a journey and the more you can know and learn and experience, the richer the journey becomes.
There’s no shame in learning something new and being a novice. It’s not only good for your brain; it can be good for your ego!
Talent – ultimately – comes from dedication, practice and intention. Wisdom and talent don’t always go hand-in-hand, nor are they always recognize by those who possess them. It’s best to be flexible, be open, and don’t feel defined by what you do or don’t know or desire to know.
If you can adapt and accept where you are now and see where you want to be and make steady progress toward that goal without judging yourself along the way, you’ll not only develop skill and talent, you’ll incorporate a new way to be true to yourself and feel more connected to your desires and to other people.
Are You Talented?
Knowledge – on any subject you can think of – is available to us. There is absolutely no reason you shouldn’t pursue something that interests you, the thing you feel a yearning for or a push towards. If you think of it as a journey (learning, expanding) and enjoy the trip, rather than focus on the destination (mastery), you’ll not only get more, you’ll grow more.
What’s calling you? What would it look like to answer that call? If you feel like sharing that, I’d love to know. Blessings on YOUR journey.
