We’ve all at one time or another asked ourselves, “How do I know what I’m good at?”. It doesn’t matter if we are at the top of our career success or if we are making important life decisions. It doesn’t depend on our personality either.
So if you are asking yourself other questions similar to the following: “What are my strengths?” “Or how to discover my talents?”, don’t worry, many people question the same thing at some point in their lives. You may not know it, but talents are those innate abilities, which once put into action become strengths. In many occasions we have “hidden talents”, it’s just a matter of finding them .
Therefore, in this article we will share with you some tips on how to discover your talents. We will not give you the exact answers to the question: “How do I know what I’m good at?”, but rather we will guide you to find the answers yourself or at least to identify your skills and abilities.
1. Recognize your achievements
One of the first aspects you should analyze to answer the question: “How do I know what I’m good at?” is precisely about the achievements you have made and what you did to get them.
It seems logical, but 7 out of 10 people suffer from imposter syndrome. According to the BBC website, these are thoughts in which we constantly self-sabotage our triumphs, as we think they are the result of chance or fate.
This also means that we constantly question our strengths and ask ourselves: “What am I good at? If it has happened to you as it has to us, it is time to analyze what could be the reasons that are motivating these thoughts.
Sources of origin of the impostor syndrome
These could be the sources of impostor syndrome, according to BBC:
Dynamics in parenting – there is competition to surpass the achievements and successes of siblings, parents, cousins, aunts, uncles, etc.
Gender stereotypes, which are mainly present in women when measuring success or failure in society. For example, the pressure between being a mother and a professional at the same time. In men, the status of reaching a managerial position in a short time.
Salary and labor differences: This is another aspect that, for the most part, affects the female gender. Worldwide, women earn 23% less than men. According to a UN Women study, wage equality is expected by 2069.
Levels of perception. Some people tend to be quite demanding on themselves and set goals that are almost impossible to achieve. The objective is that you find the balance between the dreams and goals you can achieve, and the tools you have to achieve them.
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2. Take a skills test or keep a record of your skills
Some people, in order to answer the question: “How do I know what I’m good at?”, usually take some tests or keep other types of records. To give you a better idea, we explain what the tools are and what each one consists of:
Strengths and weaknesses test
In the market you will find several types, such as the Johnson O’Connor aptitude test. This consists of applying tests to discover your abilities through inductive reasoning.
Another test of skills and talents is the CliftonStrengths assessment, also known as StrengthsFinder, which is a grouping of 177 questions that allow you to find out what those “hidden talents” are and how they can be developed.
If taking a “How do I know what I’m good at for work?” test appeals to you, you can take the O*NET test. This U.S. Department of Labor aptitude test consists of 60 questions that must be answered in 20 minutes. The information obtained allows you to build a job profile.
Life Assessment Test
do you want to understand how you perform in different aspects of your life? Or simply identify the area that needs the most attention? If you want to know your potential in life and what motivates you on a daily basis, you can take this life assessment test.
The Meyers-Briggs type indicator is one of the most promising tools that can help you define your life and personality patterns. In addition, it will allow you to check what kind of motivations in life suit you the most.
Once you can recognize the category you are in, you can know what you are good at and list your strengths more accurately.
Personal records: “How do I know what I’m good at?”
But, if you don’t want to pay for a test to find out “What am I good at?” and want to discover what your talents are, then you can take one of these options:
A questionnaire. include in it questions like: what did I dream of being when I was a kid, what did I used to like to do when I was younger, what were my hobbies when I was younger, what were my favorite hobbies, what do I like to do, what do I do in my free time, among others.
Brainstorming: Although it is usually used for work teams, brainstorming is a good tool to find those tastes that you hardly ever pay attention to and that, deep down, hide many talents.
Keep a diary – remember we talked about imposter syndrome? Sometimes your thoughts can betray you, so a good way to discover your talents is to keep a record. Write down every time you do an activity you enjoy and what feelings you get from it.
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3. Put your skills to the test
If after taking the test to find out what you are good at or keeping your personal record you found several “possible talents”, a good way to know if they can really become your strengths is to put them into practice for a period of time.
Not that it will be the definitive way to answer “How do I know what I’m good at?”, but it can be a chance for you to start finding that north you’re looking for.
To measure how much they make you happy, we recommend using one of the habit-tracking apps. They are usually used to acquire new routines, but they also give you a diagnosis of what makes you feel good. Here are some of the best apps:
Fabulous: Get energized!
This is a free app that helps you measure your performance in different activities. For example, if you decide to start exercising and achieve your goals, you will not only discover what you are good at, but also how disciplined you are. what are you waiting for to download the Fabulous app?
Habitica
getting bored quickly? The Habitica app is designed as a game to motivate you to find what you are passionate about. This could be a good way to find out, “How do I know what I’m good at?”.
Loop Habit Tracker
If you’re sleep deprived by stats, the Loop Habit Tracker app can help you discover what your talents are. Of course, all through analytics.
4. Ask your family and friends
Sometimes you may feel confused, because you don’t know what you really want and you can’t find convincing answers to the question: “How do I know what I’m good at? For this reason, some specialists suggest that you ask your family and close friends.
One of the advantages is that they can give you a more objective view of your qualities and skills. Don’t forget that this is constructive criticism, so that you know how to discover your gifts and talents.
Here it is important that you alsoask about your worst qualities, ask them to be honest with you. Knowing your strengths and weaknesses will help you isolate such habits or activities from your life, and leave only the things you are good at.
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5. Highlight your best gifts
Once you have the answers from your friends or family, the next step is to highlight the skills that they have frequently mentioned or the skills that many of them have identified about you.
To do this, ask yourself the same questions and compare the answers to see if they match. In fact, these skills will probably be the ones that stand out the most. Now you can use the Wheel of Strengths to combine all your gifts and really identify what you are good at.
Wheel of Strengths
You’re probably wondering what the Wheel of Strengths is all about. Well, it’s a technique that allows you to discover how your skills, interests and personality traits match up with a variety of professional and job roles.
This might happen when you’re thinking about choosing a new job challenge, courses you might want to study, or simply when you’re looking for what you’re good at. You’re likely to notice some fields you hadn’t thought of and be surprised where your skills might take you.
So every time you ask yourself: “How do I know what I’m good at?”, refer to this tool as many times as you like. and why not bookmark it as a favorite page so it’s always easy to find?
Types of skills
Well, another way to recognize what you are good at and what makes you the best in some fields is by learning the types of skills. take note!
Hard skills
Hard skills refer to that knowledge that was acquired through life experience or by accessing an educational program. If you want to answer yourself every time you ask yourself: “How do I know what I’m good at?”, one option is to start with these types of skills.
Some examples of hard skills are:
Handling a programming language.
Knowledge of statistical analysis.
How to make a marketing plan.
Knowing the techniques to edit videos in slow motion.
Differentiate the classification of desserts.
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Soft skills
If hard skills are the acquired knowledge, what are soft skills? They are the personal characteristics that allow you to maintain good social relationships with other people, either in educational or work environments. Knowing them can help you with the answer to the question: “How do I know what I am good at?
To complement the above, Raquel Roca, teacher of the online course Soft skills essential for professional success, mentions the following:
“No matter what job or type of professional you are, the most impactful and immediate thing you can do to boost your job profile is to work on your soft skills.”
Some examples of soft skills are:
Assertive communication.
Team work.
Conflict resolution.
Leadership.
Critical thinking.
6. Identify your weaknesses
While they are commonly referred to as “weaknesses,” we prefer to call them opportunities for improvement. people’s weaknesses tend to be seen as negative, but they are not.
Let’s take an example. You have an important delivery to make, you consider yourself responsible and you try hard to do the tasks assigned to you, but you have a low tolerance for frustration. It is usual to feel that you should not fail if you are doing your best.
So what is the opportunity for improvement? The idea is not that you “manage” to overcome frustration and always maintain a positive attitude. That idea that everything must be perfect may not be adequate when it comes to discovering what you’re good at.
In fact, some experts indicate that in order to be healthier and to be able to identify what you are good at, you need those aspects that are socially considered negative.
Balancing Positive and Negative
Part of the secret to answering the question, “How do I know what I’m good at?” lies in finding the balance between what is considered positive and negative. If you analyze it, you will realize that frustration, to a certain extent, allows you to be aware that not everything can go the way you want and that you have to let go of a little control to feel better.
When you really know what activities you are good at, there is a greater likelihood that you will enjoy doing them. While a successful career requires a lot of perseverance, natural aptitude can make the road to the top much easier.
Of course, it also helps if you’re passionate about what you do. But once you discover what your underlying superpowers are, you’ll find it easy to stay motivated; hopefully, inspiration or at least the drive to enhance your strengths and gifts will take you from there.
Mind you, the activities you’re good at may not be obvious or jump out at you right away. But with a close, hard look, you’ll find that seemingly irrelevant skills and talents can be important in developing you as a person and as a professional.
why is it important to identify your strengths and weaknesses?
If you’ve already figured out what imposter syndrome means, it’s easier for you to answer the question, “How do I know what I’m good at?” To do this, start by recognizing what your strengths and weaknesses are by creating a personal SWOT.
Let’s talk about each person’s strengths to answer: “How do I know what I’m good at?” We tend to think that extroverted people have the most skills, but the truth is that everyone, regardless of their personality type, has qualities that distinguish them and make them stand out.
In a few words, strengths are those abilities that provide well-being, that become something positive because they generate satisfaction for possessing them. According to Psychology and Mind, strengths can also be considered virtues .
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7. Distinguish what you are good at and what you are passionate about
Whatyou’re good at and what you’re passionate about will always align perfectly. While there is usually a lot of overlap between the two, it’s important to differentiate the meanings. why: You may enter a career field you’re passionate about only to discover that your talents don’t really thrive there.
let’s take a closer look!
what are you good at?
It’s a natural ability. You are naturally good at some subject or field. You are also more efficient or more effective at performing certain tasks, handling situations, or applying knowledge. While you will sometimes struggle, you will generally improve at a faster rate than others.
It is based on knowledge. Most knowledge is learned, but if you know what you are good at, you can educate yourself without as much effort.
If you are applying your skills,you will not be able to hide your natural talent. People will recognize, appreciate and comment on the activities you are good at without you mentioning them.
what are you passionate about?
Skill level is not important. It is clear that passion is not everything, you need to have an interest in continuing to learn what you are good at.
It’s interest based – you may not find it easy to capture your passions, but your love for them will make it easy to succeed anyway.
You are intrinsically motivated. Many people are also intrinsically motivated by what they are good at. In fact, the pleasure you get from performing a certain task is worth more than any external reward.
That said, read on to find out what you’re good at and how you can turn it into a passion.
8. Keep an open mind
Some of the answers you get may be surprising or highlight aspects of your personality that you hadn’t considered. Don’t dismiss them. The idea is to get a better picture of yourself, as well as what you’re good at and the skills you could improve. As we mentioned to you earlier, these unexpected qualities could lead you into an area you never would have imagined before.
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9. Write in your journal
A great way to think about what you’re good at is to resort to journaling. It is an increasingly used practice, which consists of writing down your thoughts, desires, fears and hopes day by day in a notebook or personal journal.
Believe it or not, using a pencil and paper will be the best companion when you need to be alone and think about your talents. Take your journal and let your thoughts take shape. Write in this journal every day and make it your routine activity. When you allow your thoughts to flow freely, they will direct you to the things you love and the key to discovering what you are good at.
After about a week or a month, start reading your journal. You will find that numerous activities will attract your attention and you will surely enjoy returning to those thoughts.
Simply put, your personal journal holds the answer to knowing the things you are good at. It will not only allow you to list your strengths and opportunities, but also to discover what you want for your personal and professional life.
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10. Notice the talent in others
There are times when the talent of others can inspire you to realize what you are good at in a certain activity. Certainly, what attracts you to another person might help you answer, “How do I know what I’m good at?”
For example, if an article inspires you, but you think you could have contributed in a better way, perhaps your hidden talent is writing.
So, ideally, you should look for something that connects with your vocation. It should inspire you and make you feel happy. Use this to your advantage, plus, you can seek that person’s advice and get help to develop that skill yourself and not resort to a test to find out “What am I good at?”.
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11. Remember what you have been thanked or praised for
We do numerous acts in our lives. And sometimes we are thanked, and sometimes we are not. Try to figure out the various things you were thanked for or received positive feedback about your work in the past. how did it make you feel?
It is easy to dismiss such compliments, sometimes unconsciously. If you hear these compliments, they will tell you exactly what you are good at. Similarly, when you are thanked for something regularly, it means you are good at it, which could be your hidden talent.
You may be a good listener, a good motivator, or a good teacher. These small thanks or compliments may seem insignificant at times. However, somewhere deep down, these are your skills.
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12. Be open to change
Once you’ve found the answer to “How do I know what I’m good at?”, you must be open to change. You may have to make important, life-changing decisions after discovering your talent.
Remember that life is not always a straight line. Sometimes it zigzags or runs in circles. Therefore, discovering what you are good at and finding your best strengths will give you the insight to deal with life’s ups and downs .
It may seem unsettling at first, but that’s what will make you happy over time. You can’t expect to stay stagnant and grow. You need to embrace change and do it with enthusiasm.
Therefore, you need to give yourself the opportunity to live a life that makes you happy through your talents. This involves letting go of all preconceived notions and willingly accepting new thoughts and habits. You will find that such changes will improve your thinking and prepare you for more of life’s challenges.
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13. Boost your skills
Discovering the activities you’re good at doesn’t mean your story of self-discovery is over. It requires you to constantly learn and update your knowledge and become more proficient in order to boost your skill set.
For example, take courses, attend seminars, watch videos, read books or do any activity that helps you improve your talent. Over time, almost everything becomes obsolete and, therefore, you should never be satisfied when it comes to learning and enriching your knowledge.
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14. Remember your past skills
Another way to know what you are good at is to remember all the skills you have had throughout your life, whether in childhood, at school, at university or, well, as an adult.
You may have trouble remembering them, but surely your parents or siblings can give you a hand. These are the people in your life who have known you for a long time.
There are customs and habits that we pick up as children and try to be good at. Maybe there are activities that you are good at, but maybe you have forgotten them as you grew up. Your past behaviors, likes and dislikes will give you a clear picture of your personality and how you grew up.
If some of these actions still tickle your brain or excite you, these were the things you loved and were good at. that’s your talent! Try to recreate that part of your life and regain the same level of enthusiasm when you realize your strengths.
did you find a solution to your concerns? We hope that by putting our tips into practice you have answered the question that originated this blog post, “How do I know what I’m good at?”. And more than that, you have a path of action to find those motivations and aspects of improvement that are often not so easy to know.
see you soon