Gifts And Abilities Part 1
In life you have two or three things you are really good at. I am going to refer to these as your gifts and abilities.
It is possible, perhaps even probable that you have not completely discovered or developed these gifts and abilities. In my life for example, I find myself slowly gravitating towards what I am best at. Some people know very early in life what their real gifts are but for many of us it takes time.
Remember when you were in school? Your favourite subject was always the one you were best at. It came naturally, and it always felt good to succeed easily. You looked forward to that class, and you were happy whilst doing it. I expect you could quickly pick from this list the subjects you most enjoyed:
• English
• Mathematics
• Science
• Geography
• History
• Art
• Sport
• MusicOf course these are just school subjects, and this list represents only a tiny fraction of the potential interests and possibilities in life.
However, the principle is the same. The activities you are best at you enjoy. Doing them brings more feelings of achievement, happiness and excitement.
This is one of the best ways to find your true gifts and abilities. Continue to gravitate towards the things that interest and excite you. If you are dissatisfied with your life or your career, it is because you have fallen into or accepted a way of life or a job that is not aligned to your gifts and abilities. If that is you, make a change NOW. If you don’t, you will sit in your rocking chair at 85, looking back in regret.
We can only find true happiness and an abundant life when we are in that place. That is why it is so disappointing to see people who:
a) Forget what really excites them and fall into a job that wears them down year after year.
b) Lack energy and motivation to make real change happen in their lives.
c) Waste time (for example TV and trashy novels) rather than doing what they were called to do.
d) Misuse their gifts and abilities and make the world a worse place (for example Hitler and Bernie Madoff).
e) Give up when they need to push through the many barriers life puts in their way.Most people have just two or three gifts or abilities. It is important to identify what these are and then pursue them with all of your energy. It is frustrating and counter- productive to try and be something you were not created to be. Sure with hard work and determination you can be above average at just about anything. But you are selling yourself short if you are striving to be outstanding in an area outside of your God given gifts and abilities.
The first challenge for many people is they don’t know what their true gifts are. My advice is to always gravitate towards what you love and what your heart leads you to. Attend seminars, do courses and read books that are designed to help you to find your true gift. Also, ask friends who you trust what they see as your gifts and abilities.
The second challenge for many people, when they do find their true gift, is seeing a way to make it a career or vocation. In most cases it is easier and more financially rewarding to follow a traditional career path. Consider someone whose gift is to advocate for the poor and disenfranchised. There is no easy and lucrative career path for him/her. It is far easier to put that gift aside and take a corporate job with a defined career path. But although it is easier and more financially rewarding, that person will never be fulfilled or satisfied in that corporate job. I loved the fantastic saxophonist Michael Brecker whose family wanted and expected him to be a doctor. But he followed his dream and his gift and became a sensational musician.
Life is not about taking the easy option and the “easiest” financial gain. Imagine if Claude Monet, Mother Teresa, Charles Dickens and Shakespeare had taken the easy and financially secure option.
I like what Malcolm Forbes the publisher of Forbes Magazine said in these two quotes:
“The biggest mistake people make in life is not trying to make a living at doing what they most enjoy.”
“Success follows from what you want to do. There is no other way to be successful.”
I also like what Jack Canfield said in his book “The Success Principles”:
“You were born with an inner guidance system that tells you when you are on or off purpose by the amount of joy you are experiencing. The things that bring you the greatest joy are in alignment with your purpose.”
You need to do your part. Forget the easy option. Forget settling for a comfortable income. Find your gift, live your dream and change the world!
There are only two reasons why people do not live an abundant life:
a) They are on the wrong path and have settled for a lower calling; or
b) They are on the journey towards the life they were called to live, and they are experiencing the normal challenges and obstacles that everyone faces.
But remember, an abundant life does not equal an easy life without challenges and difficulties. Look at Mother Teresa’s life. It was tremendously abundant, but it was not easy or simple or prosperous. But would she have exchanged her life for living in wealth and ease? Never! It was not what she was created for and called to.