By Dominic Soh
A person’s talent can be defined as his special natural ability or aptitude, or his capacity for achievement or success. Talent can also be seen as someone’s gifts as well as the things he does well and is passionate about. While many have found their talent, many more have not and for as hard as this process may be, using talent is often more difficult than finding it. I can name dozens of people that have some incredible gift but there is a disconnect and either they can’t find time to do it, they are scared to leap ahead, or worse, they are too lazy make the jump. While there is no clear, plain as day, method to identifying what your special gift is, it helps to consider some of the ways to look for it and most importantly perhaps, how to use it. With regards to the idea of talent, there are 3 levels which we can take them to.
• Hidden talent I’m not talking about undiscovered talent here (which can be unraveled through trial and error or by accident), but I’m referring to talent that is known but deliberately hidden by the owner himself. Perhaps this could be due to a distorted self-image or a lack of self-confidence. I’ve seen people who have been praised and complimented about their strengths and gifts, out-rightly downplay their own talents out of wanting to be humble or modest. They smile sheepishly and say things like, “Yeah…you might think so…but my singing isn’t that fantastic.” In this case, it seems as if these potential talents have been given the death sentence. They are there, they have the capacity to be exercised and developed, but they remain buried.
• Hoarded talent The second level is hoarded talent. This means that one has already discovered his talents and passions, but he is merely exercising them for his own benefit. Most of the things he does only have him and himself in mind; he may pick up new skills and ideas along the way, but he’s just going to keep them to himself. I’m not saying that it’s wrong to be in this phase, because many of us do end up in this spot after deciding to take our talents to the next level. What I’m trying to bring across is that this stage should not be the final one. As we pursue our passions and develop our talents, taking care of our own needs and desires is important, but I want to challenge all of us to be ready to go to the next level where we start to think and work beyond ourselves.
• Harnessed talent And this brings us to the third level. When one’s talents are harnessed, he is not only exercising them for his own benefit, but for others’ as well. He actively involves others and sees how his skills and expertise can better their lives and help those who are in need. Coming to this stage is about realizing that though our passions and talents start off with us, it does not have to end with us – it can incorporate others into the picture as well. Harnessed talent makes a difference. It makes an impact in the lives of others and it leaves a dent in the universe. It can inspire others who are on their own dream journeys as well. Moreover, harnessed talent allows one to leave a legacy. A passionate and veteran dessert chef who instructs and inspires the upcoming generation of chefs chooses to leave something behind that will go on, even after he leaves his trade.
Your talents – hide them, hoard them, or harness them? You have the capacity to make a difference in your own life and in the lives of others. The choice is yours!
This post was written by Dominic Soh. Dominic writes about passion and finding your dreams at Your Nuclear Dreams.
Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/the-three-hs-of-talent-2011-3#ixzz1GcZzGmfr
