Let’s talk about natural talents

This person has real talent!

Is there a person you admire and follow – artist, scientist, athlete, entrepreneur, leader or manager? Do you ever wonder why this person has excellent performance for so long? You may think that art, science, sports, business, leadership or management springs from their natural talents and this is very possible, but it is not the whole truth, as we will soon explain.

What is talent?

A talent is the natural way of thinking, feeling and behaving, the way of processing information, interacting with others, or seeing the world. Your natural talents reflect your authenticity and uniqueness and lie behind the beliefs that empower you, the emotions that activate you, and the motivation that energizes you. They support you to untap your potential, to have high performance most of the times and to feel strong in different areas of your life. Natural talents involve:

• Empowering thoughts and beliefs
• Positive emotions
• Goal-oriented behaviors
• Performance motivation
• Energy and grit

Which are your talents?

Do you know your talents? Do you cultivate and use them in efficient ways? You may have a natural talent in empathy, strategic thinking, flexibility, focus, optimism, communication, for example. To identify your natural talents, think for a moment:

• Is there something you remember you liked doing even as a kid?
• What do you learn easily at work or in your personal life?
• What activities can you do without a lot of effort?
• Why do people congratulate you?
• What do others like about you?
• Why do people come to you for advice?
• What energizes you?
• What topics do you discuss with enthusiasm?
• What achievements are you proud of?
• When do you feel authentic?
• Can you think of any activities that attract your full attention?
• What do you do without being asked?
• Is there something you don’t need to include in your ‘To Do’ list because it’s constantly on your mind?

Your talents drive, and are driven by, your interests. Usually, you are interested in things you are good at, things you do easily rather than in those that challenge you or give you a hard time. The combination of talent and interest, with the support of your environment, can lead to expertise and high performance.

Remember: natural talents are essential, but they are not enough for you to reach your goals, a point we will further explain in a next article.

Dr. Sophia Protopapa is a mental health and career counselor, an author and a trainer in strengths-based counseling for teens and adults.

Dr. Vasilis Manousakis is a creative author, university professor, and mental health counselor.  Studies the use of creativity as a therapeutic means.