You may have been told that there is always people who are better than you and there always will be. You heard it from your parents, teachers, and even friends. But, what you probably don’t hear as often, is that you are better than a lot of people. Everyone has their strengths. And even though your strengths may not be as developed as some, they will be well above many others.
Here are some steps to get your started with finding your strengths.
List Out Your Strengths
People take what they are good at for granted. It’s just something you do; it’s almost as natural as breathing. You have been doing it for a long time, and you don’t even think about it. But, if you force yourself to list out your strengths, you will discover unknown aspects about yourself.
Others Sometimes Know You Better Than Yourself
You may help others without realizing it. Maybe you helped them fix their computers or when they had trouble with their cars.
Try Something You Haven’t Done in a Long Time
Think back to when you were in high school or college. What kinds of extracurricular activities were you involved with? Suppose you were in the Audio/Visual Club. You knew how to work cameras at sporting events. You knew how to edit post-production to make the clips come alive. This could be the start of a new skill, as you could apply this to YouTube videos, etc.
Teach Others
You can’t teach something you don’t know. And even when you do know something, when you teach it, you will need to refine what you know so that you can convey it to others. Teaching will force you to dig deeper into the subjects you present.
Volunteer
Volunteering has the advantage of helping others out as well as helping you learn new skills. You may volunteer at a food bank and learn how to grow vegetables. This may not be something you would have learned without volunteering. Some people who have a difficult time finding a new job turn to volunteering as a way to gain exposure to new skills as well as make connections.
Lead a Group When you find a group whose members all share the same interest as you, put yourself in a leadership position. You will face new challenges that strengthen your skills in that interest. You can also put this leadership skill on your resume which can help you in looking for a new job. The group can also help you learn more about the interest.
Online Training If there are skills you are not strong at, but would like to learn more about, consider taking some online training. There are plenty of resources available that offer great training on most subjects. You can find both free and paid resources. It’s a good idea to start out with free resources to help you determine if the skills are right for you. If so, you can branch out into paid resources.
When you know your strengths and you begin to optimize them you will notice an increase in your confidence. Best wishes on beginning to find your strengths.