How to find your hidden talent

taken from:  http://www.toiletpaperentrepreneur.com/the-right-actions/how-to-find-your-hidden-talent/

Everyone has a talent.  EVERYONE.  So maybe yours is blowing milk out your nose… it’s still a talent.  And most talents can be monetized.  The key is to find your talent and then turn it into a scalable business.  Too bad many folks get stuck on the “finding the talent” part.  Here is a list of 55 ideas, all contributed by the TPE community, on how to find your hidden talent.  You have it!  Now find it:

1. Sorry, No Excuses Allowed. How To Find Your Talent: First, figure out what benefits you are getting by NOT finding your own talents. For example, are you really afraid to try something new because it might not work, so not letting your talents surface gives you an excuse for not succeeding – or do you just feel safer being able to blame your problems (boredom, lack of money) on someone or something else? Once you know what you are gaining by NOT seeking out your own talents, it is easier to let go of those old outdated beliefs about yourself and move on to new ideas. This tip is not mine – the idea and examples come from a wonderful book on pumping up your spirit to find the real you – Spiritual Vitamins: 12 Essential Nutrients for Women by Mary Ellen Psaltis and Maureen Kiefert. Thanks To: Karen Sell of The Possibilities Group LLC

2. Jar Painting Out Of Necessity How To Find Your Talent: I discovered my hidden talent of painting jars in 1998 when I wanted something decorative to hold my 80 flavors of tea on my kitchen counter. I have now painted over 5000 glass jars (jelly jars, pickle jars, mayonnaise jars etc.) No two are alike and I’ve sold or given most of them away filled with candy, tea, paperclips, rolled-up dollar bills. Thanks To: Patricia Lorenz of Freelance writer/speaker

3. Mirror, Mirror On The Wall… How To Find Your Talent: Think about the things that you do naturally that others say “I wish I could do that _____ (fill in the blank) as good as you do” and you say “whatever, no big deal, that’s nothing, etc., etc.” Take that “__________” which IS your hidden talent and look at yourself in the mirror and introduce yourself to yourself (a la Austin Powers) by saying “Hi, I’m Adrienne Garland and I can organize and simplify your life”. Then, literally – you will be able to see how it feels. I guarantee it will feel right. Thanks To: Adrienne Garland of Kando Services

4. Others See it Before You How To Find Your Talent: One key to discovering a hidden talent is to remain open and receptive to new ideas – no matter how crazy they may seem. For more than a dozen years after entering the workplace employers and clients regularly told me that I would make a great teacher. I never took the idea seriously because I could never see myself being comfortable in a conventional classroom environment. In 1994 I discovered a subject I am passionate about – chocolate – and now I love teaching because it’s fun, not work. Thanks To: Clay Gordon of pureorigin

5. Find Your Strengths How To Find Your Talent: The best way to find your strengths or hidden talents is to take the online test of the book, “Now, Discover your strengths!” by Marcys Buckingham. This online test will show you your hidden talents. Thanks To: Arnel Tanyag of Drescher & Tanyag

6. Capitalize on Your Strengths How To Find Your Talent: Read the book StrengthsFinder 2.0 (by Tom Rath). Take the assessment and PAY ATTENTION to the messages it either provides or that it affirms. Thanks To: Meggin McIntosh of Emphasis on Excellence, Inc.

7. Go With Your Gut How To Find Your Talent: Go with your gut. Whatever gives you the most personal satisfaction is more than likely your hidden talent. Thanks To: Brian Rouff of Imagine Marketing

8. Do What You Love How To Find Your Talent: The best way to discover a hidden talent is to think about what you love to do. What have you always wanted to try but haven’t yet? What do you see others doing that you wish you were doing? The best tip for discovering your hidden talent is simply to think about what you love to do! Thanks To: Karin Wilson Edmonds of KW+A

9. Take an Improv Class How To Find Your Talent: An Improv Class will encourage you to think across so many genres: different movies, countries, accents, periods of time. Then you must become what is needed for the scene: an alien, an 18th century aristocrat, a 60 year old truck driver, a 5 year old girl. Get your different voices out, walk with a certain gait, dance, sing. Transform yourself on stage, and you will discover more passions and hidden talents within! Thanks To: Pamela Hawley of UniversalGiving

10. Listen Carefully! How To Find Your Talent: People will tell you everything about themselves if you listen carefully and do not interrupt them. For hiring, friendships or doing business with them always do some background checking(credit report for example will often tell you where they live and have lived for evaluating their resume or conversation). Thanks To: Ted Costa of TixClinix

11. Follow Eleanor Roosevelt’s Suggestion How To Find Your Talent: “Do something that scares you every day.” Following this quote from Eleanor Roosevelt will help you find your hiddent talent(s). Thanks To: Jan Cullinane of Retirement Living from A to Z

12. Try Everything! How To Find Your Talent: Try everything! Whatever your hidden talent is will shine through as you’ll be mediocre (or completely suck) at everything else. The trick is to quickly realize what you’re not good at. Thanks To: Mike Ogilvie of Ignite Speed Networking

13. Comfort Zones Stunt Your Growth How To Find Your Talent: The best way to explore hidden talents is to try completely new “scary” things for yourself. Skydive, sing at a Karaoke, visit a church you know nothing about, volunteer for a crisis center, join a club, study something completely foreign to you. Break out of your comfort zone and you might be surprised what gets waked up in you. Thanks To: Nancy Irwin of Dr. Nancy Irwin, Psychotherapist/Clinical Hypnotist

14. Be Creative How To Find Your Talent: Each day set aside 2-3 minutes of quiet time to contemplate a project or idea you are working on – give yourself space and time to do this, if you get distracted write a note. The idea here is to let your mind wander, we don’t see idle thinking as work yet most of us know our best ideas pop into our heads when we’re not thinking about anything in particular. So sit, be quiet and just wander, you will find wild, wacky and creative ideas that you can later develop or reject but which might just give you a whole new way to look at your world Thanks To: Matthew Draycott of inc

15. Listen Up! How To Find Your Talent: Listen to people that know you. You may not be that aware of the things you do best but people who know you do. Listen to people when they say, “have you ever thought of doing____?” or “You are really good at___.” Next time someone says something to you–don’t blow it off, follow up instead. Being open to other people’s experience of you can expand your ideas of yourself! Thanks To: Stacey Wolf of intuitive counselor

16. You Knew As A Child How To Find Your Talent: Remember what you imagined or pretended when you were playing by yourself as a child, under the age of seven. This will key you into your soul’s purpose. Were you a teacher, did you build things, make clothes for your dolls, heal your pets? It is important to remember what you imagined when you were alone, and therefore un-influenced by other people, and under the age of seven when the “inner self” is more pronounced than the conscious mind and conscious ego. Thanks To: Laurel Clark of School of Metaphysics

17. Is it Really Hidden? How To Find Your Talent: Sometimes, I think our hidden talents aren’t really hidden – more like repressed or discounted and ignored. Be especially aware of what other people “see” in you that you may or may not validate or give much attention to yourself. Thanks To: Krista Dunk of Koinonia Business Women

18. What’s Easy For You How To Find Your Talent: We all think that the things we are good at are easy, so we tend to discount their value. Conversely, we value things that we find difficult – which other people find easy. If something comes easily to you, chances are you’re good at it, too – and often the people for whom it’s not easy will pay you to do it. Thanks To: Mary Westheimer of Kevin Caron Studio

19. Find Your Sweet Spot How To Find Your Talent: In order to find your sweet spot, or your unique gift, think of those things that come easy to you. To you it’s no big deal, but to others, it’s incredible. What are those things that others come to you for that for you, it’s as easy as breathing and you’d do it for fun whether you were paid or not? When your operating out of your sweet spot, your true talent will shine! Thanks To: Bradley Will of Empowering Young Entrepreneurs

20. One Thing With Effortless Ease? How To Find Your Talent: 1. What did you ALWAYS dream about doing or becoming? What did you dream about doing when you were a kid? What kind of success in other people´s lives make you the most jelous or uncomfortable with your life when you see it? (even if it´s in a movie, song, book or real life) 2. What one particular thing do you do VERY well with effortless ease? You might not even realize you´re doing it because of how WELL you do it! 3. What is it that you LOVE to do the most? That thing that while you´re doing it, time freezes and hours slip by without you even noticing. 4 .Everything around that hidden talent autamitacally intrests you, every conversation spikes your interest. 5. Whenever you are doing or performing this hidden talent, even if you´re uncoinciously doing it, you feel happy, at ease, peacefull, secure and comfortable with yourself, that moment, and that thing that you´re doing Thanks To: Alexandra S. Martinez of Eloquent Books

21. Ignite the Spark Within How To Find Your Talent: Our true entrepreneurial talents may be divined by the emotion sparked by engagement. Listen to your heartbeat, when it speeds our intent becomes fueled by passion which enables action. Action is the key to realizing our identified entrepreneurial talents. If the spark isn’t there, you won’t have the stamina to withstand the inevitable setbacks. Thanks To: Brogan Keane of Fuego Nation, Inc.

22. A Duh Moment! How To Find Your Talent: Listen to what your inner voice is telling you. Sometimes we have to trip and fall before we hear the voice. Duh!!! Thanks To: Linda Distler of lynsdesign

23. Smiley Face  How To Find Your Talent: What do you do that makes you burst into a genuinely happy smile? Do that! Thanks To: Precious Knudsen of Precious Knudsen

24. Don’t Get Mad, Get Paid How To Find Your Talent: ‘If you see something wrong, why don’t you right it’ the song goes. If something bugs you about the way things are, making a difference can make you money. Chances are if you’re annoyed by something, other people are too. All the better if you can do something profitable that helps everyone! Thanks To: Patrick Hebert of CellCycle.ca

25. Fix Your Frustration How To Find Your Talent: Ask yourself: What frustrates me? Can I fix it? If I can, why has no one fixed it, yet? It may be because fixing your source of frustration is your hidden talent, or a strength that differentiates you from ‘the rest of us.’ Thanks To: Jim Graham of Start Up Now

26. Find The Bigger Thing How To Find Your Talent: Play “Find the Bigger Thing.” Consider all your ideas and write them all down, draw a circle around all the things you like, and think about it for days. Now consider what is the bigger thing that contains all those things that I loved? Do that bigger thing. Thanks To: Amy Hoy of Freckle Time Tracking

27. Tune In To Yourself How To Find Your Talent: The best way to uncover your hidden talent is to tune in to yourself. Our talents are all there but can sometimes get masked by taking other jobs just to make money. Instead, think about what you love doing. For example, I was always a very strong writer but never thought to make a career out of it. I went the practical route studying environmental science in college. Upon graduation, I worked in the environmental industry. I knew something was up when I learned I’d rather write the reports than do field work. After I realized that my talent and strength was writing, I started pursuing my writing career. Thanks To: Kristen Fischer of Kristen Fischer

28. Get Out of Your Zone How To Find Your Talent: Take a class or select a hobby that’s completely out of your comfort (and possibly interest) zone. If you’re not sure what to select, ask your friends, family, and business colleagues for their suggestions. Dive in — no fear! Adopt the mindset of an explorer, filled with excitement and possibility, and you just may unearth some inner treasures. Thanks To: Tara Kachaturoff of Personal Brand Essentials

29. Read The Headstones How To Find Your Talent: Go for a walk in a cemetery. The inscriptions shout out the talents of the deceased: lived to square dance, world’s greatest quilter, juggling for Jesus. I ponder what will be on my grave marker; what am I good at, and what have I not explored? I realized my hidden talent for poetry after spotting a headstone that declared Grandma loved her nightcrawlers and ant farms. Thanks To: Elizabeth Fournier of All Men Are Cremated Equal

30. Could Fish Describe Water? How To Find Your Talent: Knowing your best talents is like fish knowing water. Your best talents and gifts are so natural, they are hard to recognize. Gather together or connect through writing to a circle of people who know you well from work, activities, friendships – both current and part – and ask them the following question. “What do I do uniquely well that offers significant benefit to others?” Thanks To: Kay Plantes of Plantes Company

31. Mastermind Reveals Strengths How To Find Your Talent: Through my mastermind group (filled with business owners and entrepreneurs), I instruct each member how to quickly spot the “Hidden Talents” of other members. Fellow mastermind group members are great listeners and are quick to reveal other group member strengths (Extremely powerful and highly successful technique). Thanks To: David Breth of MAGICTAINMENT

32. Dig Up Proudest Past Moments How To Find Your Talent: Think about and write down the best accomplishments, achievements and activity successes you are most proud of, even back to childhood. Patterns will emerge as you scan all of them and your hidden talents will come up. They may be talents that you are not currently using in your present job which may indicate a career change would make you happier. Thanks To: Clint Cora of Clint Cora

33. Listen To Your Kids How To Find Your Talent: When my family moved to a new home, my then 9 year old daughter said that she wanted a sky on the ceiling of her bedroom and flowers on the walls. I was working on a stock trading desk as I had been for 18 years when she asked me to perform this feat. I had no clue, but she said, “you can do it, I know you can” so Iasked a few people about mixing paint and in two hours, had the outlines for the entire design painted on the walls. Who knew? But from there my business was born. Thanks To: Rebecca Kelman of ByBecca

34. What Do You Want Your Life To Look Like? How To Find Your Talent: Often, people are asked what they “love” to do to help them find their passion, but for many of us this isn’t a long list. I get some of the best information from my clients when I ask them to describe a day/month or year in their ideal life. By doing this, it really brings out how you would like to spend your time and therefore can reveal some ideas of what you truly are passionate about. Thanks To: Valerie Young of Changing Course

35. What Makes Your Heart Dance And Your Eyes Light up? How To Find Your Talent: What are the things you’re doing when you lose track of time or that you can talk about for hours? You may not consider them to be gifts or talents, but if you enjoy them that much, chances are there is something there that could lead you to your gifts. Thanks To: Lisa Tarrant of HelpMeLisa.com

36. Unique Abilities– Just Ask How To Find Your Talent: I did an exercise called Unique Abilities, where I sent out a question to friends, family and colleagues asking them what makes me special. Most people answered, and I compiled all the responses. Then I found a thread – I communicate passionately and expertly about the joys of eating well. Utilize people you know you to help you unveil your hidden talent, which may not be so hidden but you’ll get great feedback. Thanks To: Jill Nussinow of The Veggie Queen

37. Reveal Your Subconscious Instantly How To Find Your Talent: Learn to read and intepret a simple tree you draw. This simple and easy to learn technique will allow you to reveal your inner self. Once you know more about your subconscious mind you can become more authentic.True talent lies in living your passion. Thanks To: Janet Crain of Dr. Janet Crain

38. Playing Musical Instruments With Love How To Find Your Talent: If I had not had the opportunity to play musical instruments when I was young, I don’t think I would be the Entrepreneur I am today. Thanks To: Matt Leitch of MGL Enterprises

39. Reflect Back on Compliments How To Find Your Talent: It is helpful to take a moment to reflect on the compliments that we have received from our customers. Sometimes it takes outside objectivity to see what we have simply taken for granted. Thanks To: Mary Ann Wirtz of Summit Strategies (Communication Strategy, Consulting & Coaching)

40. Capitalize On Childhood Joys How To Find Your Talent: Start by reflecting on your childhood and remembering what activities TRULY gave you joy and satisfaction. You may remember that you loved to work with your hands and could spend hours hanging out in the kitchen cooking, or drawing the day away, or were excited when given the chance to explore and be outdoors all day, or had the most fun entertaining or creating your own “shows” for family and friends, or were happiest when you could spend the day reading every book in sight, or maybe you were the one who would always “tinker” with things and enjoyed taking them apart and putting them back together. Figuring out the themes of what activities made you happy when you were young and what “skills” you used in pursuing those joyful activities can help you uncover the skills and talents that come naturally that you can use to help shape and define your future business direction. Thanks To: Kaushika Patel of Catalyst Tea & Gift Boutique

41. Internal, Spiritual, Prayer, Self, Purpose How To Find Your Talent: Turn inward and pray for spiritual guidance with self imposed questions of how to serve, share and be of help. Be aware and discover feelings and ideas that lead to passion and purpose. Be willing to listen on a different level…… your cat may even start talking to you. Thanks To: Carolyn Bartz of Secrets Of Cat Attitude Revealed

42. Think About Your Interests How To Find Your Talent: Think about the subjects and activities you are most comfortable discussing and decide whether there is a market for them. Thanks To: Denis Cauvier, PhD of The ABCs of Making Money and The ABCs of Making Money for Teens

43. Find Hidden Treasures in Memories How To Find Your Talent: Remember those simple things that made you incredibly happy as a child? Our hidden talents are often buried in our past, but haven’t resurfaced in our adult life. Keep a story journal to trigger your memory of the times you felt ‘happiest’ and start to infuse those instances into your present life. You may discover, or re-discover, your hidden talents! Thanks To: Melissa Cassera of Cassera Communications

44. Talents Are Hidden in Passions. How To Find Your Talent: Whatever you love, no matter how far removed it may seem from having the ability to make you money, chances are there is a blog or forum dedicated to it. Find others who share your passions and you’ll start cluing in on how others turn passion into talent. Thanks To: Leigh Peterson of GoFetchGifts.com

45. Find Your Gift in Ten Minutes by Asking Only One Question How To Find Your Talent: If you really want to find your gift and get to know someone in your life better try this. Sit across from each other. Have your buddy ask you “Who are you?” and then start listing nouns: A listener, a comic, energy, etc. Do this for 10 minutes – then flip to the other person. When you’re both done – tell each other what you heard. Thanks To: Ivana Taylor of DIY Marketers

46. Learn to Find Hidden Talents How To Find Your Talent: Get a notebook and find a quiet place. Write down the earliest memory from childhood of a time that you were full of joy, and happiness, a time when you were given praise and applause. Describe fully what you were doing, where you were, and who you were with. In addition, write down a vivid dream you had of your future, as a grown up person. Thanks To: Geraldine Hoylie of Allana Enterprises

47. How To Find Your Hidden Talents How To Find Your Talent: To find your hidden talents do this exercise: Take a piece of paper and make two columns. Under the left column, write down every job and hobby you had and have now. Under the right column, write down every skill you used and use to do the job or hobby. Go through the list and remove duplicates. The skills that are left are your hidden talents. They are hidden because you don’t realize you use them when doing the work or hobby. Thanks To: Harry Husted of Creating Words

48. Hide and Go Seek How To Find Your Talent: Think back to what you loved to do as a child. As young children, we’re uninhibited and our true passions come more naturally to us. Then, see if you can translate that passion and talent into something you can use and build upon as an adult. Thanks To: Jill Frechtman of Fretzels by Jill, Inc.

49. Listen to Compliments. Really listen. How To Find Your Talent: Other people often recognise what we’re good at while we are taking it for granted and fail to notice it (if we’re not denying it altogether). I have had to hear “wow, that’s great, you’re so creative!” many times before I told myself to stop the brain noise going “oh no, that’s rubbish, I’m not creative at all” and embrace it. Less brain noise, more actual listening to people’s praise! Thanks To: Noreen Blanluet of beamazingtoday

50. Ask Your FAMILY How To Find Your Talent: In order to find your hidden talent you should ask others what you are great at? The talent is hidden because you have not found it on your own. An excellent way to find out is to ask your FAMILY, F is for Friends, A is for Associates, M is for Ministry(church members), I is for Inspiration(mentor),L is for Learning classmates),and Y is for You as sometimes after hearing what they have to say you have to see what you say about yourself. Thanks To: Derrick Hayes of WOE Enterprises

51. Squeezing Lemons Into Sweet Cologne. How To Find Your Talent: My brother and I always had a strong sense of smell, but it wasn’t until we left Hawaii when our homesickness helped us develop what turned out to be the first perfume house blending natural colognes for kids and kids at heart. Thanks To: Kai Hughes of Maoli perfumes

52. Strengths Finder to Uncover Talents How To Find Your Talent: I used Gallup’s Strengths Finder 2.0 test and when I got my personalized results, I really saw how each of my talents works to complement and even magnify my other talents, which was awesome! I also noticed that nearly every one of my talents had a couple of similar phrases and that encouraged me it was the right move to start my creative consulting business. In the book, there are also Ideas for Action to make the most of your talent in your career and life, as well as a section forWorking with Others Who Have the particular talents. Out of 34 talents, the test will determine your top 5, and you will receive a online report (PDF) that takes your top 5 into consideration to provide insight into your unique make-up. Thanks To: Lauren Krause of Creative Curio

53. Cultivate Those Wacky Childhood Seedlings How To Find Your Talent: When I think about my interests and passions as a kid—-like talking all my friends into wacky ventures like drama clubs and neighborhood magazines—-I can see the seeds of all the stuff I’m actually very talented at and passionate about today. And I’m convinced there are even more seeds and seedlings from my childhood-—and from your childhood, too—-that haven’t even bloomed yet! What’s true for me can be true for you: With a little digging, you may find rooted in your childhood all sorts of hidden talents, dormant but very much alive, waiting patiently for a little cultivating so they can grow and bloom into something really spectacular now that you’re all grown-up. Thanks To: Karen Linamen of Humorous Speaker and Writer

54. Think of What Makes You Happy How To Find Your Talent: Make a list of all the jobs you’ve had, in your whole life, no matter whether they were paid or not. The jobs that you had during the happiest times of your life were ones where you were using your hidden talent. Thanks To: Bill Horne of William Warren Consulting

55. Your Talent is In the Newspaper How To Find Your Talent: What section of the newspaper or magazines do you go to first? Movie reviews, travel, sports, health, religion, local politics? Your hidden talent may lie in this area. Thanks To: Ann Ronan of Authentic Life Institute

Compiled by Mike Michalowicz, Author of The Toilet Paper Entrepreneur