4. Learn From Assessments
There are numerous,
scientifically validated assessment tools that can help individuals
determine key personality traits, interests, skills, and areas of
expertise. Myers-Briggs, DISC, and CDR are but a few. As with asking
others, these tools will provide valuable clues. You must be willing to
answer the questions as honestly as you can. If you've done these, try
the Strengths Finder. I have found it to be very accurate and helpful.
5. Create Space
When you climb to the top of a
tree, you see the forest, at the bottom you only see a few trees. Create
some space in your life so that you have the opportunity gain
perspective. This will help you determine the general direction you
should be moving in, which will then lead to a more defined path, and
eventually your own personal trail blazed with your unique gift.
Unclutter your life from activities, people and things that keep you
from having space.
6. Go Solo
This is the extreme of creating
space. If you find creating space in your daily life difficult, or if
you have created space and are ready to go to the next level, go solo
for a week. Go camping, find a cabin, a deserted island, go sailing --
be alone for a week. No distractions. Start listening. After you
overcome the fear of being alone with yourself, you will start to hear.
7. Journal
Write down your thoughts every
day. Record observations, intuitions, feelings, revelations, and shifts
in perspective. Your journal will begin to reveal patterns -- those
created by common threads that represent areas of strong interest,
honesty regarding feelings, awareness of special skills, and a natural
draw toward certain people, places, and purposes.
8. Release The Genie
Imagine that you brush up
against a magic lamp, and out pops a genie. The genie says, "I am here
to grant you 20 experiences, of your choosing, to be enjoyed sometime in
your lifetime." What would your list look like? This list represents
more clues. These experiences represent your true values, your
interests, and your passions. Then give yourself at least one of these
experiences soon.
9. Re-Engineer Your Job
You don't have to switch jobs
or your profession to find (or honor) your unique gift, though those are
possibilities. Start by pulling out your current job description.
Identify everything you really enjoy doing, and everything that you have
to do but would prefer not to do. Next, identify items that are not
part of your job description that you would like to do. Now that you've
distinguished the wants from the shoulds, start to rebuild your job into
the "perfect" job. Renegotiate what you can!
10. Butterfly Projects
You know the feeling of joyful
anticipation as you look forward to a special event or day? Like
Christmas morning, or your birthday as a child, or getting ready for
vacation, or daydreaming in school on the first warm day of spring.
These are positive butterflies, in contrast to those we get from nervous
anticipation. Have you ever had positive butterflies while thinking
about a project? Perhaps it's a special project at work, or coaching a
soccer team, or fixing up the yard
EmoticonEmoticon