I think there’s a certain level of maturity and self-awareness that must be present to really know what you’re good at. I’ve nailed down a few of my own skills lately, and I’ve realized just how valuable that can be. By getting a grasp on what you’re really good at, you can suddenly open up doors for yourself that you might have otherwise missed. Here’s how I’ve been able to make some progress in those areas myself.

First, I think you must identify things you’re NOT good at. Sometimes it’s hard for us to admit that certain things aren’t our strong points. We may have to come to terms with the fact that we’re not good at everything. (The horror!) We may also have to realize that we need to delegate some items or ask for help. However, the fact of the matter is, we’re not all good at everything. Being bad at some things gives us room to be great at others. If you can put your finger on things that you’re not the best at, you will start to identify things you are good at. (It might help to think about things that you find yourself procrastinating.)

Secondly, think about things that you always get compliments on. If you pay close attention, you might find that people tend to repetitively compliment you on the same or related things. For me, I always hear things like, “you have great taste.” Or, “you’re great at marketing.” Without realizing it, people were identifying some of my skills that I may not have really paid attention to otherwise. If you listen to things that the people around you point out, you might identify some underlying skills that you weren’t really noticing. You can also possibly identify things you aren’t as good at through this same method. However, be very, very careful to not let someone’s seemingly negative comments bring you down or discourage you. Pay attention, yet don’t let someone else have the final say.

Finally, I always encourage people to pay attention to your senses. If you’re genuinely excited about something and can’t stop thinking about it, maybe that’s your thing. If you regularly feel anxious or dread something, it might not be your thing. Most of the time, your gut will guide you towards what’s a right fit. You just have to listen and pay attention to what you’re feeling.

Furthermore, you may be good at some aspects of things, and not as good at others. This is certainly the case for me. For example, I’m a great business owner. I have a natural business mindset that allows me to make good marketing and growth decisions. I’m usually very good at sensing what my customers/clients might want and then delivering just that. On the other hand, I’m not as good at some of the behind the scenes aspects. If I had to file my own taxes, I’d probably quit. Many of the more tedious aspects of running a business are not my forte. I learned this about myself by following the guidelines above. I also learned that I can still be a great business owner, even if I’m not good at all areas of running a business. Rather than trying to do all and be all, I can get help with the things that I’m not good at, and in turn, that’ll open up time for me to do the things I am best at. It’s a win, win.

I’ve found that by being truly honest with ourselves, we can excel in the areas we’re meant to be known for. We can also alleviate a lot of unnecessary stress by not forcing ourselves to do the stuff that doesn’t fill us up. Of course, sometimes our jobs do require us to do things that aren’t ideal. For example, it may be your job to clean the bathroom. That’s not a glamorous position, yet someone has to do it. I wouldn’t suggest refusing to clean the bathroom because it doesn’t fill you up. However, if you focus on what you’re good at and really excel at that, you might be opening yourself up for a promotion where bathroom duty is no longer on your list. Sometimes we have to pay our dues. In the end though, it’s by accentuating our talents that we’ll get ahead.

Is there something that you seem to dread on a daily basis? Spend some time today thinking about what you naturally feel drawn to and what you want to run away from. This exercise might give you the ammunition you need to craft a more ideal and more beautiful life for yourself.

Have any thoughts on the topic? Please share!

The planner in the photo above is from A Beautiful Mess.