What is My Talent?

Most emerging professionals are unsure of what they talents or gifts they possess. This lead them to either pursuing the wrong career that they hate or choosing the wrong major. I understand this very well because that was me. I though that I had no talent because I was comparing myself to my creative friends and celebrities such as Alicia keys who can hold a note and soothe us with her ability to play the piano/keyboard. I later learn that talent is not only in the creative outlets, but there are approximately 5 categories of talents. The purpose of this blog is to help you discover your talent(s). 

Dancing.

What is the difference between gifts and talents? I used both words interchangeably until recently, I learned the difference. According to, Oxford Language dictionary talent is, “a natural aptitude or skill”. This means that your talent is something that comes naturally to you, but you have to put in the repetition to improve it. A gift is your God given abilities such as: gift of prophecy, gift of healing, gift of teaching etc 1 Corinthians 12:28. These are divine gifts that God gave you to serve others. These gifts you do not need to practice. I used to be so jealous of my friend “K” because she has a great voice. When she sings she sounds like an angel. But, when I sing I sound like a crow crowing in the morning. My friend “F” is an amazing artist. I believe that he is the next Pablo Picasso. He has a unique way of seeing the world and drawing what he sees with precision. One day he drew his late parents at their dinner table and the accuracy of the painting was immaculate, every detail of them was presented. I went home and I attempted to draw my mom cooking, and that picture was a stick figure. My friend “M” who acted in every community played.She can cry on cue with real tears flowing from her eyes. She can be happy on cue. She can faint on cue without being  hesitant or fearful of injuring herself.  While me, on the other hand, has absolutely zero acting skills. I can not cry on cue or faint on cue. In my young adult years I came to the conclusion that I have no gifts and no talent because I was comparing myself to my friends and celebrities I see on television. But, I learned that gifts and talents are not only in the creative aspect, but there are interpersonal and intellectual talents and gifts. 

I believe that Albert Einstein had intellectual and creative talents. According to thedecisionlab.com, “Albert Einstein was a physicist, philosopher, mathematician, Nobel-prize winner, violinist and a scientist. It took Einstein's creativity and ingenuity to come up with new ideas in the scientific field. 

Ellen DeGeneres and Jimmy Fallon are great examples of interpersonal talents. They have the ability to  put people at ease and create a warm, inviting atmosphere. According to natures.com, “people with strong interpersonal talents/intelligence are inclined to start conversation with strangers easily”. If you are familiar with Ellen Show and The Jimmy Fallon show they possess this quality to start conversation with strangers. This is displayed when they interview guests for their shows. 

I now understand that I possess multiple talents, which are interpersonal, business acumen and creative talents. I am a 3X author and I was able to gather over 80 people for a networking event because of my interpersonal ability to make friends and make people feel seen, heard and wanted. Currently, I am juggling entrepreneurship and a 9-5. I recalled my supervisor gave me an assignment to complete an assessment for the population we served. I utilized my business skills to create a plan on how to achieve that goal with my other responsibilities. The first step is I decided to break down the goal in smaller goal. For example, I decided to complete one assessment a day. Second, I started with my warm lead, those are the clients that I have a strong rapport with (they know me, like me and trust me). I do this to create momentum. If I continue at this rate I expected to complete 80-90% of the assessment by spring 2026.

How To  Find Your Talent?

Friend, Family: When I was in high school one of my teachers encouraged me to become an author because she believed that I would be great at it. But, I ignored her because I did not believe it. The first English paper I completed in college was returned to me with red ink all over the page. This discouraged me. But, I discovered that having a talent does not exempt me from practicing the craft to improve my skill. The point that I am making is that people in your life can help you discover your talents and gifts. 

Magnetic Pull:  Ever since I was little I enjoyed reading fiction books and writing. My aspiration as a teen  was to work in Barnes and Noble because I loved books. While most of my friends would spend their money buying clothes I would spend my money on fiction books and journals. I made it a habit to write regularly in my journal or to write poetry and short stories. The talent you have will be pulled like a magnet pulling a metal, basically you will have a strong desire for it. 

Explore:  If you are confused about your talent you can explore different fields. When you try different things you discover your strengths and weaknesses. You will also discover if you love it or dislike it. You will also grow because you will step outside of your comfort zone, It's not a waste of time or money to try different fields because you will gain new experience, growth and new friends. 

Compliments: I want you to reflect on compliments that you received either recently or from the past. Did you often receive compliments about something you do or say? For example, if you are always praised for your warm and kind nature, it might means you have interpersonal talent, you are able to make friends easily. You probably have great listening skills, the ability to effectively listen to others and make people feel loved and seen.

Below, I compiled a list of talents in different categories. 

People & Interpersonal Examples • Leadership: Public speaking, motivating others, negotiation, teaching. Emotional Intelligence: Empathy, self-awareness, patience, comforting others. • Social Skills: Listening, persuading, making people feel comfortable, peacemaking.  

Intellectual & Academic Examples • Analytical: Critical thinking, data analysis, logical reasoning, problem-solving. Communication: Writing, debating, strong vocabulary, spelling. • Strategic: Business acumen, organization, strategic decision-making.  

Physical & Athletic Examples • Sports: Running, swimming, hiking, acrobatics, specific sports skills. • Dexterity: Juggling, fine motor skills for crafts.  

Creative & Artistic Examples • Visual Arts: Drawing, painting, graphic design, photography, pottery, sculpting. • Performing Arts: Singing, playing musical instruments, acting, dancing, storytelling. • Crafts: Woodworking, sewing, knitting, jewelry making, cooking, baking.   Spiritual Examples (Often distinct from natural talents) •

Gifts: Prophecy, healing, faith, service, wisdom, teaching, giving, mercy, apostleship, evangelism.  

When you understand what talents and gifts you possess, you are more likely to pursue careers that are both financially rewarding and fulfilling. Also, with this knowledge you can utilize your talents and gifts to achieve your goals. Your talents and gifts are your superpower, double down on them because no one on earth can replicate what you do.

What talent(s) do you possess?