Finding Your SuperPowers

We all have separate and distinct talents and gifts we bring to this world. On the simplest level, we have our talents that allow us to accomplish what we do with the most enjoyment and ease. These are represented by our feelings, attitudes and behaviors that come naturally and transport us to a place where we do our best work in the most authentic way. This was the most discussed topic in our meeting last night – how can we identify what we do naturally well so we can offer these gifts to the world through our work. These are our superpowers, if you will.

We can debate if these talents are god-given or take a more scientific route and learn about the synapses connections in the brain. I say, they are what they are. These are our unique offerings to the world and make us special. In fact, there’s not one other person in this world who has the combination and veracity of talents that you hold at this very moment. Your personal excellence is a monument to your ability to do these things time and time again, and with the utmost perfection. Repetition, an abundance of positive results, and requests for more of what you do well are all good signs of a talent. However, it’s the feeling of being energized in tandem that makes our talents really stand out. Our role right now is to surface these special and one-of-a-kind talents.

These aren’t skills we’ve learned – such as computer proficiency or shooting three-point basketball hoops. No, instead it’s the stuff that’s allowed you to accumulate the skills you’ve gathered over the years. For example, I’m good with the computer because…I’m deeply analytical…or, because it is an extension of my ability to think in an organized fashion. Or, shooting hoops is easy, because I can hear the swoosh of the net before the ball even leaves my hands…or I am disciplined and practice regularly.

These are the things that have defined you for as long as you can remember. They set you apart. They aren’t taught in a classroom, extracted from a book or learned from our parents (okay, maybe this is only half true), but instead, these morsels of goodness are inherent to who you are.

What are the things you do naturally well? Do you make sense of chaos? Always look on the bright side? Able to convey complex information so a four year old can understand it? Organize things? Generate ideas? Help people connect? Are you a truth-teller with diplomacy? Do people gravitate to you to help them solve problems? Are you able to drive ahead in the face of adversity? Keep people on task? Create harmony? Give voice to the underrepresented? Do you see the good in everyone, or help spot the gaps?

It is the beauty of self-discovery that allows us to claim our talents from the inside out. We all showed up last night after some self-reflection, but also have access to some tools that can provide insight into our natural talents. (Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, VIA Strengths Assessment & the Strengths Finder) From my perspective, assessments provide just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the beauty of who you are and what you do naturally. But, they don't open the doors to the expansiveness of what you bring to this world that is unique and unreplicated by others. So, we’ll continue this conversation on longer with our peer-to-peer coach and hold off on the next chapter for now. After all, we have to know what our super powers are, before we put on the cape.