Know Thyself

It is essential that we actually find out what we need to do in life, and to do this we need to research. We need to research not only what is out there that we could do. We need to research ourselves. Sound a little strange? You would be surprised.

When my oldest son was younger, he wanted to be a lawyer. He wanted to study at Harvard Law. And, he was very gifted intellectually and more than able to do so. Up until about his junior year, he was set to be a solicitor as they would say in England. Then something very unexpected happened. Taking the SAT for the first time, he did very well in English, very well. And, surprisingly he almost aced the math portion.

He was so surprised at how easy math was for him that he decided he would retake the SAT again next year and just ace it. And he did. He is now a tenured professor at a prestigious school on the West Coast teaching the various forms of mathematics and calculus and doing pure research.

The change in mindset would not have happened if he had not by chance done well on an SAT and decided to explore those possibilities. Until then, it was a hidden talent. My question to you today is, what hidden skills do you have?

You may have talents you know nothing about. That’s why they call them hidden. How do you find out about them? You have to do a little research on you. You need to take a few assessments, try new things, and maybe try a few lessons online or at your local community college.

Do not over-invest or spend money you do not have to start with. Yet try things. If you’re really interested in something, ask if you can shadow someone doing it for a day. If you’re curious about something, find somebody who does that job, can take that person out for some coffee and talk to them for 20 min. Do not look at just the things that are fun for you about the job, also explore those things that may not be so fun for you. It is crucial that you know all the facets that go into any gem of a job.

Thanks for being with me and hopefully will meet again tomorrow.

Author: Mike Balof

A retired Air Force Master Sergeant, Mike used to lay in bed at night and worry about what would happen if his plant closed or found himself without a job. One day his plant closed. Rather than panic and hysteria (OK, maybe a little) Mike found himself carried away on the adventure of his life. Mike started with the best job he ever had working at Home Depot. He spent 8 years working with job seekers at a local workforce center, helping them to find employment. He then started his own company developing courses, writing books and urging others to follow their own paths into the future. Mike holds a Master of Arts in Adult Education and Training and a Bachelor of Business Management, earned through the University of Phoenix and an AAS degree in Electronics Systems Technology from the Community College of the Air Force. Mike is a member of the Delta Mu Delta Business Honor Society. View all posts by Mike Balof