When it comes to work and lifestyle we Generation Y have it pretty good. With equal employment opportunity rights, a society that encourages innovation and diversity not to mention the open access to technology and information – career opportunities are endless.

This in mind it’s hard to understand why so many people seem to engage in careers that promises them more money then it does job satisfaction? Perhaps its societies focus on material fortune such as an expensive car or that big family home. Or the desire for increased lifestyle security which has got us wound up in fits of job and financial security.

I would like to write this article to encourage you to find work doing what you love. One of the keys to a happy life is job satisfaction and this comes from doing something you enjoy. As Steve Jobs CEO of Apple Computer says “the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven”t found it yet, keep looking. Don’t settle. As with all matters of the heart, you’ll know when you find it” (Stanford Report, June 14, 2005).

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Everyone is good at something; you just have to find it. Here are a few tips to help you find that special talent and how to engage it.

Everyone is born with a natural talent and/or a passion.

Thanks to the intrinsic design of DNA, we all have something special to offer the world. Our unique set of traits determines our strengths and weaknesses thus providing us with a range natural talents and skills. These natural talents may be tangible like fixing things or intangible such as problem solving. It can be something as simple as organizing files to something more complicated such as fixing computers. Either way, they are there and should be used to improve your life and the lives of those around you.

Finding your natural talent

  1. One great way to find your talent is by writing down all the things that you enjoy doing. Maybe it was something you loved doing at school or as a child but haven’t done in a while. Or perhaps it’s something you find your self doing whenever you have spare time. Once you a list, circle 2 or 3 that stand out from the rest. You know when you have found something you enjoy when the simple thought if it makes you smile.
  2. Another great way is to ask your friends and family what they think you are naturally good at. Commonly people over look their natural talents as they can’t see them for what they are. They have spent so many years doing and comes so naturally to them that it is seen as “normal” or “common”. What you are naturally good at may be a hard task for someone else. So ask your friends to list a few things that they think you are good at.

Things that stop people perusing their natural talents and passions:

One of the top reasons for not pursuing something is fear. Some of these include:

  • Fear of failure (don’t want to be laughed, embarrassed or shamed)
  • Fear that being rich turns you into an arrogant and selfish person (only if you want it to)
  • Fear that you aren’t good enough (low self esteem and self confidence)
  • Fear that you don’t deserve to be successful (none of my friends and family are so why do I deserve to be)
  • That the world is a cold place and you will not find the support you need (you have to believe in yourself first before anyone else will)

Once you have found your talent:

Once you have found something you are good at, you then need to explore your options.

The first thing you may focus on is the list of possible jobs and careers that require those skills. There are plenty of career expos and job agencies that are happy to work with you to find that special job. There might even be that perfect job out there for you that you haven’t didn’t even know existed.

You may wish to strengthen or perfect your natural talent by developing more skills in that particular area. This could include going back to school, completing short courses or any other training available. It is a good idea to search the internet or look over some of the subjects offered at your local university.

Finally, you need to find a way to make a living from using your talent. Your natural talent and/or passion may lead you directly into a profitable line of work or you may have to innovate and create ways of making money doing what you love. Explore and research your area of skills and find out what is the best way to earn from it.

Doing the work you love is about spending time doing something that makes you happy. You need to find the things you love doing and incorporate that love into your working life. Life is about quality and having a job that satisfies you is one of the important factors that add to that quality. So the saying goes “Good things take time”. Be patient and don’t give up.