How to Discover Your Hidden Talents

You have at least one incredible talent that lies completely beyond your awareness. You might even have more than one. There are so many things you’ve never tried, or even considered, that it’s practically guaranteed that you don’t even know what your greatest talent might be. 

Imagine how much fuller your life could be if you were able to find a few of these hidden talents. You don’t know what you’re missing! 

Discover your talents and learn more about yourself with these strategies: 

1. Follow your interests. There’s one approach to life that is built on the belief that your interests will lead you to find your talents and purpose. All you have to do is get off the couch and pursue these interests and see where they take you. 

• Whether you have a nagging urge to learn computer programming or a fascination with jazz piano, follow those breadcrumbs and see where they lead. 

• Make a list of all the interests you’ve never actually tried. Start with those that have been long-time interests and make plans to finally do them. Just pick one and do it. See what happens. 

2. List your strengths. What are you good at? What can you naturally do that others seem to struggle at? What are strengths you’ve developed over the years? Given all of those strengths, what else do you think you’d be good at? 

This can be an effective way to identify talents you’ve never considered. 

3. Ask for advice. Your friends and family know plenty of things about you that you don’t know about yourself. Ask them what they believe your strengths are. Ask them what they believe your talents are and how you could best use them. Most of your friends and family would be happy to do this for you. 

4. What do you like to talk about? What do you like to talk about with your friends? Is there a topic that you always seem to mention every time you hang out? Do you like to share the latest scientific news with your friends? Are you always telling them how you’d like to visit Egypt someday? 

5. What talents do you most admire in others? For example, if you are a huge fan of art, determine if you have a hidden artistic talent. Do you love good writing? Try your hand at some short stories. 

6. Take an aptitude test. An intelligence test measures intelligence. An achievement test measures how much you know. An aptitude test determines what you would be good at. In a sense, it’s a test that will reveal your talents. 

• There are plenty of aptitude tests you can take online. Take one and see what you discover. 

7. Review your movie, book, and music collection. What kinds of movies do you like? Where do your reading interests lie? What type of music inspires you? Is there one idea that ties your media collection together? How can you leverage this interest? 

8. Keep an open mind. Most of us made up our minds about ourselves a long time ago. Be open to discovering talents you never knew you had. It’s hard to discover anything with a closed mind. 

How many talents do you currently know that you possess? What if you don’t even know about half of them? What if there are several amazing talents you don’t know about? 

Given how limited everyone’s experience is, there’s no possible way you’ve found all your talents! 

Have you ever been surfing? Tried playing the tuba? Tried making Baked Alaska? Tried your hand at oil painting? Attempted to write a horror novel? Maybe it’s time to finally follow your interests and see where they lead you.