Some time ago I attended a live performance of Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony. The musicians were supremely talented and outstanding in their chosen profession.
Yet, they are not the exception. We all have talents. We can be reasonably good at organizing stuff, at mathematics, or at languages. However, everyone also has super-talents. What is interesting about super-talents is that we are so good at them, we don’t consciously recognize our own talents. In other words, the behaviors and thinking patterns associated with these super-talents come so natural to us that it’s very difficult to imagine anyone else struggling. It’s like riding a bike. Once you get it, muscle memory takes over and balance becomes natural.
Finding Super-Talents
How do you recognize your own super-talents and the super-talents of the people around you?
First of all, you turn to your super-talents when faced with obstacles and difficulties. When cyclist Lance Armstrong was diagnosed with cancer, he applied his super-talent, his unbelievable discipline, to rigorously adopt a regime that would make him healthy again. He conquered cancer, but in the end his super-talent became a two-edged sword. He became so obsessed with winning that he turned to illegal drugs to win the Tour de France.
Second, other people come to you to get advice about your super-talent. As a professional speaker, I often receive spontaneous requests to critique the speaking of others.
Third, you love to be immersed in the subject of your super-talent. If you are good at strategic business thinking, I’ll bet your library has books like The Art of War and The Effective Executive. This interest and even obsession fuels you super-talent. The more you engage with understanding the intricate details of your obsession, the better you will perform.
What’s your super-talent?