PURSUITS 2011! - Business Education Council of Niagara

We all have talents and skills that are unique to us. You may
not recognize the skills you have acquired in some of the
activities you take part in every day. It’s not easy trying to
determine what you are good at but once found, you can
nurture and develop those talents. How do you find what
you are good at It’s a process of self-discovery. Consider
the following steps when trying to discover just what you
are good at.
1. Think about what you love to do. What do you enjoy doing,
without being asked What do you seem to be naturally good
at On what do you focus best or most enthusiastically
What must you be dragged away from doing
2. Play - You don’t have to be a child to play. Experiment, explore,
investigate – try doing different things and different activities.
3. Take some personality tests. Personality tests can offer great
insight into the way you think. Ask your teacher or guidance
counsellor about the Personality Dimensions (True Colors) test.
4. Learn about your learning style. There are plenty of online
quizzes that you can take to determine how you learn best.
5. Notice what people tell you about yourself. Do they notice
that you light up when you explain something Does every
body seem to compliment you on your writing
6. Consider your interests. What sorts of things do you like to
read about, write about, or talk about What shows do you
watch on television What magazine and newspaper articles
catch your eye
7. Notice what you’re not good at, too! What seems always to
be a struggle What makes you feel awkward or out of place
For instance, some people are great talkers but hate writing;
for others, it’s the other way around. That’s not to say you can’t
develop skills and strategies in areas that are not one of your
strong points, but if you choose to do so, you will know that they
are not.
8. Practice. Once you find something you love to do, do more of it.
You will improve your skills and refine your technique this way.
You will also discover the depths of your talent, whether it was
more than a passing phase. Job shadowing or a co-op
placement may just be the answer. Talk to your guidance
counsellor about what other workplace learning opportunities
are out there that will allow you to get on-the-job work
experience. Even if the interest turns out to be temporary,
you may notice what interested you about a particular skill
or ability.
9. Share your talent with others. It’s ok to practice by yourself, but
at some point, you should nurture your talent by finding a
teacher, even if it’s just somebody else with more experience
at something who can give you advice. Having an audience
(even a small one) is, in many cases, equally important.
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