What Am I Good At? How to Find Out

What am I good at? You're not alone if you've ever wondered what you're excellent a. Many people are unsure of their own strengths. However, while deciding on a career, it is critical to choose one that allows you to use your abilities.

Why is it critical to understand your own strengths?

Before choosing a job route, you should know what you're excellent at—success necessitates the use of your abilities and strengths, as well as hard effort and dedication. For some, success may entail generating a lot of money, yet for others, it may entail feeling satisfied with a job well done or knowing that they are making a difference in the world.

Regardless of how you define it, if you select a career that plays to your talents, you are more likely to achieve your version of success and be satisfied in your employment. It is simpler to achieve, stay engaged, and stay motivated if you can apply your abilities and strengths to your everyday work.

Talents and strengths include more than just obvious abilities, such as the ability to sketch well or sprint quickly. Your strengths may be that you love being among people and meeting new people, or that you are an organized person who appreciates establishing routines. Such characteristics are useful in the workplace, and a wide range of jobs make use of them.

How to know what you're good at is one thing to know that you should pursue a job that allows you to use your abilities and strengths, but it's quite another to know exactly what you're good at. Although some people's skills are clear, many others have no idea what they are excellent at and may even feel they aren't good at anything at all.

Everyone, however, has unique skills and abilities. Talents are natural skills that you are born with, such as the ability to sing on key or rapidly learn a language. Your gifts become strengths as you practice and work on them. For example, if a person who is strong at comprehending languages uses their skill to study other languages, they have transformed their talent into a strength that they may utilize to develop a successful profession. However, even if you haven't honed your skills, it's never too late to start.

If you are one of those people who are unsure of what they are excellent at, here are a few pointers to help you discover your abilities and strengths:

Consider what you do in your leisure time

Activities that you engage in free and on a regular basis are usually those that you love and find stimulating. Most of the time, you will discover that you are naturally adept at these things and that they play to your abilities. For example, if you have strong hand-eye coordination, you could like sports. In your leisure time, you could love painting or drawing if you are artistic.

Writing down the activities you appreciate may assist you in making your abilities more tangible and usable. Allow your ideas to flow freely when listing your favorite activities without being judgmental of yourself or overthinking things. There are no correct or incorrect replies.

You may believe that describing extracurricular activities is pointless because you cannot utilize them in the workplace. However, all hobbies make use of skills and abilities that may be applied to a profession.

Think about what you were good at as a child

Thinking back to your youth is a failsafe technique of determining your skills. Natural talents are those characteristics that stood out in you as a youngster and were observed by your parents, instructors, or family members. People may grow up developing and cultivating their innate skills, transforming them into strengths that they can utilize in their daily life. This, however, is not always the case.

There are a variety of causes for this, ranging from those whose parents or instructors may push them to focus on more academic interests to those who quit developing their skills because they dislike the pressure and competition.

Adults who stopped developing their abilities when they were youngsters may have forgotten what they are excellent at. It is helpful in such instances to recollect early hobbies and talents, as they are intrinsic qualities that remain and may be cultivated at any moment.

Take praises seriously

If you're not sure what your abilities or qualities are, start paying attention to the praises you receive. When you do, you will most likely discover that the compliments you receive are frequently extremely similar, indicating that several people have observed a specific feature, or attributes, about you that they appreciate or admire.

Some people may dismiss compliments because they believe they are trivial or that people are reflecting on unimportant attributes. You should, however, pay attention to what others say about you. For example, if many people have commented on how nicely you dress throughout the years, you may have an eye for design and the newest trends.

This does not imply that you must become a fashion designer; it does imply, however, that you are most likely a creative person who thinks visually, which are skills that may be used in a variety of jobs.

Consult with your friends and family

Another technique to determine your strengths is to get advice from individuals who know you well. Friends and family members who have known you for a long time are certain to be aware of your abilities. When deciding on a career, it is easy to lose sight of one's own talents and passions because there are so many other factors to consider, such as compensation, job availability, and needed qualifications.

Asking a close friend or family member what they think you are strong at may be quite valuable since they can offer you an impartial picture of where they believe your talents lie.

Take a quiz

Another excellent option to discover more about your natural abilities and capabilities is to take an aptitude test. There are several types of tests available, ranging from free internet assessments to professional aptitude testing. Here are a few possibilities:

Aptitude Test Johnson O'Connor

This examination, which consists of a series of aptitude tests, was created by the Johnson O'Connor Research Foundation. These assess your abilities and capabilities in areas such as inductive reasoning, structural visualization, and concept organization. After you've taken the tests and determined your strengths, you'll be given a list of professions that match those skills, which will help you limit the range of career alternatives you should examine.

CliftonStrengths Evaluation

This online survey, also known as the StrengthsFinder, assists in identifying innate skills that may be developed into strengths. After answering 177 questions, you will receive reports that will give insight into your own unique abilities as well as recommendations on how to develop these to attain your maximum potential.

Interests Profiler on O*NET

The US Department of Labor's aptitude exam consists of 60 questions that candidates must complete in 20 minutes. Following the exam, candidates receive a score report that includes detailed information about their essential features and characteristics, as well as a list of jobs that are a suitable fit.

Identify patterns

It might be difficult to determine your abilities and strengths if you receive inconsistent feedback or if what others say about you does not always correspond with what you love doing in your leisure time. The easiest approach to go about it is to see if there are any connections or correspondences that you may have missed.

Even apparently different characteristics may share similarities that indicate your finest strengths. For example, if your friends say you are good at taking the initiative and starting fascinating events, and you love performing volunteer work in your spare time, you may have strong leadership abilities and solid interpersonal skills.

Consider the hard and soft skills that helped you succeed

Consider your previous employment, volunteer, and educational experiences. Which tasks did you excel at, and which did you like the most? Consider instances that tested you — which ones did you overcome that made you feel the most successful or got you recognition?

If any of these duties or talents have a common thread, you should consider pursuing them and finding an industry or position that requires those skills.

For example, if you get a lot of energy from participating in fundraisers and you happen to be a natural leader, you may have a great career as a fundraising organizer.

Think about the activities that make you feel good

Sometimes our strengths do precisely what they are supposed to do: they make us feel powerful and assist us in succeeding. Consider what things you perform when you are anxious or overwhelmed and just want to feel in control again.

Try to pay attention to times when you feel energized or accomplished; those feelings might be the result of you putting your innate abilities to use.

Consider your natural curiosity as well. If you find yourself wanting to study more about a topic for no reason other than intrinsic desire, it may be an excellent thread to start in order to uncover a new skill. At the absolute least, it may point you in the direction of what abilities you should master and develop.

Understanding what you're good at vs. what you're passionate about

In an ideal world, what we are good at and what we are passionate about would always be perfectly aligned.

While there is usually some overlap between the two, it is vital to distinguish the meanings. Because you may enter a job sector in which you are really devoted just to learn that your abilities do not thrive.

Being naturally good at something

• Natural talent. You're inherently excellent at something, whether you like it or not. You're either more efficient or more successful at specific jobs, dealing with problems, or applying information. While you will struggle at times, you will normally progress faster than others.
• Knowledge-based. The majority of information is acquired through education, but if you're strong at something, you'll be able to teach yourself with less effort. You can definitely grasp more difficult concepts using deductive reasoning if it's anything like math or physics.
• You're well-known for it. You won't be able to hide your innate talent if you use your talents. People will notice, appreciate, and comment on things you're good at even if you don't bring it up. Don't feel terrible about it; accepting compliments and focusing on your abilities is not arrogant.

Being enthusiastic or passionate

• The degree of skill is unimportant. Your hobbies aren't always something you're good at. That is why pursuing your passion alone isn't the ideal formula for picking a professional path — you must also evaluate your abilities.
• Interest-based. You might not be able to pick up on your passions easily, but your love for them will make it simpler for you to achieve. As challenges develop, you'll come up with inventive, albeit somewhat inefficient, remedies.
• Motivated from inside. Many people are organically driven by their abilities. However, intrinsic motivation is part of the definition of passion. You do this whether or whether you get acknowledged for it. The pleasure you derive from completing a task is more valuable than any external reward.

How do I know what I'm good at?

Here are five ways to help you understand your strengths. Understanding strengths can help you define a career path and proceed toward a successful career.

• Ask friends what you're good at.
• Discover your personality by taking personality tests.
• Look for patterns in your life.
• Keep an open mind about what you're good at.

How do you answer the question, "What are you good at?"

If you're being asked "What are you good at?" Consider thinking about your life as a whole. Rather than finding something immediately apparent.

Consider the following:

• Where do your strengths lie? Is it people skills, physical strength, or other unique traits or attributes?
• What have others shared to you as being "What you're good at?"
• Consider how what you're good at aligns with your job search or career path.

When you get the, "What are you good at" question, consider what people say about you to others. How others consider you could be the key to uncovering unique strengths that you were previously unaware of.