Our perception of ourselves is very complex. Ironically, much like we cannot see our own nose, we are often blinded to the things that we are best at. It can be really hard to identify our brightest talents and they are often in the places we least expect. We may even be very good at things that we perceive ourselves as being bad at. There are many good reasons to want to explore your talents but it's going to take a little work.

1. Open your mind to all paths:
Because you are likely blind to what some of your talents really are, a good place to start when evaluating your talents is to just open your mind to the possibilities. Keep in mind that talents extend beyond just playing the guitar or dancing like a pro. Talents come in all shapes and sizes and extend into many areas of life. For example, being able to read emotions very accurately is a very useful talent.

2. Think About What You Enjoy:
The things that make you happy can also reveal your talents. Think about the things that you love to do. Do people ever give you compliments on it? Do they ever ask for your help with it? You might not think of it as a talent but it probably is. Do you ever completely lose track of time? You start doing something and you just don't even notice time passing? This might hint at your talent.

For example, maybe you get lost when you're modding your favourite video game. This might be one of your talents. Listen to how you talk. Do you ever find yourself rambling to your family or your best friend about this subject that means so much to you? This might be another hint at a talent you have.


3. Evaluate What You're Good At:
Now, there's a big difference between what you enjoy and what you're good at. You might think of your talents only being things that you love doing, but it's important to remember that our talents are often things we don't enjoy or things we don't even think about. This is why it's important to take a long hard look at what you're actually good at. Think about things that come naturally to you. Things you don't struggle with. Do you ever find yourself telling someone, "Never mind, it's easier if I do it" or "Here, let me help you with that"? Do you find yourself correcting people? These behaviours usually indicate something that you're good at and know a lot about.


4. Look Back On Your Past:
As you reflect on yourself in search of your talents, start by looking at your past. Look at the things that you've done. Look at the things you've enjoyed. Look at the times when you really excelled. Ask yourself questions like "What am I most proud of that I've done?" or "When was I so proud that I didn't care what anyone thought?"

One good thing to think about was what your childhood was like. What did you do a lot as a kid? What did you enjoy? What were you known for? Sometimes this can reveal some of our deepest talents and certainly will reveal interests that can be probed further. Think about your hobbies as your personality is made by them they are the things you do regularly and your hidden talent is that which you can do better than everyone so focus on your hobbies and how you do them every single step. Another thing you can think about are the times in your life that you've been challenged. Think about the tough situations that you've had to deal with. Times of trial can often reveal our hidden skills.


5. Think about times you were successful:
Look back on your life and think about times where you really succeeded, times where you felt about to burst with the pride of your success. This can indicate a talent you possess. For example, maybe you helped your boss rearrange and reorganize his office and helped things at your work run so much more smoothly. Organization is a very useful talent.

6. Ask around:
Having an outside perspective, other people may find it easier to see what you're good at. Ask around and people will usually be happy to tell you what they see as your strengths. Be sure to talk to people that know you well but also people that barely know you. Both will see you in different ways and the differences that they see can tell you even more about yourself.