We all have a "sweet spot."

The place where we find ourselves doing what we do naturally, and it is not only easy, but effortless. Whatever we are doing is in line with our skill set and because of that, it feels purposeful and vital. We are energized when we are done. Sometimes we even lose track of time while we are doing it. It's the complete opposite of the feeling of swimming upstream. In the business world your "sweet spot"  is where the who I am aligns with the what I do.  

So the Question of the Week #8 is:

What things do you do well? What things come easily for you? What do your friends say that you are good at?

Often times it is hard to see ourselves for who we really are because we are just too close. It is hard to separate the who we are, from the who we "think" we are, and maybe even the "who" we someday want to be.

We need a third-party to help us clarify what our unique talents are. It is often easier for others to see talents within us than it is for us to identify our own strengths. We don't realize that everyone cannot do what we do easily, and we take our own mad skills for granted. Most likely our talents have been a part of us for so long, it's hard to be objective about them. So this week's question requires two answers, one from you and one from those close to you. Two viewpoints.

I want you to write down what you think you do well. And then I want you to find out what others think you do well. It will be interesting to take a closer look at the results, do they align? Do others see talents in you that you didn't count as strengths? Hopefully the answers will give you a starting point in helping to clarify where your personal "sweet spot" is.

My answers:

What I think I do well:

communicate / organize / facilitate / energize / evaluate / educate / connect /coordinate

Their answers:

Back in June I asked for help from my friends to list 3 things they think I do well. Here is what they said:

Organize, hostess, encourage

Excellent verbal skills,  ability to build & maintain strong relationships

Engage people, advocate, write

Communicate, create, write

Lead, coordinate, communicate

Many of my friends' comments did align partially with what I think about myself, but they also identified things I don't immediately notice. Creative? Kind? Encourage? Hmmmn.

Your two sets of answers may not immediately align, and that is okay. The purpose is to become more aware of you; your talents and your skills and to begin to pay attention when things are easy. That's the first step to figuring out your sweet spot. Resumes, interviews, cover letters &  elevator speeches are much easier when you already are aware of what makes you special.