I believe everyone has super powers but, as told to Elsa in the movie Frozen,"There is beauty in it but also great danger. You must learn to control it. Fear will be your enemy"
When you think about what makes you tick you can't see it in the mirror, find it in your closet or know it by your possessions. It's below all of that. Think of all of those things as the surface of water, dip below it and you see where your foundation lives.
Everything underneath the water is there to help you make it to the surface.
In this article I'm going to help you find your gifts and hone them into your superpowers.
Start with questions
While your gifts are unique to you, you can find them using this simple blueprint. (If Brendon Bruchard and Marcus Buckingham had a strategy baby, this is what it would look like.)
Questions to ask yourself.
What comes almost effortlessly to you?
What do you find yourself drawn to?
What is a skill you possess that constantly amazes you because you see others struggling with it?
What peps you up? Just talking about it gives you a shot of energy.
Break it into simple words
If you could boil the answers to these questions down to three words what would they be? When you hear these words they should elicit the emotion of power. When you embrace these words you are at your absolute best, unstoppable.
Live them
Now that you have identified your words use them in all you do. Embody them. Be them.
Ignore Them
When you turn your back on your gifts the danger is unleashed and destructive thoughts and behaviors come in to play. (think drinking, anger, frustration)
Remember middle school when you tried so hard to fit in? That was not fun. When you ignore your talents you are putting yourself back in middle school.
An example
I want walk you through my words for you to see how basic this actually is once you start rooting around in your head.
These are my answers to the questions above:
What comes almost effortlessly to you?
Planning, I have to have a plan in order to do even the most basic things. It doesn't derail me, it actually helps me focus on my intention with the project or activity.
What do you find yourself drawn to?
Numbers, excel, streamlining processes but once I learn a new skill I can't keep my mouth shut about it. I HAVE to share it. Showing it to someone else and watching their light bulbs come in is exhilarating.
What is a skill you possess that constantly amazes you because you see others struggling with it?
Planning is something I see very few people doing. This skill doesn't seem innate to a lot of people but when I show them how I plan I again see the light bulbs. It's such a simple skill that requires little effort from me because it's simply how I think.
What peps you up? Just talking about it gives you a shot of energy.
Learning new things and teaching it to others. When I'm in the zone of learning and sharing, learning and sharing, learning and sharing it's like a shot of red bull to my system to the point that sleeping is something I fight because I have to get ideas out and expressed.
My three words - Focus, Plan, Teach
How did I arrive at these words? Look at the running theme in my writing. I actually use the word teach and plan more than once. Also, when you evaluate the last answer you see a level of focus when I talk about being "in the zone." Without focus there's no planning or teaching happening.
How I live them
Each day I keep a done journal**. In this journal I only write the things I accomplished for the day. At the top right corner I begin the day by writing my three words. They are my intention, my power. When I embrace and use these words my purpose is fulfilled and the simple act of writing them daily puts me in the mindset to remember my goals and live my passion.
When I ignored them
I tried HARD to stuff myself in the "normal" box. I tried to focus only on my career, getting ahead and the next promotion. This left me empty and feeling like my soul was getting sucked out. When I finally embraced my focus/planner/teacher combination I felt my heart wake up.
What are your superpowers? Are you using them to rise above the water and change this world for the better?
**If you would like a copy of this journal? Email me and I'll send it to you.