No matter what your job description says, chances are you’ve ended up a Jack-of-All-Trades in some form or fashion. As professionals, we’re often called to embody so many different professional traits and skills. Truth be told, we’re not always good at what we’re asked to do!
While it’s valuable that we know how to do a great many things well and efficiently, there’s a difference between being able to do something and truly loving it.
If we’re honest, I think most of us go into our careers hoping we’ll love what we do. Sadly, that’s not always the case! A lot of this has to do with where we get our energy. Recently, Fast Company published an article on “hidden treasures.” These are the skills that we might not even be good at, but they energize us.
I want to expand on that idea.
The notion of these “hidden treasure” skills is that we may use them in our hobbies or in side-projects, but the principles behind them may be pointing to a career or type of work in which we excel. If we’re not employing these skills that bring us to life, then we may fall prey to discontentment, disengagement, and a feeling of being under-utilized.
How do you know if you have one of these skills you’re meant to embrace? As I said, you might not even be good at it yet. So how can you enjoy it? How can it give you energy?
These are three signs that you’ve stumbled upon a “hidden treasure” skill.
3 Signs You Have a Hidden Treasure Skill
1) You like it even when you don’t succeed.
I wasn’t good at endurance running when I started. I hadn’t developed the form, endurance, or musculature necessary to be good at it. But I still loved it, and that’s what helped me stick to it. I think for many of us, a primary fear is being seen as bad at something. We don’t want to look incompetent or incapable. This is a fake it ‘til you make it culture, after all.
However, we should be able to do things — primarily nurturing and discovering new skills — without fear. Perfectionism can kill your ability to expand your skill set more than anything else. Look for those things you love doing, even if you’re not the best at them. How can you then apply what you do to your professional life?
2) You see a multitude of applications.
There are some hobbyist skills that translate into valuable professional skills. For instance, in my own life, endurance running has emboldened my sense of discipline: a skill that has served me well in my career. Whether you’re thinking critically to solve past-time puzzles or bustling with creativity over a new art project, these are, at their core, skills that can be applied to a variety of scenarios and careers.
Critical thinking is universally needed. Creativity helps us solve problems in unique, daring ways.
Don’t think of your hobbies as being skilled at a specific task. Think of them as a culmination of different skills, expertly applied. Let’s go back to puzzle-solving. What skills does it take?
Critical thinking. Problem-solving. Tenacity. Perspective. Attentiveness.
There’s just a few! While you might not be an expert at these yet, they are skills that have a wide application. The point is that we, in discovering what “hidden treasures” we have, look at the individual skills we employ versus the end product or the singular act. Break it down into the skills you use — this will help you discover what you should hone in on.
3) You feel energized, not stressed.
This is the main point that Fast Company points to. When you stumble upon a skill that makes you feel energized — that is, it inspires you, excites you, and brings you joy — then you may have a hidden talent on your hands. Even if you’re not good at it initially (and few of us are savants!), you find that you enjoy trying just the same. You embrace the process more than the end result.
That’s all well and good when we’re talking about hobbies, but what about the professional world? Employing skills that you haven’t mastered is asking for failure...isn’t it?
Here’s the thing. You will never be able to push the boundaries of your job description — never be able to flourish doing things that excite you — if you don’t start. Sure, it can be stressful to jump into uncharted territory. It’s also stressful when you don’t “click” with your work and instead find it draining and tiresome.
See beyond the what-ifs and tap into the skills that bring you joy. These are your gifts and, perhaps, a sign of what you should really be doing. This isn’t to say you will always excel in what excites you — but it is the launchpad for self-discovery.
What skills energize you in the workplace? Let me know what you love doing most in the comments.