One of the big reasons why many people struggle to invent their future: They do not really know themselves.
Since our decisions in life have a direct impact on our future it makes sense, personally and professionally, to identify and utilize our natural abilities.
Most successful people have found out what they are naturally good at and have expanded that gift into mastery. They build their career or business around their natural genius, and get help from others who have mastered the abilities that they themselves are not naturally good at.
Are you willing to let go of who you think you are, and find your natural genius?
A new book, "Invent Your Future--Start With Your Calling" by author Paul David Walker helps us recognize these abilities and create a plan to become our own success story.
Walker shares the stories of twenty successful leaders to illustrate how, once they identified their natural talents, their actions came from their calling. When you create something that is an expression of your natural gifts, then you will feel great, move with grace and ease, and be prepared to recognize opportunities as they arise. You can work day and night and still be filled with energy. People will see that you love what you are doing and become committed to your mission.
Here is a famous story about Showtime at the Apollo on amateur night. The announcer up on stage said, "Our next performer is an eight-year-old young lady who is going to dance for us." Then this little kid comes running across the stage, and whispers in the announcer's ears, "Oh...correction, she's decided that she's gonna sing, so everybody welcome Miss Ella Fitzgerald." Her gift was displayed in front of the crowd. She stood in amazement as the applause rang out. Her gift was recognized and she got to live fully into it.
Note: for those of you who may not be familiar with jazz singers, Ella Fitzgerald was one of the greatest singers of all time.
If you are trying to discover your natural gift of genius, it would be wise to go back to your childhood and notice what you loved to do.
The biggest mistake most people make is to try to become someone else. Not truly knowing your own starting point and natural genius can make any journey more difficult, and most often impossible. People who know their natural genius are able to place themselves in positions that demand the things they are really good at. Additionally, and probably most important, they seem authentic and thereby attractive.
Who you are is a manifestation of your calling. Once you know your own strengths and weaknesses, you will act from your strengths and enlist others with strengths in the areas of your weaknesses.
Source: Paul David Walker: Invent Your Future: Starting With Your Calling
Here are some more self-coaching books for career women to know themselves better while achieving the work/life integration they seek:
When Doing It All Won't Do: A self-coaching guide for career women. (ebook edition $0.99, Workbook Edition in paperback $13.41)
Women, Know Thyself: The most important knowledge is self-knowledge. (ebook and paperback editions)
Women and Time (ebook and paperback editions)