Finding Your Ten Talent Area
In his book Calling of the Kingdom, my friend (and your Editor) John Hernandez has a section dedicated to helping you find your Ten Talent Area (ten being best) that is a key in the pursuit of your calling…your reason for being here. This is a talent that you have had all your life, and one that you are most likely underutilizing – especially in business. You probably don’t realize you have this talent because it has become second nature to you. You may not see it, but others do; it is God-given, and you are very, very good at it.
Once you discover your Ten Talent Area, you can begin easing yourself out of positions in your business where you’re not the greatest – and put someone there who is. This will free you to apply your “10” to areas where you can be more productive, bringing new success to your business, and as you help others. And the task you left to someone else is now doing better as well. Definitely, it’s a win-win!
Invariably, when someone is asked what their Ten Talent Area is, they will say something like, communicating, or helping, or managing, or singing, or writing, or being a friend to others. These are usually related to what they do at work or in church, or as a hobby. Although they have admirable qualities, these abilities and actions are usually what people like to do, or have been trained to do, or learned to use in their industry. But upon further investigation we discover that what they think is their Ten Talent Area is not it at all.
Your Ten Talent Area is that special God-given ability designed to help you – and others through you. Once identified and applied as intended, you will be able to confidently use your “10” to the degree of excellence few can match. There may be some that are as good in the general talent area where you shine, but in your specific Ten Talent Area, you’re Michael Jordan. No reason to get a big head, it’s a gift, remember.
Here are some tips John lists that give you some helpful hints in your quest to determine what your “10” is, and why this knowledge is important.
• Your Ten Talent Area is not what you have been trained to do. It can get better through use, but it just comes naturally.
• You have been able to do this all your life. It is second nature to you.
• You use some form of this in overcoming challenges at work, home, or school.
• You even used this as a youth to get out of trouble with your parents or teachers.
• It is definitely a strong point in your interaction with others, in business and personal life.
• You may not realize you even have this talent…but others do. Asking them may at least get you in the ballpark of possible talents where your “10” is.
• Your Ten Talent Area may not seem practical (at least on the surface), but once identified, you’ll begin to see the many ways it helps you now, and how it can help you in the future.
John helped me to discover that my Ten Talent Area is being able to see something completed while it is still an idea. This allows me to view an empty building I am considering for a Landscape Warehouse store, and visualize it completely built out and fully operational already…then work like heck to turn that vision into a reality. The same holds true when developing a staff for each location, taking care to put new staff members in areas of the business where their Ten Talents will shine. Obviously, that same talent continues to be helpful in many other areas of life as well.
So, what is your Ten Talent Area? It may take some soul-searching and refining, but eventually you will find it. Once you do, give it space to thrive. Then see all the useful ways it can be applied in your business and elsewhere. Some of them may be life changing.
– José Robles, owner, Landscape Warehouse