I recently called a few people close to me dumpsters of talent.
Harsh, I know. But I meant it.
Not because the talent is rubbish. Because it’s being treated like rubbish.
You know people like this. Maybe you’re one of them.
The friend whose advice everyone seeks, who has never thought of it as a gift.
The colleague who makes complicated things simple, and has never taught a class.
The cousin whose cooking people talk about for days, who has never cooked for more than family.
Gifted. Praised. And doing little with it.
Easy feels ordinary
The trouble with a natural ability is that it doesn’t feel like one.
We work hard at the things that are hard for us. The things that come easily, we shrug off. If it’s easy for me, how special can it be?
So we never look closer.
Compliments are clues
One person tells you you’re good at something. “Oh wow, am I really?” You enjoy it for a moment and forget it.
Then a second person says it. A third. A fourth.
That’s not a compliment anymore. That’s a clue.
And once you’ve noticed a clue, following it is your responsibility. No one else’s.
Give it a fair shot
Say you’re the cousin whose cooking everyone talks about.
No one is asking you to quit your job and open a restaurant. But you could cook more. Cook for more people. Learn what chefs learn. Do what it takes to find out.
Somewhere along the way, you’ll know. You love it. You hate it. Or it simply isn’t worth your time.
Any of those is a good answer. It came from doing, not assuming.
Not every talent has to be a living
Not everything you’re good at can earn you a living. And not everything that earns you money is something you’ll love.
The point isn’t to turn every gift into a career.
It’s to stop letting it gather dust.
What do people keep telling you?
Look for the pattern. The thing people keep pointing at. The thing you do easily while others struggle.
Then give it a fair shot.
I’m asking myself the same question.
Perhaps I’m a dumpster of talent too.
