On Purpose II: “Purpose is the place where your talent and passion meet the world's needs."

Today, we continue our conversation about purpose and the path to (re)discovering yours. Previously, I defined purpose as “the place where your passion and talent meet the world's needs” and debunked the myth that your purpose and job are one and the same. As Toni Morrison sagely said, “You are not the work you do; you are the person you are.”

In this post, I want to tackle another myth that can keep us from understanding our purpose: the misguided belief that we don't have any talent. Yes, misguided. Talent—as defined by the folks over at Oxford Language Dictionary—is “natural aptitude or skill.”  It's something you can just do, that you have some capacity for, without being conscious of it or without formal training.

This is the irony of talent: it can be so natural to us that we don't even consider it a “thing.” Like a fish, we assume everyone has gills and can breathe underwater until we encounter our first scuba diver.  In other words, what we can uniquely do is so ingrained in us that we consider it “normal” and discount it.

Our Talent Is Often Hiding In Plain Sight

The second reason we miss our talent: we assume that for it to be a talent, we have to be the only one with that gift; or born a prodigy like Nina Simone, whose gifts I referenced in the previous post.  That's not the case.  You can have a talent for music and never be nominated for a Grammy.  We can miss our talent—and its potential role in our lives—because we're busy comparing ourselves to other people and how they apply their talent. 

Rather than focusing on others, we should instead spend time cultivating our own talents. While you may be born with a specific aptitude, that doesn't mean you don't need to cultivate your gift.  Nina Simone studied music her entire life before going on to Juilliard.  Hugh Masekela, who had a global music career spanning six decades, still practiced his trumpet daily until his death. And Oprah Gail Winfrey, my rich auntie in my head, after decades on television, still goes to award show rehearsals. 

You may still be thinking, “I can't sing like Simone, play like Masekela, or speak Oprah.” Which is real. But keep in mind, not all talents are tangible.  Frequently, our talents have no physical, visual, or audible manifestation. Instead, we experience them as emotion, human connection, and new perspectives.

While these things are essential to us as individuals and communities, they can sometimes be challenging to articulate.  In part because we typically aren't taught that empathy, compassion, and encouragement are talents.  But think back to that teacher, mentor, or big sibling who made you feel seen and empathized with you during challenging times.  Think about what their skill in engaging you made possible in your own life.

To (re)discover your talents, ask yourself a few simple questions:

• What makes you lose track of time and puts you in a flow state?

• What feels effortless to you?

• What do people typically compliment you on?

• What do people ask you for advice about?

Take some time to reflect and to make a list. Note the trends you see over the next week, and if you have a moment, drop me a line and share your discoveries, I'd love to hear them. And if you'd like more structured support to (re)discover your talents and purpose, consider joining Accelerate, my course for women of color. Book a discovery call today.