6 ways to develop your talents

• Posted on November 7, 2014
• by Nana Kwesi Coomson
• Comment

• It’s so easy to recognize talents in others and discount ours. Often we don’t understand why we can’t do the things our parents, siblings or friends do. Each person has an inherent set of skills and abilities. Even if some are similar, we use them in our own way. Together, with our own set of skills, we complement each other to make our families and the world a better place.

• Discover your talent

  Search your creative, artistic and personal abilities. Write down the things you can do or would like to do. This will help you recognize which abilities enhance which talents. If you need help, don’t be afraid to ask family, friends or pray.

• Develop your talent

  Developing your talents takes time and effort very similar to the way you learned to read, write and walk. Don’t give up on yourself when you think you’re not getting better. Some talents need more effort than others. Even if your sister makes playing the piano look simple, she likely spent hours practicing.

  A family friend, shortly after graduating high school, said she hated her piano lessons. She had to use many skills, such as playing scales, understanding rhythm and how it related to music, reading and playing different notes for each finger and hand and where to place her hands for ease of hitting the correct notes. She tried everything she could think of to get out of practicing. Her mother was insistent and did not yield to her daughter’s pleas. Now she is thankful for her piano playing talent. She loves how the music sounds as her trained fingers play the notes of her favorite songs.

• Have faith in yourself

  You are an individual. You, your present and future family, friends, community and the world need your talents. You can do it. Don’t be afraid to push yourself past the, “I can’t.” If you need to, call on family or friends for help.

  Many times I’ve reached what I thought was “it.” I couldn’t do any more. I’d reached my limit. Family and friends encouraged me to move beyond “it.” Here’s a good example. In high school, my grades on my essays and stories said I needed improvement. And when I listened to the star of our class, well, I knew I couldn’t write. I gave it up before the skills were even developed. How could I write as good as her or my favorite authors?

  In my late 40s, I met an author’s group and they asked me to write. They gave me constructive ways to make the story better. I took a writing course, and now I’m a freelance author and working on a children’s picture book. I’ve discovered that I love writing.

• Learn the skills needed for your talent

  Look for ways to learn about and develop your talents. Sources can include books, movies, lessons, songs, family member or friends. Don’t be afraid to mix and match. Do all you can to be your best.

  If you make mistakes, don’t give up. Mistakes teach and help you and your talents grow. It’s like an orchestra. Each instrument is important for the full sound. If even one person is missing, the audience will notice. You are that instrument. Learn the skills needed so your talent will benefit everyone.

• Practice so you can develop your talent

  Be determined to gain control of your talent. Many skills need repetition and may take hours, days, weeks, months and even years of practice and repetition before they’re ready.

  One of the best examples of determination came from our son. We were traveling to my parents-in-law and stopped at a hotel for the night. Our son, almost one, crawled to the bed, pulled himself up and walked until he fell. He crawled back to the bed and repeated the process many times until he was walking. He didn’t cry or complain; he just kept trying.

• Use your talent by sharing

  You’ve done it. Your talent is ready. Don’t hide it or it will go away. Play that piece, sing and the world will listen, listen and a soul will find peace, organize that group and many will benefit. Share your talent. You, your family, your community and the world will be a better place because you did.

-familyshare