You Were Born with a Gift, Find It

Have you ever struggled to master some activity, only to witness someone else perform that same activity so effortlessly, so naturally that you shake your head in amazement?

When this happens to me, I make myself feel better by saying that the person is “just gifted”. It’s interesting that we use the the word gift, because a gift is something that’s given to you. A gift is a present.

You are unique and gifted!

In 1990, a 15 year journey began in an effort to map the entire DNA sequence of the human genome. The race was on to figure out exactly what makes us all different. What makes me, me and you, you. But scientists were perplexed when the research showed that the difference in genes only varied by about .025 percent across all humans.

In 2010, however, new research indicated that the key to who we are and what we become isn’t necessarily due to the differences in the genes themselves, but in the “non-coding” regions of the genome. These non-coding areas, which scientists know very little about, regulate whether genes are turned-on or turned-off, and could hold the key to our individuality.

My point: You were made special.

In some awesome way that we cannot understand, those 3 billion chemical pairs of your DNA sequence made you, you. There’s no one exactly like you on the entire planet!

So isn’t it easy to believe that each of us has been given a gift as part of our uniqueness?

Gifts vs. Abilities

To be clear, an ability is different from a gift.

We develop our abilities by working to improve them. Anders Ericsson’s deliberate practice research for becoming an “expert” was popularized as the 10,000 hour rule in Malcolm Gladwell’s book Outliers. Whether you believe 10,000 hours is the magic number or not, if you invest quality time into getting better at something, you’ll get better at it!

But you don’t have to spend 10,000 hours to receive your gift. You just have it, you were born with it, it’s been given to you.

Here’s the key distinction: a gift is WHY you’re really good at something.

The gift isn’t the activity that you’re naturally special at. The gift is WHY you’re amazing at that activity. Think Cause and Effect. The gift is the Cause. The Effect is that you’re really good at the activity.

Gifts are a reason why we’re all drawn to do different things. Using our gifts give us purpose and meaning to our life. Using our gifts excite and energize us. That’s why one of life’s greatest struggles is to uncover and unwrap our gifts so that we can take them out and play with them. Exploring our gifts and using them fulfills something deep inside of us, because we were born with them.

Exercise your gifts and be happy

“Each of you has received a gift to use to serve others.” 1 Peter 4:10 NCV

It’s important to identify our gifts and to get them out into the world because we are meant to use them for the common good. We need to work with each other to exercise our gifts because it’s impossible for any one person to embody all of humanity’s gifts.

But there’s a personal upside for you too. When you use your gifts you’ll be happier and more fulfilled, because your gifts are a natural part of who you are. When you do things that are natural to you it will make you feel good!

If you want to know how to identify your gifts and why they’re linked to your “flow” state, come back and check-out my next two posts!

Be Wise and Successful…

1. Ask yourself “Do I believe I’m gifted?”. Sometimes it’s hard to believe you have a gift to offer the world, but you do have a gift to offer, you just need to find it and use it. Spend 5 minutes thinking about how finding your gift(s) can change your life.

2. Be amazed at the Creation. Spend time recognizing that the Creation is a mind-blowing place. Check-out the video below. Isn’t it easier to believe that you’re unique? There’s only one of you in this entire universe!

3. Find your gift(s). I unexpectedly found my gift(s) through my volunteer work. Commit to finding and cultivating your gifts. You’ll be happier and more fulfilled when you put them to use, and you’ll be making the world a better place.