What makes you extraordinary?
How aware are you of what makes you extraordinary? How conscious are you of the gifts and talents you bring to the picture that others may not share? We all have unique abilities, but we don't always give ourselves credit for them.
There is a common tendency for people to focus on what they can't do, what they need to improve on, and what seems hard that they wish came easier. They shrug off the things they're extraordinary at with a feeling of, "that's just easy." It doesn't occur to them that it's not easy for everyone.
When their attention and efforts remain focused on getting better at what doesn't come naturally, the things that could let them soar - the gifts that make them extraordinary - are underutilized, or even ignored.
Look back over your life. What do you do uniquely well? What comes naturally for you that doesn't come naturally for everyone? This might take some thinking, because we often assume if it's easy for us, it's easy for everyone.
For example, some of the things that make me extraordinary:
* A gift for creating clarity from chaos
* An ability to shift freely between a very linear and a very free-flowing, creative perspective
* An ability to intuitively "read" people
* Being a natural-born ham
* A gift for gathering information and distilling it into its core essence
* A deep sense of curiosity
My Passion Catalyst work has given me a venue to put all of these to work in a big way. I've created a career that builds on the areas where I shine and steers clear of many of the things I'm not good at (like having a single-track focus for an extended period of time, or taking care of the details of complex logistics).
Sit down and ask yourself, "Where are my gifts? Where am I extraordinary?" Make a list, and then ask yourself, "Do I get to use those enough? How could I use them more?"
--
Curt Rosengren
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