TALENT

"Like watering a flower, our authentic colors shine the brightest when we bloom where we're planted." — Jonas Cain

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For as long as I can remember, I've had a natural passion for music and magic. 

One of my earliest memories is banging away at a toy keyboard singing "Neno, Neno, Neno!" (Neno was my word for music when I was still trying to figure out what words are).

And next to that memory is being fascinated by a magic show. Seeing the impossible become possible can be a truly motivating experience, and I quickly began learning all I could about the craft.

Fast forward three decades and I'm still using these gifts that simply came natural to me. As a musician, I've studied music formally in college and have played the saxophone in numerous bands. As a magician, I've traveled all across New England, and other parts of the United States, performing my Interactive Comedy Show.

I'm sharing this with you because of the importance of embracing, developing, and sharing your own strengths.

Everyone has a talent for something that they are able to do better than most others with little to no effort; the trouble is that, for some, they don't know what their talents are, and for many others, they simply don't take the time to turn their talents into honed skills.

We become truly empowered to effectively serve ourselves and our community when we engage in our strengths and learn to embrace and develop them. Like watering a flower, our authentic colors shine the brightest when we bloom where we're planted.

Sure, it's good to work on our weaknesses—in areas that we'd do well to improve—but to borrow a phrase from Strengths Finder Coach Lisa Cummings: "We have to stop trying to teach fish to climb trees."

As for myself, though I still play music and perform magic, I don't really consider myself a musician or a magician. Rather, today I look at the underlying skills behind these talents to find the through line. For me, the through line that connects music and magic is the gift of presentation, fascination, and happiness, which is why I consider myself a Facilitator of Fascination & Purveyor of Positivity.

How about you? What title do your talents offer you?

Reflection
What's your talent and how are you developing it into a honed skill?