Why Work? - “Work in celebration of your natural strengths, talents and gifts”

As noted in my initial post, this blog was in many ways inspired by a post by Rosa Say on Lifehack (http://www.lifehack.org/articles/lifestyle/why-work.html). In this post, she provides several thoughts on the reasons why poeple might work.  In this post - and several others that follow it (see the tag why work), I’ll respond to each of these items for me and hopefully provide some thought provoking ideas for how you might consider this same item as well.  The first of Say’s items mentioned in the post is “Work in celebration of your natural strengths, talents and gifts.”

As I considered this item from Say’s list, I thought it would be important to determine what my natural strengths, talents and gifts are.  There are inventories, particularly associated with spiritual gifts, which one can take that help you to determine what it is you have as your strengths.  I have completed a couple of these over the years.  In each I score high in the organization and administration categories and lower in social and caring occupations.  In contrast to that, I have a high score for teaching and training  - generally referred to in these types of inventories as informing.

Aside from formal inventories such as these, there are is the less scientific, yet probably more realistic method of identifying your own strengths, talents, and abilities.  This is simply to determine what it is you feel you are good at, what you enjoy doing, and what it is you are often selected to do or asked to do.  For me, organization and administration come up again.  My ability to use technology effectively is also a significant strength and ability.  In addition, I have a passion for teaching and training others - although this is a skill which is always in need of improvement.  I love to learn and typically learn very quickly.  One of my lesser used skills and abilities is my appreciation for and some abilities in the arts - particularly music. 

So, once we determine our natural strengths, talents, and abilities  how do we work in celebration of these items.  The easiest way to do this is simply to find a job which allows you to use these items.  If you can not find a job which allows you to use these in a professional capacity - you need to find ways through your religious organization, civic organization, volunteer groups, or work with your children to put these skills to use.  What do you get in return?  There is a feeling that comes over you (or at least that comes over me) when I use my natural strengths, talents, and gifts.  I find that not using these things makes it hard to focus, hard to concentrate - and hard to stay dedicated to the task at hand.  It’s important to find your natural strengths, talents and gifts and to use them as often as possible.

This entry was posted on December 12, 2006 at 9:16 pm and is filed under why work, value of work. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response or trackback from your own site.

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