Using Our Talents

In my previous story on this monetized blog of mine, I shared my thoughts on how we can attract money into our lives. I think my ideas were sound, but what I didn't say is that, to me, the best method of gaining wealth is by pursuing a career that utilizes our talents. That method is best since it brings us the peace of mind we all yearn for.

The young Jewish rabbi Jesus Christ, perhaps the greatest teacher who ever lived, must have understood the value of talents when He narrated the parable of the talents. If you can't recall what that parable is about, I implore you to turn to your Bible and read it. Enlightening it is.

Yes, talents have value. If utilized, they make productive use of time and bring a feeling of satisfaction. To give an example, the revered anti-apartheid hero Nelson Mandela took up gardening as a hobby during his prison years. He planted a variety of vegetables, a hobby that brought him an immense sense of fulfillment.

And the respected Colin Powell, America's first black chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, enjoyed fixing cars. He would disassemble a car engine and put it back together just for fun. When he was retiring from the U.S. military in 1993, he was gifted a rusted-out '66 Volvo by President Bill Clinton. The Volvo was probably for him to work on.

Those were Nelson Mandela and Colin Powell. And like them, each one of us has a talent. It could be singing, writing, speaking, gardening, playing soccer, working with numbers, tinkering with machines, being accepting of others or just being nice.

Even though everyone possesses a talent, most people are not bold enough to explore their talents to the fullest. The fear of standing out from the crowd makes them settle for jobs that have nothing to do with their talents. They thus end up leading mediocre lives.

Honestly, pursuing a career that utilizes our talents is the wisest decision we can make in life. If someone is good with numbers, a career in accounting would be ideal for them. And if someone is accepting of others, a career in counselling psychology would be a perfect fit.

Pursuing a career that utilizes our talents guarantees us success in our endeavors. For as the renowned neurosurgeon Ben Carson pointed out in his endearing book, Think Big, "If we recognize our talents and use them appropriately, and choose a field that uses those talents, we will rise to the top of our field."

In addition to guaranteeing us success in our endeavors, pursuing a career that utilizes our talents leads to happier marriages if we choose to tie the knot. I am saying so because it has dawned on me that people's attitudes towards their jobs affect the overall tone and texture of their marriages.

If two married people are engaged in jobs they love, their marriage is more likely to be happy and satisfying, for as the saying goes, "nothing succeeds like success." But if one or both of them have boring jobs, their marriage is bound to become stale.

So if you are a youngster, I advise you not to rush into marriage. Take time to discover and explore your talents, and then choose a career that utilizes those talents. Rushing into marriage will force you to take up any job just to feed your family. And boring jobs, like I have said, will affect the quality of your marriage.

As for me, I have identified my talents. They are writing, singing, making speeches and playing the piano. I identified those talents after examining the activities I enjoyed doing, mostly by volunteering.

It's good to volunteer our talents, be it in church, in a company or at school, since it helps us sharpen the talents and learn how to get along with people. But at some point after we have gained the necessary experience, we ought to find ways of generating an income from those talents.

That's why over the last couple of years, I have focused on sharing my stories, music and speeches on this monetized blog of mine. How I have asked God to make this blog an international success!

I have also been beseeching God to help me convert my talents from, as someone quipped, something I have to do to something I love to do. God is answering my prayer given the way I am falling head over heels in love with my talents.

My beloved reader, I urge you to also identify and explore your talents. Use them daily to serve people. And always keep in mind that for as long as you are on this planet, you need money to lead a decent life. Therefore, as you explore your talents, find a way of making money from them. Ciao!

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RECOMMENDATION: If you've enjoyed the above story on using our talents, you might also enjoy another one on "Treating Life as a Gift" which I wrote several years ago. Just click on that link in blue to dive straight into the story.