Career Advice: 1 Sure-Fire Way to Figure Out What You’re Good At

Some people go through their entire life never figuring out what they’re really good at. Over 60% of the population are unhappy in their work, which is an alarmingly high number. Work is where we end up spending most of our time and realistically most of our life. To be at a job that makes you unhappy is a terrifying thought. This usually happens because the person does not know what they want to do or be in life. If this sounds like you, I’ll give you a solid piece of advice. Typically, we end up enjoying what we are good at. If we are creative, we will find much more enjoyment following a creative career path than one where we are dealing with numbers and analytics all day. So, how can you figure out what you’re good at?

There is one sure-fire, simple, yet ultra-effective way:

Ask your closest friends and family!

That’s all, folks. You can stop reading here. It really is that simple.

Okay, okay if you decided to keep reading, let me dive deeper.

Long-time friends and close family members will give you the best answers to what you’re good at. Ask them directly what they think you are good at. They might see something in you that you did not see in yourself!

For example, a friend might say you’re a great therapist that intently listens to problems and gives solid advice. She may even let you know that your advice has helped her tremendously in the past. You may have not even realized that you have been doing this. Furthermore, you might not have realized that you enjoy doing this! That realization may start a passion that could lead towards a fulfilling career – one that will make you stand out from that 60% of unsatisfied workers.

Close friends can even tell you a profession that they think you would be good at since they know you so well. They might say “I can envision you as a lawyer because you have a strong passion for debating.” Or “I always thought you should be a chef because I love your cooking.” Getting the perspective from somebody who knows you well will certainly help you figure out what you are good at and want to do.

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Side Note: This happened to me recently! I had a friend I had been giving interview and career advice to when he was applying for a job. The advice ended up working out for him as he nailed the interview and landed the job. He then asked me to meet with a few of his friends who felt lost in their careers to give them advice. He’s since encouraged me to begin a side hustle as a career coach/advisor. I would have never even thought about doing anything like this before. Whether I do it or not, it goes to show our close friends will know what we are good at better than ourselves sometimes!

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Ask even those that you are not super close with, but still have good relationships with. They might not be able to give you such specific answers like “therapist”, “lawyer” and “chef”, but they could give you certain character traits and qualities that you can apply to different careers.

Lastly, talk to as many people as possible. There might be a career out there that you would be amazing at that you have never even heard of before. Talking to others and especially networking will help you learn more about potential careers you would be a good fit for. Once you get the feedback from your friends and family about what qualities they see in you, ask your network what qualities and soft skills you need to excel at that career. Are they the same characteristics your friends and family described you as?

Ultimately, we cannot live fulfilling lives of growth and self-development if we feel unhappy with our jobs. Setting career goals, starting with asking your friends and family what you’re good at, is a HUGE first step. Figuring out exactly what you want to do in life and striving to do it is a HUGE step towards personal development and becoming the best version of yourself. It is also a HUGE step towards happiness. Growing as a person also means growing in your career!

Best,

Eric