Worknow_Aotearoa_NZ

What is your greatest talent?

Everyone pauses when I ask this question. Um ah let me think about it… but the fact is we all have talents, and for the most part we know exactly what they are, we just don’t feel it is “proper” for us to promote our own strengths. But face it, if you don’t then who will? Trust yourself, first.

One of my greatest talents, gifted of God, has always been my ability for learning. I learn quickly and either pick things up or I understand what I am not interested in or good at. I like to learn my weaknesses. I question, I learn, I adapt.

Vanity is a weakness, so I’ll rephrase the question

What do you think is one of your strengths?

Strong is good, strengths we are allowed. At this point most people will admit to having at least one thing that they consider themselves to be good at.

Personally, I consider one of my strengths my ability to fall and get back up again. I have fallen hundreds and hundreds of times – off horses, downstairs and into the the path of moving vehicles. I’ve fallen out of favour, over myself, into people, plants and precarious places.

Hands up if you saw me fall and destroy the deck chair at Jamie’s BBQ and thought it was hilarious. While not exactly helpful I assure you it has the potential to entertain.

And for those still struggling to verbalise an answer in regard to talent or strength then how about this question…

What do you like to do?

Usually your talents, your strengths, are integral to activities that you enjoy doing, be it talking or listening, growing or gathering, building vs demolishing.

I love the outdoors and it makes a whole lot of sense that the time I already spend running or walking could be shared with others .  I love animals too so I’m happy to offer time to exercise people’s dogs.

Our is not to judge the talents we are given, our responsibility is to use them and what better way than by helping others?

Exchanging Talent & Time?

Time is one of the most precious resources we have. It is the great equaliser. In a world with an ever widening rift between rich and poor, the freedom and / or limits of time (depending on your view) remain common to us all. Seven days, 24 hours, 60 minutes.

Yet all to often we overlook the true value of our time. Contrary to our hopes, sometimes the more we try to do the less time we seem to find. Yet, when we take time to enjoy the here and now you often find that the more you value time for its own sake the more time you will have.

The point is simply that doing the things that you love, which often involve your strengths or your talents, is the best way to use your time.

What’s more there are people in our communities that need your talent. A helping hand a listening ear and open mind might make all the difference to someone else.  The question now is – how do you choose to value your time?

When time is not money what value can it be given?

A: An Hour

Time Trade is simply the idea of spending one hour using your talents to help others in your community. In exchange for one hour of your time and talent you receive an one hour time credit from the person you have helped, which you can then gift or exchange with other people for their time and talent.

What would you trade your talent and time to learn?

Helping other people, is a good thing. It makes us feel like contributing members of our society. That “good deed” warm glow comes from the knowledge that we have time and talents to offer others. This feeling is called being empowered.

To empower others requires recognition that despite our own talents and strengths, we too, need help from other people but while we all feel the need to “help others”  it is not always easy express when “I need help”.

If I could request time to trade I would like to learn to speak Maori.  I can’t surf to save myself so I’d love some lessons, I’d love to get out kitesurfing and  I’d also like to learn spanish. I have tried to learn by myself but it’s not working.

If you have the talent and time to help others please register to create your talent profile today.