“The One Thing You Should Figure Out Early In Life”
In my previous article, I talked about “The Most Profitable Investment for Entrepreneurs”. If you haven’t read that article yet, please read part 13 of the series and sign up for the Wealth-plan so I can email you that and the previous articles in the proper order.
In this article, I want to focus on the “One Thing” that anybody should figure out early in life if they want to succeed and more importantly, ENJOY life. If you can answer this one question of mine definitively, and without a shadow of a doubt, then email it to me at markso@wealthflowproject.com Ready? Here’s the question:
“What Are You Great At?”
It is a simple question really but a very hard one to answer for a lot of people. In fact, you’re probably thinking right now what to answer, or simply say “I don’t know”. Others, may find themselves thinking of several things they are great at because they are multi-talented. I just need you to give me 1 (one) thing that you are great at and nothing more.
When I was a kid, I had a pretty clear picture of what I wanted to be. Some kids wanted to be doctors, others astronauts, well I wanted to be an Engineer, specifically a Computer Engineer, why? Because it sounded totally cool and awesome (hey, I was a kid after all right). And so, when it was time to go to college, naturally I took up Electronics and Communications Engineering (E.C.E) which is not just Computer Engineering but Communications Engineering as well (Broadcast, Telecoms, etc.) in other words, I went after what I wanted to be. But, it wasn’t what I was great at.
While taking the course, which was one of the ‘harder’ courses back in my day, and brilliant as I was, I never became the TOP student in my batch, that post was taken by a guy who had a perfect grade point average (GPA) of 4.0 and his name was “Mr. Lim”. In other words, although I knew I wanted to be an Engineer, and no matter how hard I studied and tried, I could never beat Mr. Lim, in fact there were at least 29 people who had better GPA’s than me when we graduated. I was of course number 30 in the top 30 to graduate the course. This is not to say I was not as smart as the rest, but rather because I did not answer back then the one question I am asking you now.
So let’s continue. After I graduated, of course I went looking for a job that needed ECEs. I applied and was rejected from a lot of big multinationals because my GPA was not high enough, but I did land a job eventually, in fact, I created my own job in Islacom (the article is called “The True Story of How I Created My First Job” which can be found in my blog wealthflowproject.com) then I moved to an IT company, then finally a huge Multinational Telecoms company. But even though the money was great, I was miserable because I wasn’t really doing what I was great at doing. In fact, and I can say this now with all honesty, I wasn’t doing it because I was great at being an Engineer, I was doing it because of the money, and again in all honesty, I have to admit, I sucked as an Engineer!
“Doing what you are not great at, distracts you from who you are really meant to be!”
But what I was great at, what I realized much later on in life, was that I was great at “Communicating” and getting through to people. I finished top 30 in my ECE class because I “talked” my way to passing my Thesis. I convinced the panelists why they should pass me, which they did, not because my thesis was excellent, but rather because my words were. I created my own job at Islacom because I “talked” my way to getting the head of the mobile division to hire me, not because I was a top notch engineer, but because I was a top notch “communicator”, selling my number one product –me. How I wish I had seen it already back then, but then again, like most people, I did not because as I said, My next job, made me miserable. Because, and let me say it again, doing what you are not great at, distracts you from who you are really meant to be.
So when the opportunity to go full time into business came my way, I went for it. My first business venture, did not do so well, and in fact almost ruined me because that business did not allow me to do what I was great at doing. The next business was an entirely different story altogether, for that business was Businessmaker Academy. I didn’t realize it back then, but I do now, because this business has flourished and continues to do so. Why? Because, at Businessmaker Academy, I do what I do best, here I do what I am Great at doing every single day. Today, together with our top notch resource speakers, we have taught, inspired, trained, and developed more than 20,000 alumni.
So my dear reader, if you want to succeed and ENJOY your life earlier on, take my advice, figure out what you are great at, then be the best at it.
Author Box:
Mark So is a fervent businessman, Investor and educator. He is the Chairman and CEO of Businessmaker Academy—a business, finance and corporate training center. He is the founder and Chief Forex Trainer of Forex Club Asia, A Trading club of Forex Traders across Asia. He is also the Founder and Chief Trainer of the Philippine Franchise Institute which specializes in training and growing existing Franchise businesses. Mark, together with his loving wife also created wealthflowproject.com a website dedicated to teaching people how to make money run after you. A sought after speaker for business, investing, You may email your comments and questions to: markso@wealthflowproject.com or call the office at 6874445 / 6873416 / 6874645 for a schedule of his seminars
13 Comments
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sir mark,
i may not answer you right now, but i have a hint in massaging. everytime i massage my wife i heard lots of praises he he sometimes i would love to believe it already he he. honestly iam thinking of a spa salon when i have enough money.
I am good at languages, not only in speaking them but also understanding them. It implies many things with regards to investments.
Great to hear from you. Have you been practicing it? In the next article I explain a little bit more about “so you know what you are great at, now what?”
I just sign up today. Please send me the previous part of this article. Thanks.
when the time comes, how would we know that “this thing” is what we’re good at”? also can we force ourselve into being good at something we are not good at before?
First step is to be aware that you are good at something from the very beginning, a natural talent. The next step is to relentlessly experiment to find out what it is. How do you know that that is what you are great at doing? It feels natural, it feels right, and most of all you are not miserable anymore with your life.
Regarding “forcing yourself” to be good at something, yes definitely, its called learning. But it does not automatically translate to what you were meant to be. So experimentation is a must. Unfortunately it will take some time for you to figure it out, but now that you are aware, hopefully it will be shorter now.
Best!
Wow, so it all boils down to experimenting and learning.. Thanks Mark for the reply and for sharing/creating this blog! More power to you and your family.
Always a pleasure Jan. keep reading and do share our blog to all your friends!
Yes and No… Its a customary for me to do those things that are foreign to me… that after I already master what I am great at.
Im into Sports now, I founded a Saturday Club Org at our community which caters to the needs of sports enthusiast who are at 40 above. We have an Annual League dubbed as Super Senior Basketball. But i found myself good also in communication and emphaty with the needy residents at our barangay.
I’m a great at words, whether it’s convincing someone, enlightening someone or teaching someone something…I can even sell something (but I have to really really really believe in it). My partner says I should have my own talk show or my own blog because I can create “magic” or “ah hah” moments when I talk. Problem is in most cases I need someone to “provoke” me. I can’t create it on my own as I get “writer’s block” as I like to say in my defense. In reality, if I do it on my own, not in a conversational manner with a live person, I tend to over think which leads me no where.
hi sir mark.i could answer you right now im best at the art of persuasion in convincing people to do the right thing in endorsing products i already tried to friends and family.im into public relations coz im very friendly and accomodatingpeople. i really hope i could participate one of your seminars on self development and the 2 day zero capital business training seminar thank you very much and hope to hear from you soon. more power God bless.
I love teaching and broadcasting and am blessed because through these i am helping build a valued reminder of media functions-information,entertainment,education & advocacy- and establish “silent gratitude” from those students and listeners. I am continually learning and being inspired in the process of receiving your articles Mark. Mabuhay ka. Bless you more.