One technique for discovering your gifts is through a Reflected Best Self Exercise™. Developed by the Center for Positive Organizations at the University of Michigan, this exercise provides you with feedback from those close to you on what they see as your strengths.

To perform this exercise:
• Identify two dozen or so family, friends, and colleagues
• Invite them to provide you with feedback on situations where they have seen at your best
• Correlate their feedback to look for themes – these are your strengths
• Live and work from this list daily

Video 48 Min  + 2 Min read to complete

Another technique for discovering your gifts is serious self reflection.

Set aside some time, a few hours, a day or even a weekend, where you are free from distractions, and reflect on the following questions:
• Who Am I?
• Who do I want to become?
• Where can I best contribute?
• What are my strengths
• Where are my blind spots?
• What does success look like?
Write down your thoughts. Identify actions you will take and make a plan for accomplishing them

Video 48 Min  + 2 Min read to complete

Even if you would not consider yourself particularly religious or spiritual, the concept of a “calling” is still a powerful way of discovering our unique gifts. A calling is the purpose you feel uniquely driven or drawn to, and where you can see yourself having the most impact.

“Calling Map” Technique

To map your calling:
• Passion
• Are you driven by particular activities?
• Will these affect what you choose to do and how you do it?
• Purpose
• Are you driven by a particular cause or problem?
• Place
• Do you feel drawn to a particular organization, industry or geographic location?

Draw circles on a piece of paper representing each area. The stronger your answers are in a particular area, the larger the circle.
Put the circles together. The overlap between the three circles represents your personal sense of calling.

Video 48 Min  + 2 Min read to complete