Lotus.life — Day 4: What are my Superpowers?
This blog post is in response to Natalie’s 10 Day Freedom Plan Blog Challenge Day 4
Today is about finding my sweetspot. (a balance between what I enjoy doing, what I’m good at and what people would pay me for). Basically, what are my superpowers.
Starting afresh or venturing into the unknown requires various skills depending on the task/adventure. When things go pear shaped and you reach a stumbling block you have to rely on your ‘superpowers’ to fulfil your potential. Basically, calling on the things that you do effortlessly to get you through a situation. Your tool kit. I had to think hard about this.
I remember a conversation with a colleague in Vienna this Spring, and she couldn’t have said it clearer. “We do what we do, and we do it well, but sometimes we forget that what we do well doesn’t come naturally to others, so we forget we’re special”. Or words to that affect. My point is, that that got me thinking. I am jolly good at stuff, I just don’t celebrate it and embrace it.
She also said she goes on holiday and tries to mix it with work, that way she can go on holiday more often. She inspired me to do the same. I booked my flights to Bangalore (via the UK for Xmas and Dubai for NY) and am now planning from scratch, pushing myself to find contacts and work that I would enjoy, and that would bring value to the businesses and start-ups in Bangalore. I also want to throw in some voluntary work with some local children because I know that they we would have with improv.
Anyway, my point being that someone pointed out a superpower, I checked in with myself to see if it was conceivable (see Day 3 blog) and then actioned it. I know what my objectives are for my trip, but if they don’t happen as planned then I have to call upon one of my ‘powers’ in my tool kit to turn it around. So, here are the powers I will put in my tool kit.
So, I asked colleagues and friends to comment on my Facebook page; what do they notice about me that they think is my superpower. This kinda fits in with the ‘what people would pay me for’. People who I have met a few times, people I know well, and those I only do business with, took the time to comment. They were very thoughtful comments and it’s always a buzz to read nice things about yourself. I am very grateful to them for helping me realise that I need a Sport Billy bag to keep them in.
Objective Opinions
· You exude calm, practical fearlessness.
· Willingness to do what isn’t effortless, to try the things that don’t come easy (and so here’s a link to an article in a UK womans magazine, it’s abridged, but it’s the 3rd published article on my Kilimanjaro climb)
· Communication, bringing people together (perfect example when I requested a behind the scenes record of Pioneers Asia just for the staff involved — the real stars of the event), unique and funny, passionate, courageous, smart and ambitious.
· The most personable person at a YouTube event.
· Ability to look a bad situation in the eye, accept it and turn it around for the better. (You do this for others but forget to do it for yourself.)
· As an actor, you adjust on a dime and have an expressional face.
· You are organised, and help yourself and others to manifest new things that are not yet in the world.
So, now let’s add those to my subjective opinion.
What I’m already good at?
- Getting sh*t done. Project planning and organising, and if things go wobbly, dealing with it and getting sh*t done. (in March 2016, I project managed this large start-up event, Pioneers Asia)
- Empowering my clients, drawing out the best in them, and helping them understand the why, not just the how.
- Being creative, and visualising the end result.
- Identifying a point of practice and honing it til it works.
What do I enjoy doing?
- Using improv and games to help people connect and communicate.
- Project management, empowering staff, peers, clients to recognise and do what they are good at.
- Not standing still. Travelling to new places and embracing new situations.
- Getting sh*t done.
- Using my whole body and voice to create a new character.
I have many superpowers and today has helped me understand what they are. To be honest, it was a tough one because I couldn’t just write a story! Thanks to everyone who helped out.
Tomorrow is halfway through the challenge!!!!
