A woman sits at a desk smiling. She’s using her laptop. Above her head are colourful bubbles and pictures of Math signs, money, a clock, a globe and other random objects. The words ‘Make Things Happen’ are at the top of the pic in blue and pink. — What am I really good at?

Are you ready to find your talents in life?

You may have already read a few books on the topic. Maybe you went to Google for advice or asked all your successful friends for help.

Even if that’s the case, I hope to add a new perspective on what it takes to find your talents and use them to thrive.

This is so important.

One source of frustration and stress I have seen time and time again comes from people who feel as though they have no purpose.

Do you sometimes feel as though you don’t know why you’re here?

Or what you can truly offer to the world?

Many people believe that talents are only found in obvious actions like playing an instrument or sport, or producing various art forms.

Some people think they don’t have any talents at all. And if you’ve believed that your whole life then that may be holding you back from greatness.

If you're struggling with how to find the thing deep inside that’s your superpower, this is the place for you.

Ready to dive into a behind-the-scenes look at what goes into finding your hidden talents?

Let’s go!

Pic shows a white desk with a white keyboard at the top of the picture and a white notebook in the middle. On the notebook there's a clip art image of a blue, green and yellow medal with a star in the centre. A green money bag is to the right.

After spending 15+ years teaching elementary children, here’s one thing I’ve learned:

Each child has different abilities, skills and ways of learning. They also have different interests and hobbies.

But when we reach adulthood it’s almost as if a light has been switched off and our talents lay buried in the dark.

They lay buried underneath stressful jobs, hectic lives and mountains of debt.

A quote by Fit And Fresh 4 Life saying, "We are so busy trying to survive that we neglect the very thing that will cause us to thrive." The quote is set on a blue and black gradient background, written in white and surrounded by a white box.

And I want you to thrive. So here’s my take on how to go about doing that.

Howard Gardner’s Theory of Multiple Intelligences

Early in my teaching career I discovered Howard Gardner’s Theory of Multiple Intelligences. This was a game changer for me.

I always tried to give my students different types of activities to help them develop their innate ‘intelligence’.

I always taught them that each one of us has a special gift inside. And they needed to find what theirs was and practise using it from young.

It was hard watching kids cry or feel depressed because they couldn’t score well in a Comprehension or Math test while they watched the smiles on other kids’ faces who had aced their exams.

They couldn't see that the child who was a Math whiz couldn’t draw to save his life or couldn’t make a beat and talk to someone at the same time. But they could.

I created a picture of a Multiple Intelligences Diagram for you.

I won’t make your eyes cross with the technical names. So this is a simplified version:

There are 8 recognised intelligences. And I’m so thrilled to see that abilities beyond knowing Mathematics and English are highlighted and given their rightful place here.

For too many years people have measured intelligence by your ability to read, write and do Math very well. This puts the focus on some talents and diminishes the power of other abilities.

But today we’re going to throw the limits off and stand on a level playing field.

And if you stick around until the end I have a special Free Guide that you can download to give you even more info on practical ways to find your passion in life.

Let’s get into it, shall we?

1) Picture Smart

Picture shows someone's hands drawing a very colourful diagram. The person is using a ruler with designs to create the patterns. — Let me just add this little detail.

People with Picture Smart strengths can see and manipulate images from different angles and positions.

If you're strong in this area you will have a keen eye for detail and you’ll be able to see big pictures very easily.

2) Music Smart

Picture shows 4 musical instruments on a black background - a bass guitar, a keyboard, a sax and an acoustic guitar. — Let’s jam!

Some people simply adore music and find it everywhere and in everything.

My hubby, Brian is Music Smart like this. When we were younger he would get his guitar and play with the ice-cream truck’s music when it passed.

And that noise the car makes when you leave in the key and a door is opened? He will make beats around that for a bit sometimes before taking out the key and closing the door.

If you’re like him and hear music in everything and feel as though music fills your very being, you may have a very strong music intelligence.

3) Body Smart

Picture shows 5 people doing the same dance pose. They are all on their toes, knees bent and leaning back with hands outstretched. — Balance and precision.

If you know how to shake what your mama gave you, and shake it on time, you may be strong in Body Smart skills.

Body Smart people have good body movement and physical control over their bodies.

If you have excellent hand-eye coordination and dexterity, you fit into this category too!

4) People Smart

If People Smart talent is strong for you, you just ‘get’ people.

You get their moods, desires and motivations, and can relate to them really well.

You want to help them in some way. You may even have been called outgoing or a people’s person before.

5) Logic Smart

Picture shows someone's hands holding a calculator and a pen. The person is at a desk with pencils, a laptop, toy cars, a chart, pencil holder and credit card scattered in front of them. — Let's play the numbers game.

People with a strong Logic Smart talent can reason and analyse easily.

They do this by using Mathematical thinking and logic and are usually very good at problem solving.

6) Word Smart

Picture shows 8 books stacked in a pile on the right side of the screen. The top book is opened. The stack is placed in front of a red wall. — So many adventures. So little time.

Word Smart people can hear and understand the sounds, meanings and rhythms of words with ease.

These types of people can be naturally witty, poetic or known for finding the right words in any situation.

7) Self Smart

A woman sits on a bench holding a cup of coffee. She's bundled up in a coat and scarf. She is smiling and looks happy. — Peace within.

When you saw this one on the diagram you may have wondered if this is really a thing. You better believe it is!

People who are Self Smart understand themselves very well and use personal experiences to help them make decisions in life.

They can use their own values, beliefs and ideas to encourage others.

8) Nature Smart

If you are sensitive to the atmosphere and even subtle changes in the environment you might have a strong Nature Smart talent.

And this goes beyond gardening, my friend. There are so many aspects to nature that people with this intelligence can excel in.

Wrapping up

And that is it.

We covered the 8 recognised Intelligences that can help us find our talents and strengths:

Picture Smart
Music Smart
Body Smart
People Smart
Logic Smart
Word Smart
Self Smart
Nature Smart

And this is just scratching the surface. There are literally THOUSANDS of jobs or hobbies you could explore to find fulfillment or make money.

And some jobs may be relevant to more than one Intelligence.

We live in a different era now, my talented Thrivers.

When I was a child, you had to watch the news or listen to the radio to hear about weather updates.

Now?

I tune into Mr. Weatherman on YouTube.

In the past you had to join a guild to make movies and actually have them shown in the cinema.

Nowadays everybody and their grandma are filmmakers.

Social media has so many ways and means of reaching people and showing them your talents. Ways that were not available before.

I want to encourage you to find your talent. It’s there.

Take a Multiple Intelligences Test if you’re still not sure where yours lies.

The test is a bit long. But how long have you lived not using your talents and skills?

No comparison there.

Remember that Free Guide I promised if you stuck around until the end? Well, here it is:

Picture shows a 4 page mockup of a guide to help people find their purpose and passion in life. The title is Multiple Intelligences: Job & Hobby Lists and was written by Renee Padmore of Fit And Fresh 4 Life. — Pointing the way you could go.

Use our Multiple Intelligences: Job & Hobby Lists to help you find areas that you can work in to help hone your particular strengths.

How To Find Your Talents in Life