FreeBlogger - Esther

GIFT + SKILL = TALENT

A gift is usually something that comes naturally to you. Skills are certain abilities that you have acquired: things yo have learned, practices and invested into. Talent is usually a gift that has been capitalized on and enhanced by skill to produce a degree of mastery.

For example: a talented person is someone with a natural aptitude for music (gift) that learns to play the guitar proficiently (skill) and then uses the ability to make music that is masterful (talent).

GIFT + SKILLS = TALENT
When we engage the value, purpose and current application for our gifts, skills and ultimately talents, we realize a shift from immaturity to maturity. in development psychology, the formation of maturity usually involves the transition from concrete to abstract thinking.

Concrete thinking = black and white. Typically accompanies a self focus.
Abstract thinking = considers a range of perspectives.

A strategic investment of our talents involves not only a transformation from ordinary to mastery, but also from immature to mature thinking. The dividend of investment is the impact our gifting has on the lives of others.

Some may struggle even to create a list of gifts, skills and talents. The exercise is less about identifying who you are by you characteristics and more about asking what you have to offer. People challenged in their own self worth may negate or downplay their gifts, stating they have none. However, everyone is born with innate abilities. It is when we compare ourselves with others that we get into trouble. We think if we do not have the good physique, beautiful voice, academic prowess or sporting ability as others do, we perceive our value is in someway diminished. That quite simply is not the case.

The value of a gift is not so much about what attributes we have, but rather what we do with them. Gifts can take many forms. When we endeavor to become the very best friend, most agile goalkeeper or pedantic house cleaner, we make a valuable contribution outside ourselves. If we apply our skills and endeavor to become the very best as what we do, not only does our mastery impact others, but it assist us in the development of our complex sense of self (identity) and promotes mental health.

The very act of believing we have been given gifts in the first place necessitates the existence of a gift giver. "Your talent is God's gift to you; what you do with it is your gift back to God" - late Dr. Leo Buscaglia.