What’s your secret talent?
Courtesy of Dreamstime
Are you an excellent writer? Do you make a killer cheesecake? As a parent or concerned citizen, have you raised funds for your local school that exceeded everyone’s expectations? Can you stitch a new garment out of an old tapestry that could rival that of any leading designer? Are you well-oiled machine when it comes to planning birthday parties and annual gatherings for yourself, family and friends?
Up until now, have you done all of this for free, even after people continue to rant and rave about how you’re “the best”?
Is it time for you to start putting your talents to work? And start earning some serious income doing the things you love and have gladly done without charge? Let me answer those questions for you. . . Without a doubt, YES!
While it’s noble you’d gladly offer your services at no charge, perhaps it’s time to face whether there’s something holding you back from wholeheartedly pursuing it as a profession.
In other words, before we get to the solution, let’s first determine what might be an underlying dilemma among those of you who regularly offer up your services at no charge.
What’s holding you back?
Have you wondered why you continue to offer your expertise for free? Could insecurity, uncertainty or self-doubt be the root issue? If the following thoughts have ever entered your mind, then answer the last question with a resounding “Yes.”
- “Who in their right mind would pay a novice to do this? I’m not good enough. So I’ll just do it to get the experience.”
- “I don’t even have a college degree to pursue this professionally. So I’ll just continue to do it as a hobby.”
- “I do it for fun. Plus, I’m too modest to ever ask someone to pay me to do this anyway.”
- “Yes, everyone says I do it well. But those people are just being nice.”
Out with the old. In with the new.
It’s time to redesign how you think, work, and respond to your own talents. Start thinking positively about your skill set, and begin believing that possibilities for new opportunity are everywhere. And, most importantly, start believing that there are other professionals who are willing and ready to pay for your labor, and who value your perspective, ideas, and past experience.
I’m not suggesting you should abandon helping out those in need altogether (read my last blog about volunteering), but it does mean that you should start to consider how you can turn your goodwill into some good money.
The time is now. What are you waiting for?
Keep the Discussion Going
What skills have you been offering up to others at no cost, but that you could easily generate some extra income doing?
How do you plan to integrate those skills into your current job, and as a result become a stand-out employee and get a raise? Or, what type of new career or business could you launch based off the skills and talents you’ve cheerfully, and successfully carried out for free?
