The Best Way to Find Your “It-Factor”
I am the type of person who is “okay-to-good” at a lot of things, but not an expert in ANYTHING. It’s half the reason I haven’t found a “niche” with this blog yet. I’m all over the place, I know. I remember loving every subject in school (except science, haha). I was like an extracurricular queen. I just loved doing everything. I know I’m not normal, and you don’t have to love everything… but it’s been a real struggle my whole life to find “my thing”. Any time I’d try to get “really into something”, I’d burn out. Any time I’d do a little of everything, I’d either spread myself thin or do mediocre work everywhere… and no one can move forward putting out average stuff, in whatever you’re doing. So that led me to the question, WHAT is my IT FACTOR?
How can I really excel?
Where do I shine?(Is that dumb to say?... like a total pastor’s kid would ask that question.. #sorrynotsorry).
How can I break into the space where I move...REALLY moveforward?
I look around and it feels like everyone is moving and I’m always stuck. I’m sure you’ve felt the same. Even if it’s the fact that everyone is having babies and you aren’t, everyone is buying houses and you can’t, everyone has found their dream job and you are still grinding in the one you hate. Sometimes, the truth is that we just sit there and compare ourselves to other people WAY too much. What we really should be doing is comparing ourselves… to ourselves. Not like a “man you were better at that then and now you suck” kind of comparison. (Yeah, PS, don’t recommend doing this with your high school weight, we all suck there). But like, think about where YOU know that you have excelled. It doesn’t have to be ways that you’ve excelled compared to other people, nah, just you.
When have YOU felt like you REALLY KILLED IT?
Write those down.
A few of my recent ones would be:
I spent HOURS creating a random presentation to pitch a content client when I had NO leads and had NO clue what I was doing. A few months later I found myself whipping out that presentation and actually using it to win a client. I had no clue that it would help me score later on, I just pushed myself to channel that desire, that thing I really wanted… and then, when the moment came, I was ready.
Whenever I’m shooting a wedding, I feel this sense of energy that I am, in that moment, doing what I ABSOLUTELY should be doing. Like, I feel like I’m the right person for the job. I’m in charge. I’m working my ass off, but it’s the kind of passion that is so rewarding.
My boyfriend doesn’t exactly “enjoy” taking photos of me for my blog… so I have to get REAL creative. Sometimes that means begging him to stop on the side of the road by something I think looks cool to take, like 10 seconds of photos. Sometimes it means going out of my way to get ready and take photos, lay things out, plan, and act on a dime. When you are trying to pump out content every single day, it takes some serious grit and gumption. It is in those moments where I am flying by the seat of my pants and create something amazing, those moments where I pushed myself to go above and beyond for the “hope” that someday it turns into something fruitful. THAT is where I truly feel that RUSH, that IT factor.
Okay, enough about me. Let’s talk about you.
I don’t care if you’re a banker at Wells Fargo OR a barista at Heart Coffee, you have SOMETHING, something amazing lurking inside of you.
Let’s say you’re the banker. What made you LOVE working with that client?What made you get that loan sold? What helped you get that raise?
Let’s say you’re the barista. Do people love when you go the extra mile and create beautiful latte art on the top of their drink? Do you call them by name? Is that you’re amazing thing?
I truly believe that if you can channel those things, those “YOU” things that make you STAND OUT and excel in whatever you’re doing… then you can start to identify your “IT” factor.
I truly believe that everyonehas one.
You may not have found yours, but it’s out there somewhere. Your “it” factor may not be in the place you want it to be, it may be in a space that you don’t realize. Some never find it… but how, how do we channel that “something” and find our true BEST? Our bestwork. Our bestself. Our ITfactor… ?
Think of it like a sweet spot. Whatever challenge you are going after, you know, you could probably RATTLE off the times when you WON at something.
I want you to think of some people you know that have found theirs. What is it?Can you chat with them? Do you admire them? Want to do something they are doing? How can you learn?
I can think of a few bloggers who have it down, like, solid. They know who they are and they’ve stuck to it. They’ve focused in on the things that really set them apart and they’ve been able to channel it.
I know that no matter what, it’s hard to be satisfied. We will always be searching for more. But I can tell you one thing; when I really, and I mean, really stay true to myself, acting on those beautiful impulses that lead me to great art, relationships, work, etc…. THAT is when I really make progress. AND—I’ve said it before but, if you aren’t growing, you’re dying.
So. What I would challenge you to do is to sit and THINK, like really think… WHAT ARE YOU GOOD AT? How can you leverage that thing and become the best version of yourself?
You’ll be amazing. Try it.
I hope that you all have an amazing Hump Day,
xo
