Ppk: This episode gives the training methods of 12 (where are you now) and 13 (imagine your "tribe") in this book.

Everyone's starting point is different, which will also affect our initial direction. So, if you go somewhere else and do something completely different from your old life, you may find new choices. SWOT analysis is the best tool to help us evaluate our current position and point out our direction.

In this chapter, let's take a look at the external obstacles and the opportunities we may face. I will provide some methods for you to evaluate your current position, existing resources and resources you need. At the beginning, we must realize that everyone's starting point is different, no matter where your starting point is, it will affect your initial direction. However, it does not determine your destination. Ppk: This chapter gives the 12 training method of this book (where are you now), which is so long!

One of the common methods to consider one's current situation is SWOT analysis, that is, strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. SWOT analysis was invented by AlbertHumphrey, an American business consultant, in 1960s. Although it is designed for commercial purposes, it has been widely used by consultants and tutors to help people evaluate their own situation and make their own personal and professional development plans. So SWOT analysis can help you evaluate the internal and external factors that help or prevent you from discovering your talents.

Draw a square on a piece of paper first, and then divide it into four squares of the same size. The box in the upper left corner is strong, the box in the upper right corner is weak, the box in the lower left corner is opportunity and the box in the lower right corner is risk. Generally speaking, "strength" and "weakness" are your own personal qualities and characteristics, and they are internal factors; "Opportunity" and "risk" are your objective conditions, that is, external factors. But this classification is not absolute. For example, you can see the advantages in your situation and understand the risks in your attitude. But this classification helps you remember the key points when doing this kind of exercises.

First, let's look at the "strengths" and "weaknesses". Review all your previous trainings and fill in your relative strengths and weaknesses in the corresponding boxes. The first step is to fill in your strengths and weaknesses in talent, then fill in your strengths and weaknesses in enthusiasm with different colors, and then fill in your strengths and weaknesses in attitude with a third color. Then, list the opportunities, risks or difficulties you face in the current situation in the "opportunities" and "risks" boxes respectively. The following questions may help you fill in these four boxes.

According to your basic situation, answer:

1. How old are you?

2. What is your personal responsibility?

3. What's your financial situation?

Do you have any family or financial difficulties?

If everything you have at present is gone, can you cope with this difficulty?

In addition to the above basic questions, the following are some more detailed questions:

6. If you feel that you have not done what you want to do, how much trouble will it be?

7. If you are reading this book, it may be because you haven't discovered your talent. However, how important is this matter to you? Do you just sometimes feel that it is good to realize your talent, just like opening the door and finding a gift with surprise? There will still be the kind of "dull pain" that Randy palsson said before you became a guitarist, or something clearer and more lasting than "dull pain", as if a voice kept reminding you that you haven't realized your dream!

Next, consider the biggest obstacle on your way:

8. What prevents you from doing what you really want to do?

9. What can you do to break through these obstacles?

10. What will happen if we break through these?

We must seriously consider these problems. Sometimes, these obstacles are real: seriously ill family members need your time to take care of them, and you have to pay for treatment with your own income; Because your lover can't go with you, you must stay somewhere forever ... However, the impact of major changes in life is not as great as we feared. If you quit your job to do a completely different job, will your lover leave you because of your reduced income? If so, it is indeed a very serious consequence.

It is very important to consider the real consequences of overcoming difficulties. What if you decide to follow your dream? In fact, the answer is often not as daunting as it seems at first!

Now, please consider your available resources:

1 1. What can help you pursue your passion at present?

12. If you try your best to do what you think is your talent, which roads can you choose at present?

Next, think about the details of your list of questions and ask yourself how you can enhance or make full use of your advantages:

13. Do you need to spend more time to strengthen them? Do you need more training?

14. Do you need different opportunities to discover or improve them?

15. What do you think is your weakness? Will others agree with your understanding?

16. How do you know that they are your own weaknesses?

17. How influential are they? If they are really important, how will you make up for them?

An important part of discovering talent is to find our own world: our "tribe". We should not only find a job we love, but also adapt to the culture of the "tribe" and the friends there. Tribes can bring us four benefits: affirmation, guidance, cooperation and encouragement.

No one in the world will be exactly like you, and no one will live the same life as you, but there will be many people who have the same interests and hobbies as you. One way to discover talent is to find your own world: in what group and culture will you feel comfortable and happy? Who is your "little friend"? In this chapter, we will discuss the power of "tribe" in the process of talent discovery, and how you can find your own "tribe" and fight alongside your friends.

What is a "tribe"? According to this book, "tribes" are composed of a group of people with the same interests, and the scale can be large or small. In fact, they exist by social media or interpersonal communication. "Tribe" is defined by the same hobbies of its members. Keeping in touch with people with the same talent as you is very beneficial to you and them, because it will bring affirmation, guidance, cooperation and encouragement to each other.

What do you want your "tribe" to be? What kind of groups will attract you? What do they have in common? To answer these questions, let's look at the training method 13.

Make a vision board for people and communities you are interested in:

1. Who is related to your talent?

2. What do you find interesting about these people?

3. Do you prefer a certain personality type or pay more attention to what they do?

4. What do you care about in a "tribe"? Is it fun, humor, enthusiasm or arrogance? Or are there any other different characteristics?

Affirmation: grow up together

No matter how diverse the members of the "tribe" are, they can contribute to each other's prosperity and development. Finding your "tribe" is the most powerful guarantee of your interest and enthusiasm. It can ensure and strengthen your persistence in your career, and it can alleviate your loneliness sometimes caused by lack of contact.

You can't find your talent without moving. Sometimes, you need to go further along your own path.

Later Neroli ppk: A story character in the book moves closer to modern civilization. She went to boarding school and then to college. Interestingly, no matter how far she goes and how many people she meets, she finds creative expressions such as painting and writing that don't need much communication with the outside world most attractive to her. Finally, she found that she knew what she loved when she was very young, but she didn't understand it until she tried something else.

Neroli finally realized that creation itself is her passion, and sharing her achievements with others is what she should do. Neroli doesn't love all her works, but what she loves is far greater than what she doesn't.

Guide: Know your own way.

Tribal members can provide very important guidance. One afternoon, James ppk, the author's son, was so obsessed with Buddhism that he began to teach in Pali. My wife Terry and I sat behind the temple and witnessed him becoming a member of this group. If it weren't for his interest, we would never have known the existence of this temple. James wouldn't love Buddhism so much if it weren't for the invitation of the abbot. His contact with these monks made us all see the great power of "tribe" in generating and stimulating personal beliefs and the important role of "tribe" in guiding and supporting. The discovery of this Buddhist temple vividly shows that as long as we concentrate on finding something, it will come like a miracle.

Cooperation: mutual support

It is often heard from people who find their own "tribe", especially those who are engaged in special or professional occupations: people with the same hobbies, even competitors, can help each other. This is really inspiring! This is also one of the most precious characteristics of the "tribe": the love of dreams has surpassed selfish nature.

Encouragement: Go up a flight of stairs.

Finding your tribe will give you great encouragement. Seeing the achievements of like-minded peers can push you to constantly break through yourself and take yourself to the next level. Companions can improve each other's status.

As I said before, if you want to know whether you have found your talent, you must first confirm whether you enjoy the lifestyle that matches it. Trying different "tribes" is to let you take a long-term view and see if you are suitable for this lifestyle. Do you feel more excited when you are with people who have the same hobbies as you? When you were trying a new "tribe", did you encounter some bad experiences or people and things that made you uncomfortable? On the contrary, do you see some opportunities in fields that you never thought of before? Will you be more excited about it? Find your own "tribe" and become a member of it, so that your talents can be revealed and shine.

What should I do if I haven't found my own "tribe" Here are some feasible methods.

use the internet

Internet has become the most important and effective communication tool in human history, providing unprecedented convenience for like-minded people.

Join a club

Look for clubs or organizations you can join. No matter how valuable the online community is, compared with the feeling of sharing benefits with people in the same physical space, the energy and connection intensity it generates will still be obviously inferior. In particular, we should find some activities or conferences with speakers or guidance, as well as some performances or exhibitions that can meet people and have opportunities for dialogue. You may have some experiences. If the local forum will be held in a few weeks, search online, and you may find people who share your language, interests and goals.

Among many people interviewed for writing this book, some people said that they didn't know of any related organizations in their favorite fields. If you have access to these organizations, it may change everything for you.

Register for courses

Consider registering for some short courses. In many countries, educational institutions offer various short-term courses and attend classes on weekends or evenings. There will also be some lectures, projects and activities. You see, in your field of interest, see what those organizations can offer, and you can try to register what you like. But remember: to participate in these activities, we should take voluntary participation as the principle, and if we find it inappropriate, we should quit decisively. The key is to look at everything with an open mind and critical thinking.

Be a volunteer.

True happiness often comes from helping others. As long as the human community exists, there will be people who need help. Usually, there will be various organizations to provide these help, and various organizations will pay attention to different individual and social needs. In most cases, they also rely on volunteers to complete these help. This is a win-win situation: on the one hand, people in need will benefit from your help; On the other hand, you have also expanded your circle of friends and interpersonal network.

Become an intern

One of the ways to get into your dream field is to practice for a while. Now many institutions are recruiting interns. But remember, some companies recruit interns just to take advantage of free labor, and interns' work is often routine and boring. Therefore, you should carefully confirm the job responsibilities of the position you are interested in and clarify all the terms. If you can do this, short-term internship is also a good opportunity for you to accumulate experience in different working environments and experience different professional cultures. If it suits your age and situation, then you can consider it.

Find a mentor

If economic conditions permit, take time to talk to your trusted life coach. In the past 20 years, the life coaching industry has flourished. They can provide practical technology and support to help you understand and realize your life goals. In all walks of life, whether doctors or lawyers, there will be some outstanding people, some mediocre people, and of course there are various methods and systems. Take some time to think about the right life coach: look at their online homepages or books they have written, and see their qualifications and customer feedback. If you find the right tutor, you won't waste time and money.

Find yourself

No matter what nationality or occupation you are, whether you communicate online, attend dialogues and meetings, register for courses, participate in activities or practice, the significance of expanding your circle of activities is not limited to your current experience, but to let you have new experiences and know more people. Discovering your talents and people with similar interests can give you a brand-new self-awareness.

When you discover your talent, if you insist on finding your own "tribe", you may not be able to plan the whole process. Finding your own tribe is not a linear process that you can predict, but a dynamic process that you can only cultivate and accumulate. If your search goes well, you may find that it can bring many unexpected new opportunities.

To be continued. . .