Bunnies can’t climb trees…
You have Superpowers!
Yes YOU!!
Everyone has a superpower or two. They are the things you’re great at and that feel easy, maybe you didn’t even realize it was a superpower until someone told you.
There are a few key elements that qualify what a superpower is:
You are really good at it, naturally
It comes easy to you
You love doing it
You continually improve and grow
It takes minimal effort
You can easily do big things with it
Time passes by effortlessly
Can you think of a few that you have? Write them down, nurture them, grow them!
This has always been my favorite part of leading a team, to help people see their superpowers and keep them at the forefront of everything they do. None of us can do all the things and of course we need to work on opportunities, but seeing what people can do with the talents they have makes my heart happy.
When I said, “of course we need to work on opportunities (weaknesses),” it may sound like I am speaking from my corporate leadership brain, which is probably partly true… What I really mean, is that we need to know they are there and give some effort to improve to be as well rounded as possible. But… if you’re a bunny, you can’t climb a tree, so what would be the point to trying to make you climb a tree?
Spending a lot of time on opportunities gets in the way of using your superpowers to their full potential. Sometimes it’s hard to recognize when we’re trying to prove ourselves in our jobs, or lean towards perfectionism and people pleasing. Watch out for those superficial-talents, sometimes they look like superpowers and you may even get some recognition for them, but they don’t feel the same to you as a superpower. Superficial talents feel draining, they deplete your energy and excitement, your motivation starts to lag. If you spend too much time in superficial talent time, you will burn out.
In order to identify superficial talent, you need to look around at work and at home to see what things are wearing you down and stealing your joy. Consider your daily routine and see what comes up for you. Can you change it? Is it ok to cope with it or is it really having a negative effect on you? Could someone else pick those tasks up, maybe trade a few things so that you both feel better? Cooking comes to mind for me, I can do it, and do it well for the most part, but I kind of hate it… So I make it easy on myself and blend dining out with simple but good dinners and I cope with it without feeling terrible or drained.
For those bunnies out there… If you’re trying to turn your tree climbing weakness into a strength, it’s virtually impossible and will be the cause of deep frustration. Don’t waste your time, acknowledge it and use your bunny superpowers to get things accomplished. Don’t let your inner-critic try to convince you that you’re not worthy because you can’t climb a tree, you have plenty of other talents and superpowers that are unique to you… focus on those.
Have a mindful week my friends!
Chris
