Inspiration

More men fail through lack of purpose than lack of talent.

(Evangelist Billy Sunday)

Maybe you've noticed that many people today are caught up in a new fad of 'discovering their gift or talent.' And to a certain degree that pursuit is not in vain.

But the problem with focusing on a particular talent or gift is that it limits who gets to 'play' in the game. By that I mean it decreases who will actually participate in any given activity because it invariably gives way to the excuse, "I'm just not good at that."

Did you know that most 'talents' can be learned. Some years ago I had the desire to draw and paint. Of course, the first thought that came to mind was, "I'm not really good at that." I felt disappointment and failure. However, after giving the idea more thought, it came to me that, although I wasn't all that creative when it came to artwork, I could always take a class or two and learn the basics. Or if funds were tight I could head off to the public library and find a video or books about the type of art I wanted to learn. And that's exactly what I did.

Now even though artwork doesn't really come easy to me, I discovered that creating art with a purpose has allowed me to grow in areas of my life that I never thought possible. It has helped bridge the gap in my mind that was so quick to say, "I'm really not good at that," and given me the ability to try something new.

(My very first oil painting from a class)

I hope you haven't fallen into the trap of believing you're not able to achieve some purpose just because you're not talented. I encourage you to go ahead, take a few lessons and dip you're toe into the water. You might just be surprised at a hidden talent!

Cheers,
Jessica