What are you good at?  Seriously, what do you think you are really good at accomplishing?  If you are not sure, think about what your friends, business associates, or family members come to you with questions or help on.  You may be the best at fixing things that are broke.  You may be the best at braiding hair.  Or, maybe you are the best at parts of your job or some kind of hobby.  Whatever it is, I’m sure others recognize that you are the “go to” person when they want to get this done. 

How did you get to be so good at this subject or job that you’ve mastered?  It took time, practice, training and patience, observation of others, a passion, and many other functions to learn and master it.  The first time you tried to do this thing, you probably were not real good.  Yes, you remember it well.  You fumbled through it and you may have thought to yourself, “I’ll never figure this out and be good at it.”  But look at you now; you’re the best of the best.  Think about some of the people that you are associated with that have mastered something.  You think to yourself, I wish I knew how to do this. 

I remember the first time I got on a motorcycle.  I said to myself, this is tougher than it looks.  After many years, the things I could not do the first couple months on a bike, I do on a Harley that weighs 400 lbs. more than the one I started on.  I would not say I’m a master at it, but I’m sure better than I was several years ago.  I remember when I first started to drive a stick shift vehicle.  I figured that if I want to know how to drive this type of vehicle, I better get one to learn on.  I used to do everything I could to avoid a hill.  I would not think twice about a hill today.  I haven’t driven a stick in over 10 years.  But I’m confident in my abilities and I’m sure I can get in a stick and drive it just like I did many years ago.

So how did you get to be known as the best or “go to” person that specializes in what you do?  You probably stepped up and assisted someone when they were unsure of how to accomplish the task you have mastered.  You volunteered to help that person fix their car one weekend.  You figured out what was wrong with the spreadsheet one time before and they now know they can reach out to you again and again to fix their formulas.  You figured out that you can make money at what you’ve learned over the years.  That is the true testament and best result of mastering something.  Wow, making money at something you’re good at, what a novel idea.

It is fun when something comes so simple to us and we feel appreciated when folks come to us to solve their problems.  However, sometimes it gets a little annoying when we have to keep fixing the same issue over and over and over again.  Especially, when we are not making money at it.  I’ve said that I’d rather do it myself than try to train someone on how to get something done.  But there comes a time when we must value our own time and pass on to someone the mastering of something.

I actually have a few folks that are “go to” people in my life.  I don’t feel that I take advantage of them because I don’t just talk with them when I need something.  I continually remind them of their strengths and appreciate what they can do.  I also help them when they are in need of assistance concerning things I’m pretty good at.  If you don’t understand something, don’t fake it, find somebody that does and get them to help you through the situation.  I also ask them politely that if they ever have time to show me how they do what they do, I’d appreciate the training.  That makes them feel good.

So, what something are you a master of?  What are you not mastering?  Simply apply what you did to master the original subject and learn to master another.  It may take some time, but it will be well worth it in the future.

Great Selling!

Mike Popella