Have you ever had a day where everything went just right?  You know, where you could do no wrong and things fell into place just the way you intended. . . actually, better than you might have even hoped for?  Your skills and talents just shone that day, and not only were the people around you impressed, you were impressed (even if you do say so yourself.)

Those days are great, aren’t they?  Let me ask you a question:  What were your activities the last time this happened to you?

Chances are that you were doing something that you really enjoyed, and you are particularly skilled at.

What Happened?

When this occurs, some call it “The Zone” or other things, but there is a level of effectiveness that you encounter that is very exhilarating.  Chances are you were working at your Specific Talents and Abilities.  Dan Sullivan, founder of The Strategic Coach, and Marcus Buckingham, author of Now Discover Your Strengths, are two of many individuals who have written about specific ability and its impact on the effectiveness of entrepreneurs.

There are things in life that we are not good at. If that subject comes up, you try to change the subject.

There are areas of life where you are competent, and there are many people who are just as good as you. 

Then there are those areas where you are quite skilled . . . your talents are rare, but it takes a great deal of work to maintain and use this “acquired” skill level.

Finally, there is your specific ability.  This is where you are very good at something, and while it takes energy, it gives you back more than it takes.  This activity comes naturally to you.

Your specific ability is why your customers buy from you.  They certainly don’t buy the services where you are incompetent.  They don’t buy because of what you are competent at producing, or even what you are very good at.  They buy from you because of your specific ability.

The problem for most of you is your specific ability comes so naturally that it is usually transparent to you.  As a result, instead of appreciating it, you tend to take it for granted, assuming that everyone has the same skills or talents.  Rather than treating your skills as specific, you may belittle others for not having “such basic skill levels”.

After all, how difficult could it be for anyone else if it comes so naturally to me?

Replicating “The Zone” at Will

How can you access this feeling and this level of effectiveness more often?  The first element is to discover your specific ability.  Since it comes so naturally to you, consider asking others what they see as they interact with you.  But, who do you ask?

That part is easy.  Ask the people who pay for the privilege of working with you.  Ask your best customers.  What do you ask them?  “What, in your opinion, is my specific ability?”  Then jot down the main points of their feedback.

3 Safety Tips for Improved Success

Don’t be surprised if you disagree with what your customers tell you.  Often people are expecting a more complicated response to this question than they end up getting.  The customer obviously didn’t understand the question.  They responded with either a personal quality or attribute that you thought must be “too basic” to be your specific ability.  Yet, customers are usually correct in their assessment.

Ask ten customers this same question before dismissing any responses.  After you have spoken with 6 or 7 people, you will likely start to see a trend… one that you may not have expected.  Either none of these people are “getting it”, or perhaps your specific ability lies somewhere other than where you thought.

By discovering and working with your specific talents and abilities, you may find increasing access to “the zone” and much stronger personal effectiveness as you grow your business consistent with your goals and commitments in life.