Identifying and nurturing one’s talents

Processes of Identifying One’s Natural Talents

Natural talents can be identified in the following ways:

1. Gift: The gift that one has could be easily identified by people that are close to such person through varying activities
2. Parental Discovery: The parent of a person is a good channel through which talents can be discovered. This is as a result of long years of interaction and living together under the same roof.
3. Group Activities: Talents can also be discovered by giving certain activities to some groups of people to perform. Through it, people with exemplary talents can be discovered.
4. Members’ contributions or participation at meetings and socio-cultural or political events assist a lot in identifying members’ different talents e.g Inter-house sports competition has led to the discovery of great sports men and women in Nigeria.  Other events through which talents are hunted include literary and debating society, drama, cultural display, gymnastic displays, etc.
5. Press: The press can also monitor the activities of people with good talents in various fields of human endeavour with a view to discovering new talents.
6. Religious Bodies: Religious bodies have been instrumental in discovering talents e.g. musical talents.
7. Academic Ability: You can discover your talents also by your performance in various subjects you offer in school.

How to Nurture Identified Talents

Identified talents can be nurtured or improved through the following:

1. Constant practice.
2. Interacting with people with similar talents.
3. Holding on to one’s talent even when there is opposition.
4. Encouragement from other people.
5. Enabling Environment: The government should also provide an atmosphere of peace that will enhance optimal productivity of such talented people
6. Having good mentors to groom one in his or her area of talent.

EVALUATION

1. State four (4) processes of identifying one’s natural talents.
2. Explain any five (5) processes of identifying one’s natural talents.
3. List five (5) ways of nurturing one’s natural talents.