INSIDE OUT: How to discover yourself from within

Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us – Ephesians 3:20 (NKJV)

Power that works in you
It is intriguing to see how babies grow up to become strong and responsible adults. Babies are pure, innocent and fragile. They are so vulnerable and defenceless that even the slightest denial of care and attention could jeopardise their life. In spite of their fragility, they grow to become agile men and women.

Just as a baby who is abandoned cannot evolve to experience adulthood, so will intellect, desires and capabilities that are not tapped remain in eternal cold storage. Responsible parents who know that their children will eventually become adults provide the children with clothing, shelter, food and everything else necessary to ensure that they grow healthily.

When you look at your life, what possibilities do you envisage would pour out? What are you capable of becoming which you are not? What are you doing about these possibilities and capabilities? Are you exploring or ignoring them?

A single word to describe these possibilities and capabilities is POTENTIAL. If you ignore your potential, you cannot maximise your life. But if you explore it, you will experience a full life. The destiny of every person is not in a country, religion or someone else. It is buried in your potential. Your job is to pursue it and exhume it.

Fire that burns in you
Famous American civil rights activist Martin Luther King (1929-1968) challenged that, “A man who won’t die for something is not fit to live.” First century church leader Paul was so driven by the desire to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ that in spite of warnings of imprisonment and hardships, he didn’t make a U-turn. He audaciously responded, “I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me – the task of testifying to the gospel of God’s grace.” Fanatic?! Crazy?! Disillusioned?!

What in the world will make people want to sacrifice their lives for a cause? For King, it was a desire to see an end to racial segregation in America and the rest of the world. In Paul’s case, he was ready to preach God’s word even to death. In every human being, there is something that drives us. This inner drive differs in every person.

It is called passion. Passion is an understanding you have which no one around you has. It is an interest you have that consumes you. It is a job you will gladly do even if nobody recognises or rewards you for it. Passion is the first thing you think about when you wake from sleep. It is that which makes you extremely happy or sad. It is that segment of the news which always catches your attention. Passion is the dominant theme of your conversations. Passion is not something you study for in school or emulate from others. It is something you are born with. It is inherent. It is at the centre of your being. It is part of who you are. Everybody has it. You have it too.

Tools that sit in you
One thing that became very clear to me when I was in high school was my literary ability. I realised that I scored excellent marks in subjects like History, English, Social Studies and Economics without much struggle. Somehow, I knew how to present facts and write essays in a way that impressed my teachers. I guess it was also because I often read texts and notes on those subjects.

For Economics, I read all the notes and skipped all the graphs and diagrams – every one of them. With regards to Mathematics, I never studied on my own until I had assignments to complete. Even with the subjects that I was inclined to study a lot, I scored higher marks in answering essay-type questions than in answering multiple-choice questions. I often wondered why. Also, I was not particularly enthused about Science and Mathematics. I only studied them because they were required courses. And that was a grave bother to me.

Now, connecting the dots, everything makes sense to me. I have discovered that I am naturally wired for literature. I am not wired for science or arithmetic. Neither am I for music or athletics. Your wiring or natural inclination to be good at something is called talent. Talent is the instinctive, inherent and intuitive ability to perform with ease and finesse in a particular field. Again, talent is not something you learn. It is something you are born with and it lies within you.


TALENT is your vehicle. Passion is your fuel and potential is your destination. The good news is that, all three are found in you. Discover, develop and deploy your talent. Feed your passion and work to become the best you can be.


© July 2012 Terry Mante
Personal Development Network (PEDNET)
Accra, Ghana