Many people do not bother to look at their own magnificence and without that view it is not likely that we will recognize the need for strategies to maximize our strengths. When we buy an outfit for a special affair, we automatically try to coordinate each piece so that they enhance one another and amplify our sense of "looking good" from head to toe. A man will make sure his socks and tie are in sync while a woman will adorn herself with color coordinated makeup, jewelry, nail color, etc. But when it comes to our gifts and talents, we get extremely casual or sloppy and so we stack skills on top that don't bring out our best and sometimes we are so off kilter, our skills are actually a tacky appendage that detracts from our gifts and talents.

You are your most valuable asset. To build your premiere asset up, you must enhance your gifts, your talents, and your primary personal preferences with skills that round out your life's tool kit so that you are worth more to yourself and to others. When I speak of worth, I am not speaking of your value as a human being. I am speaking of the value added to the world by doing what you do best in a way that is of great service. You are worth more to yourself when you can spend more time doing what you love and value and less time doing what you don't love and don't value.

So here's what you need to do.
1. Define your gifts (raw qualities: i.e. creative, analytical, self-expressed, verbal, detail oriented, concept oriented, relationship oriented, etc.).
2. Define your talents (refined qualities; i.e. artist, problem solver, actor, speaker, designer, writer, counselor, etc).
3. Define your personal preferences (likes, inclinations; i.e. like working with children, morning person, work best with a lot of freedom and flexible schedule).
4. Do some research and fill in the gap with skills that maximize your gifts, your talents, and your personal preferences.

It's best to have a final product in mind, meaning a vision of who you want to be in the world. For example, I want to help people live extraordinary lives. Skills I have added are coaching, project management, designing instruction, building a website, teaching teleclasses, and e-marketing. When is the last time you took note of your own unique magnificence and stacked complimentary skills on top to increase your personal and professional value.

I'm asking you to please, please take your gifts and talents serious. Don't surround them with mismatched skills just to get by. Self-investment and self-actualization are two of the best ways to honor ourselves, honor our Creator, and contribute to the world. Take yourself to the next level by stacking the deck in your favor.

Robin Harris is a DesignerLife Coach whose focus is to empower self-motivated entrepreneurs and individuals to achieve their greatest potential while discovering and honoring their core values. Contact Robin through her web site http://www.designerlifecoaching.com or by email at robin@designerlifecoaching.com.