People with natural talent often think that what they can do isn’t that special because it’s easy. Often they’re very talented and can create incredible art, speak eloquently and control an audience, grow an incredible garden, or rebuild an engine. If you’re one of the lucky ones who’s been able to turn your talent into a business, it’s important to recognize the value in what you do. When these things come naturally, it’s hard to see that value, which can lead to undervaluing your business. One thing to remember, not everyone can do it, and they’re happy to get a high-quality product or service from someone who can.
Pricing & Value
When it comes to pricing, remember the value of time, convenience, and comfort. Fast food restaurants continue to thrive, despite offering less-than-ideal meal options. Cooking meals at home from fresh ingredients is one of the best ways to eat healthy, but it takes time and effort. So, people are willing to sacrifice the healthiness of a meal because of the convenience of having it ready almost instantly. If you can provide something good for your customers so they don’t have to make it themselves, they’ll pay for that convenience. Likewise, if you offer something to increase their comfort, or decrease discomfort, you’ll find a wide audience. Some services you just can’t do yourself, massage and acupuncture are great for relieving stress and discomfort, but you can’t get the same results on yourself.
Impostor syndrome can be a very strong form of resistance, especially when it comes to something that’s easy for you to do. There’s something in our brain that says in order to be successful, we need to struggle and suffer for years before getting our big break. But if your definition of success is doing something you’re good at and getting paid for it, it’s a goal that becomes easily reachable. We all have certain things we’re naturally talented at or have a strong interest in. When those things are fund or easy, it’s hard to remember it’s not the same for everyone. Some people can jump up in front of a crowd and give an amazing speech, while others break into a cold sweat just thinking about the same situation. It’s important to have perspective and focus on your strengths. Self confidence is an area greatly impacted by our perception of ourselves. If we focus on what we can’t do, comparing ourselves to the strengths of others, our confidence suffers. But when we focus on our strengths and how we can use them, we realize we’ve got this. For more information about overcoming resistance, visit Steven Pressfield’s blog: https://stevenpressfield.com/blog/
Changing Your Perspective
If you’re confident in your strengths and can see the value they can provide to others, but are still struggling, you may need a different perspective. Sometimes our talents don’t directly translate into something that can be sold in a store. If you’re the person who can deliver a powerful speech, you won’t have much to put on a shelf to sell, but you can focus on being hired as a speaker, or training others in the art of public speaking. Sometimes you need to look at your strengths from a different angle to see how they can be used the best.
What’s easy for you isn’t easy for everyone else, that’s what gives you value. Showcase your talents, focus on your strengths and share them with your audience.