This was one of the hardest things I had to write. I didn't want to tell you to "be authentic," or to "become a rock star" nor come back with the witty "you're not special" missive.
Because I do believe that we can be authentic, become a rock star and be utterly special if we use our T.A.G.S. effectively.
Your talents, abilities, gifts and skills (otherwise known as T.A.G.S.) are your edge. It's that thing that makes you unique. Because you were fearfully and wonderfully made in God's image, you are indeed special.
The key to increasing your income isn't to invest in yet another "blueprint" or to uncover the hidden "secret." These will work only if you share the T.A.G.S. of the guru who's selling that program.
Instead, to find your money sweet spot, you need to uncover your strengths and stop focusing on your weaknesses. The easiest way to do this is to add your T.A.G.S. to your idea or business, as that will trigger a flow of income.
Yup, you heard me. Look back 10 or 20 years and you'll find a talent, ability, gift or skill that has laid forgotten and dormant.
Mine is music. I recently started playing the organ for a congregation. The last time I did so, I was still in university working towards a degree. That was 15-years ago.
To prepare for my debut on the organ, I went digging into a box in my basement for old song books.
What I discovered were pages and pages of unfinished compositions that I started writing in the mid-1990s. My side project is finishing those compositions and getting the choir at my church to sing them.
I now incorporate music and music training into my teachings. I help my clients find their voice when talking about money and there's no better way to teach this than through a song or by using voice exercises. This is what makes my teachings different from other money coaches out there.
Listen, there are T.A.G.S. you haven't used for a few decades because you believe that you can't make money from them. Hogwash, I say! It's not too late to pick them up, polish them off and add those T.A.G.S. to your business so you stand out.
Okay, I'm not talking about a really bad addiction. So, let's not get it twisted. What I'm referring to is the talent, ability, gift or skill that you buried because your mom told you it was wrong, unladylike, un-Christian, un-something.
For example, my mom thinks my humour is weird and doesn't like that I use it while leading Bible studies at church. The feedback I get from those who attend is that they LOVE my teachings because I bring the stories in the Bible to life using humour.
When my mom listens to the recording of my Bible studies, she says the same thing EVERY TIME:
"I like the points you made, but people were laughing too much. The Bible is a serious topic and you shouldn't make it so funny."
I love my mom, I do. But I'm grown and I refuse to hide this gift at church just because it rubs her the wrong way. It's hard to turn off my humor just because I'm conducting a Bible study or preaching at church. So, I've stopped trying to operate like Two Face - it's too exhausting.
So, whichever T.A.G.S. your mom dislikes or tried to encourage you to hide, that, my friend is the very one you need to resurrect and add to your business for financial success.
Often, we hide our T.A.G.S. because of a past negative reaction. The last thing we want is to be rejected and if one of our T.A.G.S. did that, we close up shop, sulk and promise never to use those T.A.G.S. again.
For example, I'm more expressive when I record video. video amplifies my quirky, preachy and witty personality. When I record video, I make mistakes, I stumble over my words, I turn my eyes heaven-ward as I formulate my thoughts. In other words, I make every mistake imaginable when recording video.
I used to ask my team to edit the video so I appear more polished. "Remove the rolling eyes," I'd instruct. "Cut out the stutters," I'd say.
This editing process took HOURS. And then the finished video looked...well, weird. So, I now keep all the mistake in.
And, let me tell you, I get ALOT of reaction from people. Most comment on how much they love my tips and quirkiness. A minority criticize the very same quirkiness. "You roll your eyes too much," says one. "You're too preachy," said another. And my all-time favorite: "You keep saying 'podcas'. It's 'podcast'. Don't forget the 'T' at the end." Well, I say that I'm from Torono, but you don't hear my city complaining that I'm missing the T near the end.
I digress...
My point? If your T.A.G.S. cause a polarizing reaction, you're on to something. The quicker people dislike you, the quicker those who love you will buy whatever you're selling. It only takes 1000 true fans to comfortably make a decent living in this life.
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Leesa Renee Hall, otherwise known as the Faithfully Rich Mentor, is an award-winning money coach. She is passionate about helping women of faith transform their relationship with money while putting God first. Leesa is a sought after international speaker and uses anecdotes and humour to motivate her audience into changing their mindset and creating new habits around their money. Leesa's tips have appeared in media such as Profit Magazine, The Globe & Mail, and Inc. Magazine to name a few. Leesa is the author of the forthcoming title 21 Prayers for Money Miracles. You can also connect with Leesa on Twitter and facebook.