How Do You Know What You’re Good At?

Key takeaways

• To find out what you’re good at you can talk to your friends and family, review the most important skills you already have, take various aptitude tests, analyze your career and much more.

• If you feel stuck on the way to recognizing your full potential, self-discovery questions can become a great indicator to understand your natural strengths and interests.

• Understanding your natural abilities and strengths can help you stay engaged in work processes, grow much faster, and truly realize your authentic self.

How to know what you’re good at

Studies prove that most people will change careers at least once in their lives. Moreover, on average, a person tends to shift 3-7 careers before retirement. [1] So, if you’re now among the ones who try to make a big career shift or choose another sphere to develop in, it’s more than fine and normal.

Also, it’s completely OK to feel lost in this way and question yourself something like, “How do I find out what I’m good at?” Thus, here we’ve collected 12 ways to discover what you’re naturally drawn to. Check them out.

1. Assess your personality type

Over the years, humanity has noticed certain interconnections between personality types and innate abilities people have. For instance, 45% of public administration leaders are cholerics [2], while phlegmatics and melancholics are better at using the written word. [3]

There’s a quick way to discover your personality type and gain insights into your strengths according to your answers. Take a quick & simple temperament type test from Breeze to find out what traits define your personality and help answer the question, “What am I good at?”

2. Reflect on your hard and soft skills

Maybe you don’t do it on the current job or it wasn’t your passion in childhood but you have some things you know that you’re good at. It can be anything that you do effortlessly without even thinking about the process.

• Hard skills are specific talents, often the ones you need, particularly in your job. These can be problem-solving skills, analytical skills, creative skills, writing skills, etc.

• Soft skills are the ones related to your communication with others. They can include empathy, leadership skills, emotional intelligence, etc.

Both of them can be valuable and important in your job. For example, if you don’t have strong hard skills, you can choose people-oriented work to make powerful communication skills your competitive advantage. 

3. Check yourself with a test

Another good way to find out the answer to “What am I good at?” is by taking a quiz. You can start with Breeze’s career test, which allows you to discover potential jobs based on your strengths and interests. There are also other assessments that might be rather helpful, including:

• The MAPP career assessment
• The Big Five personality test
• Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI)
• The Keirsey Assessment, and more.

4. Think about what natural talent you had as a child

Sometimes you don’t need to seek hidden talents, all the answers can be hidden in your past. You may have noticed that some kids are naturally better at drawing, while others tend to excel in storytelling, problem-solving, or even organizing group activities.

Oxford Schools states that allowing children to freely express themselves through play is by far the best way to spot their natural talents. [4] Yet, society might have limited your self-expression at some point because “math is more important than signing” or “dancing takes too much of your time.” Thus, your task now would be to remember what natural aptitude and passions you had and check whether you still feel drawn to them.

5. Try something new

Doing new things helps build flexible thinking and “wakes up” your brain to creativity and self-actualization, which is a part of mental health. [5] Furthermore, trying something new and going out of your comfort zone can reveal hidden talents and give you a fresh perspective on what truly excites you.

These can be new opportunities and tasks on your career path, traveling, an unusual hobby, education, or something completely different. The key is to step beyond your usual routine and comfort zone by challenging yourself in ways that spark personal growth.

6. Take a closer look at your hobbies

How to know what you’re good at? Simply think about what you would love to do if money weren’t a problem. Your hobbies often reflect your natural talents and passions, so you might explore exciting career options by thinking about what you do or crave to do in your spare time. 

Don’t think that all people who earn money from what they love necessarily have unique talents. In fact, only the global handicraft market size was valued at USD 1,107.67 billion in 2024. [6] So, you can turn what you love into income, just like many others who grow their skills and find the right opportunities.

7. Notice your feelings

Anytime you do something — whether this is a new thing or a part of the routine — analyze what you feel. After some time of such tracking, you can understand that the tasks that require creative ideas or solving problems can make you feel much happier. Otherwise, you might understand that you enjoy routine things like solving puzzles, managing tasks, or helping others with practical solutions.

Of course, feeling excited when doing something isn’t always the same as being good at it. Yet, noticing these feelings can help you find areas where you’re naturally talented, or you might want to develop.

8. Get rid of imposter syndrome

If anytime you enter a job interview or talk about your achievements, it makes you feel stressed, this might be a sign of imposter syndrome. In fact, you’re not alone. Reports state that 80% of adults experience imposter syndrome at some point in their lives. [7] Becoming an expert within a field can be a fluid experience.

Still, this is what can prevent you from acknowledging your innate talent. “She’s such a good photographer. My pictures are much worse.” These thoughts can come to your mind even if everyone around you is constantly praising your work. These are self-sabotaging thoughts that hinder one’s ability to sit in discomfort long enough for natural talents to blossom. The key is to remind yourself that everyone has their unique style, so it doesn’t make sense to compare yourself to others.

9. Review your career path

If you already have a successful career or solid work experience, think about why you’ve chosen this path. Of course, you might not be happy with your current tasks, salary, or career opportunities. Yet, you might have some knowledge in this sphere and skills that can be helpful in other areas. Analyze such aspects as:

• what core skills do you have
• what work environment do you prefer
• how your expertise can apply to a different industry
• what company culture do you feel attracted to
• what specific tasks you’d like to keep doing

Once you understand what you value in what you’re doing now, it will be easier to identify new opportunities. Maybe you don’t even need to change a sphere; just changing the company might be enough. Otherwise, you’ll understand what aspect of your work you want to keep doing and what you’d rather leave behind.

10. Talk to friends and family members

Yes, it might sound weird at once, but you can directly ask your closest people about your natural strengths. Just don’t hesitate and approach it as an experiment. Sometimes they might notice unexpected qualities that you’ve never thought about. We are our own toughest critics after all.

For instance, your best friend can say something like, “Hey, you’re so good at doing makeup. How about becoming a make-up artist?” Or your brother may remind you that you used to help him with homework when he was a child. “You can become an awesome elementary school teacher, you know.” We’ve prepared some questions for you to start with but don’t feel limited to them.

• If you had to describe my strengths in three words, what would they be?
• What’s a skill or talent I have that I might be overlooking?
• If I had to switch careers tomorrow, what job do you think would suit me best and why?
• What’s one thing I do that always impresses you?

11. Approach compliments seriously

Let’s remember to talk about your friends and family. We can enlarge this tip even more and suggest you analyze any positive feedback that you receive. Whether people often complement your style, writing skills, open mind, or ability to plan a trip in 10 minutes, all these things can be a great basis for a potential job.

Pay attention to how others see your strengths, as they might notice things you overlook. We often brush off compliments and think they’re just being polite. But if you’re regularly praised for certain skills, it’s a good sign of where your talents really are.

12. Work with a coach or career counselor

What are you good at? If the question still remains unanswered, it may be reasonable to reach for professional guidance. Career counselors and life coaches can help you find opportunities for development and take a look at familiar things from a different perspective.

Of course, if the problem is deeper and you dismiss aspects of your personality, neglect important skills, or have the ability to generate new ideas, it may be reasonable to reach a therapist for deeper self-reflection work. A professional can help you identify potential blockers and learn to appreciate your achievements.

Questions to ask yourself to find things you are good at

While making a consistent and conscious effort to learn new aspects of your personality is a great idea, sometimes everything can be a bit simpler. Below, we’ve collected questions to ask yourself to help you identify your strengths, talents, and passions. Maybe take a notebook and list the answers. Further analysis can help you discover many interesting patterns.

Self-reflection questions

• What activities make me lose track of time?
• What would I do if money were no object?
• What did I enjoy doing as a child?
• What activities make me feel energized?
• What subject could I talk about for hours without getting bored?
• What kind of work feels most comfortable to me?

Questions to analyze your skills

• What tasks do I do without feeling stressed?
• What skills do I use without thinking much about it?
• What challenges or problems do I enjoy solving the most?
• What do I find easier than others seem to?
• What do others come to me for help with?
• What have I always wanted to try but haven’t yet?
• What tasks at work or in life do I get the most satisfaction from?

Questions to analyze feedback from your friends, colleagues, and family members

• What do people often compliment me on?
• What skills or activities have I been praised for in past jobs?
• What accomplishments have made me feel the most proud?
• What type of feedback do I receive from others that feels natural to me?

Questions to discover opportunities for growth

• What would I do differently in my current role if I had no limitations?
• What do I enjoy doing, even if it’s challenging or outside my comfort zone?
• What tasks or roles would I like to take on if given the opportunity?
• What is the one thing I always want to learn about or improve?

Why is it important to know the answer to “What am I good at?”

According to the research, 49% of workers ages 30-49 are unhappy with their jobs. [8] If you don’t want to enter these statistics and would rather do what you can and like rather than just work for money, understanding what you are good at will be beneficial. By the way, there are also other advantages:

You stay motivated and feel empowered

Generally, the level of your motivation and how consistent it is can tell you a lot about how you’re satisfied with your current or past work. When people do something they’re good at, they typically feel more satisfied, engaged, and energized. [9]

You know how to develop and grow

Understanding what skills you have and what you need to develop is extremely important for successful people. When you know both your superpowers and weaknesses, this gives you a clear roadmap on how to get better and where to focus your efforts.

You can realize your full potential

This point literally stems from the previous one. Constantly improving your skills and realizing talents allow people to open up new opportunities and reach higher goals. [10] Knowing what you’re good at helps you take on projects that fit your strengths, leading to a more fulfilling career and life.

“What am I good at?” examples

Finally yet importantly. To make your self-discovery journey more pleasant and simple, we’ve crafted a list of potential strengths and unique talents, from solving problems to building businesses. Check them out!

Creative and skills

• Writing stories
• Drawing or painting
• Designing graphics
• Photography or videography
• Singing
• Playing a musical instrument
• Cooking or baking

Analytical skills

• Analyzing data to identify trends
• Creating efficient processes or systems
• Strategic thinking and planning
• Innovating new ways to approach challenges
• Researching and gathering information

Technical skills

• Coding and software development
• Data analysis and data visualization
• Cybersecurity and network management
• 3D modeling and animation
• App development

Interpersonal Skills

• Public speaking or giving presentations
• Negotiating and persuading others
• Writing emails or reports clearly
• Teaching or mentoring others
• Conflict resolution and mediation
• Building strong relationships

Organizational skills

• Managing projects effectively
• Keeping things organized and structured
• Time management
• Budgeting and managing finances
• Coordinating events
• Delegating tasks efficiently

Leadership and entrepreneurial skills

• Leading teams or organizations
• Taking initiative and starting new projects
• Managing risk and uncertainty
• Motivating and inspiring others
• Identifying business opportunities and strategies
• Decision-making in high-pressure situations

Sources

1. The University of Queensland. “How many career changes in a lifetime”
2. ResearchGate. “The impact of leader’s temperament on work absence”
3. The New York Times. “Introverts, Start Writing” 
4. Humanium. “How to unlock children’s hidden talents and help them achieve their full potential in life”
5. Psychology Today. “Doing Something New Is Good for You”
6. Fortune Business Insights. “Handicraft Market Size, Share & Industry Analysis”
7. National Library of Medicine. “Prevalence, Predictors, and Treatment of Impostor Syndrome: a Systematic Review”
8. Pew Research Center. “How Americans View Their Jobs”
9. ResearchGate. “Feeling good and performing well? Psychological engagement and positive behaviors at work”
10. Coursera Enterprise. “7 Power Skills That Are in Demand in 2025 and How You Can Help Your Employees Develop Them”