I

always knew I could write. There were options for me to pursue that at an early age as the “Main hustle” of my life. But we just didn’t trust that that option was more plausible than pursuing a degree in a reputable institution. You know of people who talk about their “side business”, or “side hassle” for more than 10 years! Chances are that they do not have enough trust of their “Side craft” to make it the main craft by investing fully in it. Crown paints used to have a tagline, “If you like it, crown it”, and with that, I can tell you, “If you trust it, go all in.”

There is Potential

I am just beginning to realize the extent to which this mistrust and distrust of my natural gifts and talents would have cost my life. Why? Because I can now see the full extent to which trusting my gifts and talents can not only help me survive but also thrive in life. I am coming to realize the potential of the power of words that I can use both in audio and video (I have done too much of written) can bring to me the freedom to be who I am and at the same time the opportunity to impact my world with a message.

Further, what I have come to find out is that life actually does expect us to build our pursuits on trust. Do you know that tomorrow is not assured? Did you know that not all ideas would work? Did you know that even if you planned it out so well, you still will not be able to see the full extent of the potential of the situation? A former American president said:

“In preparing for battle, I have always found that plans are useless, but planning is indispensable”

ꟷDwight Eisenhower

Where is our Trust?

The point is simple. Trust is what currency that we can ride on to succeed in our endeavors. The only problem is that we have trusted something that does not work for everyone as it should. The trust that we need to build therefore is the trust of our inner gifts, talents, potential and purpose. [ictt-tweet-inline]We need to trust the fact that we were created and equipped to make a difference on the earth and through that difference, to provide for our needs and be satisfied[/ictt-tweet-inline]. The notion that we were created to come and suffer here on earth because of Adam’s sin is not true, not scriptural and not factual.

That being said, we need to know what we can do to build the trust of our natural gifts and talents. We have to know that it is the first and foolproof mode in which God expects all of us to function in the world and to prosper through it. I cannot begin to think of another method. In one of my manuscripts I pose this question:

“Who was the first person to become jobless?”

It would be interesting to follow up the circumstances under which this person was not only rendered “jobless” but also accepted that title. I am willing to bet that that situation was as a direct or indirect result of lack of trust of their personal gifts and talents. I am also willing to bet that if you met someone telling you that they are jobless, there are so high chances that they mistrust their natural gifts and talents. So what do we need to do in order to develop this trust of our natural gifts and talents?

1. Truthful

This is an inner game issue. Listen to me carefully. Your purpose is true. Your gifts and talents are true. Your potential is true. In other words, it can be trusted. There has got to be a reason as to why I am gifted the way that I am and the same applies to you and everybody else. Talent, gifts, purpose potential are all truthful. There is nothing sinister, wrong, awkward and distrustful about them. There is nothing fluky about your natural gifts and talents. They are all to serve a purpose. If you see an earth mover, chances are that it is “gifted” to specifically do that—move earth. That gift is true to what it was intended. So start trusting your gifts and talents.

2. Responsive

There are several ways I could go with this, but know this: When worked or when engaged, or when trusted, your natural gifts and talents do respond. They do this by growing, impacting people and giving you feedback. They do this by giving you further ideas on how to develop it even better. They grow in stature. They are responsive. So we need to learn from them and be responsive too. As early as possible if you know that you can sing for example, and people are actually complimenting you for it, that is your clue to trust and move in that direction.

3. Uniform

Meddling. Zigzag. Let me explain. Recently, some friends carried out interviews seeking to fill in positions. One of the young man interviewed showcased what they had been doing with their life. They had started a food business, was employed in data collection, had studied social studies and did not know what they wanted in life. This young man most obviously has some gift in one of all these things that he was meddling with. My point is simple: there is just one path when it comes to your gifts talents and purpose. You are created to be a master of it. The only legend with it. You are supposed to be uniform with it. Why then is it that we choose to trust very many other things? Someone comes and tells you of how you can “make money by just….” Fill in the blanks. And guess what? You trust it, sell your land or put collateral on your house…something that you are not willing to do to develop your gift and talent. Be uniform from the word go. Stay consistent for as long as it takes with developing your gift and talent.

4. Safe

Here is the thing: Trusting your natural gifts and talents is the safest thing you would ever do. It does not mean that you are now exempt from hard work, failure and interesting feedback while you are no the path. Look at the alternative. Suppose you choose to trust academics. What happens when you are not the best in class? Suppose you choose to trust lottery. What happens when you win a fortune? Does your life come to an end? Will you claw back that fortune into lottery to win again? Assured safety in life is found in trusting what you were meant/created to do and actually moving heaven and earth to make it done.

5. Train

Did you notice that training is part of our lives from the time we are born to the tie we die? But interestingly enough, the only area we do not get trained in is the area relating to our gifts and talents. No wonder we do not trust our innate capacity to do great things. You will need to learn how to trust your instinct, trust your gifts and capacity, as well as trust the fact that there is not only freedom in that path, there also is fulfillment and meaning in it.