The question, ‘Is it nature or nurture?’ often comes up in the workshops I lead and in one-on-one coaching with clients. Once someone has identified their natural talents and can see the role they have played in their life, they become more and more curious. How much of what I do today and how I view the world was determined before birth? How much was developed by the environment in which I lived?
Research doesn’t exist at this point to give us the answer to this question, so I use a few tools to help my clients own their talents, no matter what the origin.
- When you were a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
- What are five major accomplishments in your life?
- Where do you see yourself in the future?
Natural talent, a proclivity toward something, may show in these answers. Look for a common thread among in your responses. Read them out loud or share with a close friend or parent if you are struggling. What a gift to reengage with a parent around these!
Now take the results of your Clifton Strengths assessment. Read through the Strengths Insight report and highlight the words and phrases that stand out for you. How do these personalized descriptions relate to your responses above? Are you beginning to see some commonalities? Which talent theme resonates with you the most? Which one do you not see and how you live your life?
The answer to the nature or nurture question lies with you. Does the answer really matter? What makes the difference is what you will do today with the gifts of nature and nurture given to you.