What do you do if you don't have a talent for *anything* . . .?

Question

People say that to make your way in life you have to do what you love, do what you have a talent or a gift for.

I'm 36 and currently at home with my baby son. I want to go back to work but not sure what to do. I have a history degree which I've never used and have no real work experience other than a little bit of office and shop work.

I don't have a talent for *anything*. I like singing but tbh I sing fairly badly, I play the piano pretty terribly, I can't cook, I am not terribly creative, can't really make things or do anything "with my hands", I'm not really very good at looking after people or being a carer (other than for my son), I honesty can't think of anything I do well.

I've heard it said that everyone has at least one gift but at 36 I've yet to discover mine. I don't think I have one. So what do people with no particular gift do for a career? There are things I like doing but nothing I can do *well* . . .

Bubbha Joe - but don't you have to be good at something to make a career in it? You won't make money doing something if you do it badly . . .

No I wouldn't go on X Factor because unlike the people on there I *know* I'm not a great singer, plus I do have some self respect . . . lol!!

My degree is a bachelors, I never went back to do my masters because of finances. I don't have any proper experience in the history field, which makes it hard to break into a job in that area as there is so much competition for not a lot of jobs . . .

Answer 1

history teacher at puclic school. you get paid more at public than private, and it doesn't take a whle lot of your personal time.

Answer 2

I, dont worry about your talents. Everybody has a talent. You are bad in somethings but I am pretty sure you are really good at other ones, but you just can't seen them. I found one you are good at "Being a great mom".... Believe me is really hard for a lot of 'Moms" to be a good mom. I am a Foster Mom and I can't believe how the kids I have had living with me have been mistreated and abandonated for their moms....

Dont worry so much. Keep being the great mom you are and give your family all your love that in this Era is disapearing.

I am trying to get a job from home. Maybe you can do the same and you dont have to live your baby in a day care.

Try to be more positive in your life..... Your question sounded really negative I understand you I am a mom of 2 little boys and some times I feel like you .. Dont get frustrated and make a list of the good things you have and you do..

P.S sorry about my english ( i am learning the lenguage)

Answer 3

Well im 24 and just recently i started playing the guitar. I have no talent for it but i'm giving it all and i like it. I also started trading with the Stock Market. It's a very painful experience but i see myself getting better every week. I never surf in my life till 2 years ago. I learned how to and i love it. So it seems now at the age of 24 these 3 things are my passion. Sometimes is hard to keep up, but i love it so much, that i always find a way to keep going! :)

Answer 4

Boy oh boy. You have so much "negativism" in you I'd swear you're a lightning rod. Watch out and don't get caught in a lightning storm. LOL

Let's put some "positive" ions in your life.
Positive #1: You have a History college degree! Whopee 1 down.
Positive #2: Your a teacher. Whopee 2 down
Positive #3: You have things you "like to do". Whopee 3 down
Positive #4: You can "care for a child". Whopee 4 down

Well I guess that's enough. Let's see how we can connect with these positive ions and reduce or get rid of all your negativism.

#1 & #2: There is a national shortage of teachers. Go use Monster.com, Careerbuilders.com or any of the employment websites and post your "history teaching credentials". I'm sure there are many schools that will grab you in a heart beat. How about your local school district? I'm sure they are hiring.

#3: At first one can never expect to do well many of the things "we like to do". Did you jump out of your mother's womb and "ran" to the swing set? Of course not. You first tried and fell then you tried and fell again, etc. You kept practicing until one day .... you took your FIRST perfect step! Nothing is going to get better unless we practice at doing them. So go do them! With enough practice and trials one will tick and before you know it you're going tick tock tick tock tick tock. Get my drift?

#4: Hey caring for your son is no adventure, You've gained some skills for which you don't even give yourself credit. I'm sure. That shows you have the motherly instinct down pat. There is a shortage of "teachers at juvenile care centers". One of the benefits is you can take your child as part of the benefits. Yes ma'm. Now the last POSITIVE I saved for last.

#5: You can think, chew gum and write all at the same time. You'd be surprised how many people can not. Get a piece of paper and write your citizenship down in BOLD letters. Print them. Since you didn't tell me you're from any other country I will assume you are an A M E R I C A N. Now what do the last 4 letters spell? Atta girl, I CAN. Now say it until you get the hang of it. I can, I can, I can, I can ..... Get my drift. Now go do it because you just told me, yourself and the world I CAN! Now show us.

Each of the 3 links below reinforces positive thinking. Once you're infected with positive thinking ions, all your negativism will disappear, vanish, poof up in smoke! Good Luck and God Bless and help you succeed. Let me know how you do, O.K. I'd be interested in finding out the results.

Answer 5

Lady - don't be so hard on yourself! Of course you have a talent -- all of us do. Ususally its found in something we like to do. Go on line and take this test: http://www.teamtechnology.co.uk/mmdi-re/mmdi-re.htm
Read up on Myers Briggs - this personality test is designed to tell you what types of things might interest you ,
Surf around this website - there are many tests , most of them free, and many explanations of how to interpret the tests.

You are not worthless - You are an expression of the universe, housed in a body that is wonderful and blessed. Put on some music and dance....get in a positive place and then take the tests (and be honest with your answers -- there is no right or wrong way to answer-- the only mistake you can make is if you force an answer because that's how you think others should see you).

Good luck

Answer 6

According to me u have 2 options , 1st is you got degree in history so u can use that degree as a carrier as a teacher, 2nd is u have ur own son try to get a training about caretakerof childrens, so u can open a caretaker center (means play school) boths are very intersting jobs bacause with this u can care ur son and earn a good money coz nobody in this world have enough time for their's childrens. work never counts age.

Answer 7

Join the club. I'm in my forties and still not sure if my career is want I want to do. What I plan on this year is having a calendar and writing down great days and bad ones and look for common threads. Don't despare!! Sometimes things just fall into place. We went to a pheasant farm this weekend to help them dig out of the snow and the whole 30 acres, thousands of birds farm was started when the owner bought two pheasants to teach his dogs to hunt over 35 years ago. Two two pheasants he bought had eggs, he went back to school and now it is the family business. Don't waste your time doing things YOU don't enjoy.

Answer 8

I've seen plenty of books in libraries about going back to work after having a baby or if you've been out a while. It's possible, and those books offer plenty of ideas from the "trenches," so to speak. You have a degree in history? Bachelor's? Master's? PhD? If you like teaching, go for alternative certification and teach in a public school or go to a small college and teach history there. A library or historical society might want a historian to work in their archives and to do research. History museums like to have tour guides with a knowledge of history, and with your background in history you could help plan exhibits. If you like small ones, try for work in a day care center. After all, you can already take care of one baby, so that's a set of skills you have already! You could take your son with you, and he would have playmates, and most kids do well with peer interaction even at that young age. Kids are appreciative of the least bit of attention (my first day, I got five 'I love you's!). I started out teaching high school English, and for some reason, now I love doing Pre-K. I have a situation somewhat like yours. I can't cook, my music is not even mediocre, my writing/teaching/linguistics career has ground to a halt, and I'm fumblefingered. The good thing is, kids have always liked me, and I can teach when I'm not having big, violent high schoolers curse at me and threaten me.
You might try free-lance consulting on history. There are always writers who need to have their history straight and don't have time to check it for themselves. Also, you could try reviewing history books that come out on the market, write reviews, and get papers interested in your writing and next thing you know, you might have syndicated column.
Please do not take this the wrong way, but it sounds as if you might be depressed a bit. You might need a change in some way. Do you belong to a church? Your pastor or priest might be able to offer counsel, and other church-goers might be able to help you. There may be other mothers, and you could arrange a play date for all of your kids, and the moms might have an idea or two about going back to work. They may have already done just that, and they could offer plenty of tips. A new job might be one change you could make, but don't forget about the rest of you. I know there are all sorts of classes offered in towns and cities: art, cooking, writing, dance. You might find a passion, even if you don't feel creative. Good luck. I hope everything goes okay, and I hope you find something you love.

Answer 9

If there are things you like doing, then do them and practice and make yourself better at it.
I know the feeling though I am just a little older then you and have nothing that I am really good at. I have 3 kids and the youngest is 16 yrs old so now I work in a daycare.

Answer 10

I know a lot of people that suck at their job but are doing it. Your not alone in this, a lot of people feel this way. Just do something you llike doing, and after time you sill start getting better at it!
That why doctors say that they PRACTICE medicine and PRACTICE law. Just becuase you have a degree doens't mean that you're going to do everything perfectly, and that you never stop learning.
Just do something you like and the rest will follow.

Answer 11

You certainley need to look at a teaching career. There are many options to choose whether you retrain and go through the QTS route for schools or the QTLS route for post 16. There are also so many different adult ed sectors you can work in from colleges and other FE to prison ed.
Good Luck!!!! and Chin Up!!!!
xxxx