You know, I often step back and take an inventory of my life by asking myself whether I’m truly doing what God wants me to do with my life. As a matter of fact, I would encourage all of us to do that from time to time…starting now.
How many of us truly acknowledge and utilize the God-given gifts and talents that we possess?
Going even further, how many of us have allowed those same gifts and talents to lie dormant on a regular basis? While I have fallen victim to this a few times in my life, I would like to think I’ve done a pretty decent job of taking my gifts and talents and putting them to work.
Many times, we find ourselves frustrated and in a rut, not knowing what we should be doing with our lives or where we should be going. I would submit to you that many of us can remove many of those frustrations and that lack of progress in our lives, if we come to realize that our purpose can most likely be found in the gifts and talents that God has already placed inside of us.
I know that seems like some sort of glorified “self-help” speech, or a bunch of optimistic rhetoric, but I am a living witness. I have seen far too many people turn their lives around and find their purpose after discovering that the solution to finding their God-given purpose was ultimately found in the gifts and talents that they already possessed. It was there all along.
It reminds me of that story regarding Ted Williams. You do remember him, don’t you?
Ever since hitting the scene back in 2011, I have continued to follow the story of Ted Williams, primarily because it inspires me and keeps me focused on never allowing my gifts and talents to get lost along my life’s journey.
Now, for those who don’t remember the story of Ted Williams, let me give you a quick refresher course.
Ted Williams became an overnight YouTube sensation after an interview someone recorded of him demonstrating his voiceover skills while begging by the side of the road in Columbus, Ohio, went viral over social media. In the YouTube video, you can hear the ‘Golden-voiced’ Williams resurrecting the God-given gift of having a silky announcing voice, and doing it with the confidence that you can tell he once had before becoming homeless.
Immediately, Williams was catapulted to national fame, whereby he received several job offers that same year, such as the Cleveland Cavaliers NBA basketball team initially offering him a full-time job and a house. He was officially hired by MSNBC, and he has gone on to do other meaningful projects by using his God-given voice, such as working for other companies and being the host for a stint of the “Ted Williams and the Golden Voice” morning show on WVKO radio in Columbus. Williams also became ‘The Golden Voice of Love’ to promote Kraft’s Mac & Cheese in a YouTube campaign, eventually founding the Ted Williams Project with Kraft, which is a non-profit foundation that provides necessities to homeless shelters.
Williams’ star was on the rise, and all it took was him tapping into the God-given gift that he was already equipped with. Prior to these life-altering opportunities, Williams was living in a tent near a highway, and had become homeless after his life was ruined by drugs and alcohol.
Even along his journey to regain his life by tapping into his God-given talent, there was struggle, but it has been that talent that has opened doors for him and helped him get his life back to walk in his purpose.
Williams said his life began spiraling downward in 1996, when he began drinking alcohol “pretty bad.” He used marijuana and cocaine and lost interest in the radio career that allowed him to do what God had blessed him with. Williams said in 2010 that he found a “new sense of spirituality” that would help him deal with whatever success brings.
This man had a God-given gift on the inside of him that was lying dormant, but Williams had to have someone turn the light on and remind him of the gift that God had given him to be great. His gift was simply waiting to be re-acknowledged so he could get back to fulfilling his purpose.
Isn’t that what opportunity is?
Opportunities don’t knock. Opportunities sit silently by and wait to be recognized. Normally, opportunities go unnoticed, because initially it looks like an uneven exchange. Ted Williams had the gift and the talent, but he made some choices that took him off course for a significant part of his life. His decision to neglect his talent in exchange for temporary satisfaction, not only impacted his family and friends, but it cheated him out of several years of making a sustainable difference and solidifying his legacy for the future. Thankfully, someone recognized his talent and helped get him back on track.
Everybody doesn’t want you to find your purpose, but they see your gifts and your talents. The question is, what are you doing to make sure you get back on track like Ted Williams did?
I challenge all of us to take a long look inside of ourselves and ask the following:
What is keeping me from realizing my overall purpose in life?
What gifts and talents do I have lying dormant for whatever reason?
What purpose am I not fulfilling because I have failed or am failing in some areas?
What goals have I abandoned because I forgot what God-given gifts and talents I possess?
What time are you wasting?
You know, we can learn a lot from Ted Williams and others like him.
But we don’t have to wait for someone else to recognize the God-given gifts and talents we possess before we make a decision to look within ourselves and change the way we are progressing in life. We can start today. All it takes is us stepping back, taking an inventory of our lives and then acknowledging and utilizing the God-given gifts and talents we possess.
So STOP right now, my friend! Your Purpose May Very Well Be Tied To Your Talent!
Jeffrey L. Boney serves as Associate Editor and is an award-winning journalist for the Houston Forward Times newspaper. Jeffrey has been a frequent contributor on the Nancy Grace Show and Primetime Justice with Ashleigh Banfield. Jeffrey has a national daily radio talk show called Real Talk with Jeffrey L. Boney, and is a dynamic, international speaker, experienced entrepreneur, business development strategist and Founder/CEO of the Texas Business Alliance. If you would like to request Jeffrey as a speaker, you can reach him at jboney1@forwardtimes.com