71 Examples of Personal Talents + Test To Identify Talents

Talents are innate abilities that allow individuals to shine in particular areas. However, merely possessing a talent is not enough – it’s equally important to identify and cultivate it strategically. The HIGH5 strengths assessment can be an invaluable tool in this process, providing personalized insights into your unique talents and guiding you towards roles and activities that align with your natural inclinations. By leveraging your talents effectively, you can unlock your full potential and excel in pursuits that come naturally to you.

Talents can be developed with practice and training, but some people are simply more suited for a particular task than others. Understanding what your talents are can be empowering because it allows you to excel at something innate for you, rather than something that requires more training or practice.

Being able to recognize your talents and embrace them is the first step toward using them to help yourself and others. In this article, we list the 50 best talent examples that might help you to discover and get started on your own ones as a result. Keep reading to find out more.

What are personal talents?

According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, talents are unusual natural abilities, a special often creative or artistic ability, or a person or group of people having a special ability. It’s important to differentiate talents from skills. Talents are something that comes relatively naturally to you, although they can be improved and enhanced over time.

Skills refer to learned, sometimes even unwillingly learned, behavior that is needed in life or the workplace. It is said that talents are 4x more accurate at predicting someone’s job performance than their skills and knowledge. So, let’s find out what are some other benefits to recognizing your own talents.

Why is critically important to recognize your own talents?

There are many reasons why it is essential to recognize and embrace your talents. Recognizing your talents is a transformative step towards personal growth and fulfillment. The HIGH5 strengths assessment offers a comprehensive evaluation of your inherent talents, equipping you with the knowledge to harness them effectively.

By aligning your efforts with your natural strengths, you can optimize your performance, achieve greater satisfaction, and contribute more meaningfully to your personal and professional endeavors. The assessment’s personalized insights empower you to leverage your talents strategically, paving the way for a more fulfilling and impactful journey.

10 benefits of using your own talents

Here are some of the most important benefits:

You will be able to use your talents to help yourself and others
You will be more fulfilled in life since you will be using your natural abilities in work or other pursuits
You will be happier and more satisfied with what you do since you will be doing something that comes naturally to you
You will be more successful in whatever you do since you will have a set of skills that you are already good at
You will find it easier to develop new skills since you will be starting from a place of strength
You will be more confident in yourself since you are doing something easy for yourself
You will have a better chance of being successful at work, school, or home since you are using skills that not everyone possesses
You will be happier and healthier
You will be able to get rewarded when contribute to the common good
It is empowering to get to know yourself better

71 examples of talents to have

This comprehensive list of talent examples serves as a starting point for self-discovery. However, truly understanding and embracing your unique talents requires a more in-depth exploration. The HIGH5 strengths assessment offers a personalized and scientifically-backed approach to uncovering your inherent strengths and talents. By identifying your natural inclinations, you can strategically develop and refine them, maximizing your potential for growth and achievement.

Whether you’re seeking career fulfillment, personal growth, or improved teamwork dynamics, the HIGH5 assessment provides invaluable insights tailored to your individual needs. The key to success in life is to figure out what you are somewhat good at, and then focus on it throughout your life.

Writing
Painting
Communication
Musicality
Graphics
Creativity
Public speaking
Spatial ability
Acting
Critical thinking
Dancing
Decision-making
Math
Networking
Playing an instrument
Storytelling
Intuition
Artistic talent
Business talent
Conflict resolution
Leadership

Writing

The ability to express ideas clearly and engagingly through written words.

Painting

The skill of creating art using mediums like oils or watercolors on a canvas.

Communication

The talent for conveying information effectively and building strong interpersonal connections.

Musicality

A natural aptitude for understanding and creating music, either through singing or playing instruments.

Graphics

The ability to design visual content that effectively communicates messages or concepts.

Creativity

The talent for generating innovative ideas and thinking outside the box.

Public speaking

The ability to speak confidently and engagingly in front of an audience.

Spatial ability

The skill to understand and manipulate shapes and spaces is useful in fields like architecture and engineering.

Acting

The talent for portraying characters convincingly through physical and verbal expression.

Critical thinking

The ability to analyze situations, identify problems, and devise effective solutions.

Dance

The skill of expressing oneself through movement, often to music.

Decision-making

The talent for making sound and timely decisions based on available information.

Math

A natural proficiency with numbers and quantitative analysis.

Networking

The ability to build and maintain beneficial professional and social relationships.

Playing an instrument

The skill to play musical instruments with proficiency and expression.

Storytelling

The ability to narrate events and concepts in a compelling and coherent manner.

Intuition

The talent for understanding or knowing something without the need for conscious reasoning.

Artistic talent

A general aptitude for creating visual, auditory, or performance art.

Business talent

The ability to understand and navigate the commercial and financial aspects of a venture effectively.

Conflict resolution

The skill to mediate disputes and find amicable solutions.

Leadership

The talent for guiding and inspiring individuals or groups toward achieving common goals.

Pro Tip From HIGH5

As you review the talent examples, reflect on areas where you excel effortlessly. Consider taking the HIGH5 assessment to gain a deeper understanding of your natural talents and receive guidance on how to leverage them effectively in various aspects of your life.

Artistic talents (10 examples)

Having artistic talents doesn’t have to mean being a professional artist. Being able to create beautiful things is what matters the most, so if you have artistic talents, feel free to embrace them and use them the best way you can. The following are some of the main artistic talents one might have.

Singer

Being a singer is all about using your vocal talents to make music. You can either sign up for a band, or you could go solo and become a singer-songwriter.

Entertaining people with your voice is an awesome talent to have, and it takes practice to get good at singing.

Graphic designer

A graphic designer is someone who specializes in design. You can be a graphic designer on your own, or you could join a company as part of the web development team.

One of the main responsibilities of this type of professional is to create visual images that convey ideas through some form of media.

This can include branding, print media, motion graphics, video backgrounds, product packaging, infographics, user interfaces, websites, and more.

Web developer

While not many associate web development with being an artist, having the creative capacity does help. Being a web developer means that you are skilled in writing code that tells the computer what to do. This can include scripting, coding, programming, and other tasks related to designing websites. A complementary skill is being able to understand basic graphic design so you can work with it properly.

Photographer/Videographer

This type of talent includes taking photos or videos. One of the key components of being good at this profession is having an eye for photography, just like how writers have an ear for words. You need to be able to tell compelling stories through still images or video footage, which means that creativity is important too.

Writer

Writing comes down to being able to express your ideas in an eloquent way, which means that communicating your thoughts is very important. Good writers are typically skilled at thinking outside the box, and they enjoy understanding complex concepts. They can write about anything under the sun, but their writing style needs to be good enough to engage readers.

Painter

Painting is all about using oils or watercolors on a flat surface (canvas) and creating art through brushstrokes. As with other talents, painting requires practice and dedication to improve, and it helps if you have a good eye for artistic detail.

Musician

This talent has its roots in performing music. Singers and songwriters need musicians as part of their band, or they can play an instrument on their own. You need to have a good ear for music, resources for buying instruments, self-discipline to practice regularly, and the ability to improvise.

Songwriter

A songwriter is someone who creates music to go along with musical accompaniment from various instruments. They are musicians who write songs, so they will tell stories through lyrics combined with melody. One key trait of a songwriter is ensuring that the piece goes well with the potential singer.

A good with good pitch and rhythm means it can be sung by various singers while giving them some creative freedom means they can also improvise with lyrics or song notes and make songs even better.

Actor/Actress

Being able to act requires physical and verbal skills, as well as charisma. If acting is something that interests you, then you should learn all there is about it by reading books, taking classes, etc. You need to enjoy entertaining people, so having a stage presence will be an important trait too.

Dancer /Choreographer

Dancers are performers who use their bodies (and sometimes props) to create art through movement. This means developing strong core strength, gracefulness, coordination, and stamina to be able to execute their routines. Choreographers are those who come up with dance routines and work with dancers to put them together. They need creativity, self-discipline, and an ability to communicate complex movements.

Sporting talents (10 Examples)

Being good at sports means you need to be physically fit and skillful in various sports. While some people are born with a competitive mindset, others can be trained to develop their skills. These are some of the most common sporting talents around.

Golfing

Golf is one of the most popular sports around. This talent involves using various clubs to drive a ball into a series of holes on an extensive course. One of the key components of playing golf well is having an accurate aim, which means that you need good coordination, spatial awareness, and focus on doing well.

Boxing

Boxing is all about two people trading punches inside four-sided gloves, with each round lasting three minutes at professional levels. Good footwork will be important when trying to avoid your opponent’s attacks, or closing in for your own while throwing punches requires physical strength. Having good reflexes will help you dodge incoming strikes too.

Swimming

Swimming is moving through water through a variety of strokes and kicks, with the goal being to get from one point to another as quickly as possible. It is a physically demanding sport that requires coordination, stamina, speed, and strength.

Yoga

Yoga takes various postures (asanas) and combines them into different routines that are aimed at increasing flexibility, improving breathing techniques, relieving stress, etc. This makes it ideal for recovering from injury, pain management, etc., but practicing yoga can improve your fitness levels too.

One key requirement for yoga is the right body type – i.e., having good muscle definition or a lower percentage of body fat can make certain postures easier. Having strong core muscles will be important too to maintain balance during some poses.

Athletics

Athletics is the name given to various sporting events like running, jumping, and throwing various objects (shot put, javelin). Having outstanding speed or strength can be enough to excel in this sport.

Basketball Player

Basketball is a popular team-based game that involves five players on each side trying to score points by shooting a ball through an elevated hoop. They need good passing skills for their team to create good opportunities when they have possession of the ball, and knowing how to dribble down the court will allow them to move forward in attack.

Defensively, they will need to work with their teammates so they not lose sight of their opponents too. They must also be able to maintain their concentration and composure throughout the game.

Footballer

For those who want to be a footballer, they need to have some degree of talent for this sport as it is very competitive. Being physically fit and having good stamina will be important as players can cover up to 12km per match. They also need speed, agility, flexibility, and strength so that they can compete with opponents in one-on-one situations.

Other key skills involve being able to pass the ball precisely, shooting accurately, and anticipating moves by their teammates/opponents so that they can create space and offer themselves as an option for a return pass, etc.

Tennis

Tennis is played on a rectangular court between two or four individuals who try to score points by hitting a ball so that their opponent is unable to return it. Being able to react quickly and move across the court will be important for this sport, as you need to be constantly moving to get into good positions.

You should have good reflexes, too, and be able to serve powerfully and accurately if you want your serve-and-volley style of play (where you advance towards the net directly after serving) to work.

Hockey

Hockey is a fast-paced team game that involves players trying to hit a small rubber ball into the opposing team’s goal using sticks. Players must know how to make accurate passes, avoid opponents’ tackles as well as have speed and agility as they chase the puck. Being fit and having good stamina is also important.

Triathlon/Paratriathlon

This sport involves swimming, cycling, and running, with competitors tackling each of these activities in one continuous sequence over various distances. It is an excellent full-body workout that helps to improve cardiovascular fitness, stamina, strength, and coordination – all of which are crucial for success in this sport.

Academic and resume talents (10 Examples)

In today’s competitive landscape, academic and resume talents can be a powerful differentiator for students and job seekers alike. Leveraging your natural strengths can significantly enhance your appeal to potential employers or academic institutions. The HIGH5 strengths assessment provides a comprehensive evaluation of your innate talents, enabling you to highlight and capitalize on your unique strengths effectively.

By aligning your academic pursuits or career path with your inherent abilities, you can stand out from the crowd and showcase your true potential for success. There is a wide range of talents that can be added to your resume, including information about languages you speak, certifications and training programs completed, awards won, etc.

In school, you could add extra-curricular activities or volunteer work to your resume to expand on the skills you have acquired throughout your life.

Mathematics or Science

Those who are talented in mathematics or science can make good use of these skills throughout their academic and professional careers, as there is a wide range of jobs that require these talents. Being skilled in mathematics or science can be useful in a range of jobs throughout your life, from being an astronomer to a chemist. In school, you could apply these skills to try and win trophies for various math/science competitions.

Public speaking

Becoming a public speaker is an excellent way to expand your resume, especially if you want to become involved with politics or lead some non-profit community organizations. You can also become a motivational speaker, ranging from events like school assemblies to workplace seminars. Being able to communicate complex information will be important if you aim to inspire others through your words.

Teaching

The desire to teach and pass on knowledge has been ingrained in humans since ancient times. These roles can be part of a person’s career for their entire life, as professors work at universities and teachers often remain within schools until they retire. Being knowledgeable in both academic and professional areas will be important to ensure you can educate others effectively.

Resume writer

A resume writer specializes in creating resumes for other people, using their skills as expert communicators along with their creativity/innovation so that they can market the skills of those who have been applying for jobs. This is a good way for individuals who are talented at writing to put these skills to use while also working from home. You could even expand on your resume writing talents by offering LinkedIn profile critiques to various professionals online.

Entrepreneurial Talents

A skill that will be useful throughout your life is entrepreneurship, as many people aim to start their own businesses at some point in their lives. This can range from becoming an independent digital marketer to starting a non-profit organization. There are various important talents that you need to become successful as an entrepreneur, including the ability to work well with others and manage finances. You also need creativity and innovation to come up with new ideas for businesses/projects and marketing skills so that you can promote them successfully.

Businessman/CEO

This talent helps individuals who want to take on leading roles within big companies, as they have experience running smaller firms as a CEO or manager. Your different talents will be valued by various businesses so that they can have a wider range of expertise/skills to help out within the company. You could also take on roles as an investor or adviser so that you don’t necessarily need to work at the top, but instead advise those who do.

Project manager

It’s important to create a project plan when undertaking any large task, and this is why project managers are useful for any type of project. They organize everything involved with running projects, including timelines and budgets, while also ensuring there are no setbacks throughout the process.

Having experience managing multiple projects will help secure these types of jobs. You can even work on independent projects during school hours, learning to better manage your time.

Start-up Investor

The desire to invest in companies that might become successful can be a great business, as it allows you to gain a great skill to include on your resume. In addition, those who are skilled at analyzing the stock market and coming up with new investment opportunities will be able to find profitable ventures for their start-up company.

The ability to network and work well with others is necessary if you hope to persuade other investors or CEOs of large companies to let you invest in them and create a sound strategy for achieving greater profits.

Economist

Economists advise both private and public sectors on how they can make better decisions about economics that could affect them, such as investments or financial strategies. You’ll need an understanding of topics like macroeconomics, money markets, and financial markets, as well as the ability to create reports and infographics to explain these ideas understandably.

Lawyer

A lawyer is someone who uses their skill in communication along with their knowledge of laws to represent individuals involved in legal disputes. This means that lawyers need to be skilled at making persuasive arguments during court cases and differentiating between relevant and irrelevant information when preparing for these situations.

Lawyers need to prioritize their cases carefully, as they cannot represent clients that are directly conflicting with each other. They also need to be honest about their abilities so that they don’t take on more cases than they can handle.

Pro Tip From HIGH5

Identify the talents and strengths highlighted in your HIGH5 assessment report, and strategically incorporate them into your resume, cover letters, and academic applications. Illustrate how your natural abilities align with the requirements of the role or program, demonstrating your potential for excellence.

Interpersonal Talents (10 Examples)

Effective communication and interpersonal skills are critical for success in various careers and collaborative environments. The HIGH5 strengths assessment can provide valuable insights into your interpersonal talents, enabling you to leverage them for improved teamwork and leadership. By understanding your natural strengths in areas such as empathy, persuasion, or conflict resolution, you can enhance your ability to build strong relationships, influence others positively, and foster a productive and harmonious team dynamic.

Embracing your interpersonal talents can elevate your professional impact and contribute to a more cohesive and successful collective effort. Being able to recognize and develop your interpersonal talents can help you to recognize your true passion because you’ll be able to communicate better with others so that they understand what it is that you’re trying to say.

Interpersonal talents are useful for various professions, including careers in medicine, teaching, social work, and business. You might even have other interpersonal talents that could help you become successful in your career while using your interpersonal skills to help others.

Realist

A realist is someone who can see the big picture, while also recognizing that there are certain things beyond their control. They’re good at understanding why things occur, both in society and within themselves. This often allows them to make predictions about future events.

Negotiator

Negotiators use their ability to understand others’ feelings and perspectives to get different parties involved with a discussion or relationship, on the same page. They need to be able to weigh information objectively while still finding ways to relate it to each person’s emotional state without causing conflict. This means that negotiators must know how they feel for them to have better communication with others.

Persuader/Convincer

Persuaders have a very specific way of communicating, which makes it easy for them to convince others that they’re right. This is useful in a variety of situations because persuaders can influence their audiences’ opinions and actions.

Persuasion talents allow people to become politicians or writers, as well as make good lawyers when working within the legal system. Being able to negotiate is also an important part of persuasion because persuaders need to be able to compromise for them both to come out on top.

Team player

Team players are often skilled at collaborating with others to achieve a common goal. This means understanding how other individuals work and what motivates them so that they can effectively communicate with the people on their team.

Knowing how to be a good leader is also important, so team players might need to step up and take charge of different situations when necessary. Being able to build effective teams is what makes some careers possible, which means that teamwork talents are very useful for almost any career path.

Leader

Leaders are people who are capable of motivating others to accomplish something specific. They know how to guide groups of individuals into achieving things that benefit them all, but they’re often not afraid of doing whatever it takes for everyone involved to succeed.

They might even have special skills relating specifically to leadership, like coaching or mediation, depending on what kind of work they do.

Therapist

Therapists are people who use both their listening skills and perspective-giving talents to help others through tough times. They need to be able to communicate with patients to better understand what they think or feel about another person, event, etc.

Motivator

Motivators try to encourage others by convincing them that they can accomplish whatever they set out to do. Some motivate individuals by inspiring them (which is more effective than simply informing them), while others might inspire groups of people (like employees) on a broader scale.

This often results in more people being willing to work hard, but some are only capable of motivating specific groups of people (like employees).

Network Builder

Network builders know how to create social networks within their communities or workplaces. They can attract many types of individuals to connect by using their communication skills, which is helpful when it comes to finding solutions for any issues that might arise. This talent could be useful for anyone looking to start a business.

Resolving conflict

Peacekeepers are usually skilled at resolving conflicts between others through communication or other peaceful ways. They try to find the root cause of the issue so they can understand what’s at the core of the problem and can work toward a solution.

They need to be understanding and patient too because it might take some time for people to open up about what’s bothering them.

Philanthropist

Philanthropists are people who donate their time, skills, money, etc., to help those in need. They might not be able to help everyone, but they’re willing to do something to make the world a better place. A person could have philanthropy as a talent because it’s helpful for all sorts of careers and tasks in life that might require some form of charity or altruism.

Philanthropists can use their talents in many different ways, so this talent is very good at being adaptable to various situations.

Pro Tip From HIGH5

Reflect on the interpersonal talents identified by the HIGH5 assessment, and consider how you can apply them in your team interactions or leadership roles. Actively seek opportunities to leverage your strengths in communication, collaboration, and conflict resolution to foster a more positive and productive team environment.

Personal talents (10 examples)

Having certain talents that aren’t common or obvious is helpful for those who want to stand out at work and make a name for themselves.

These abilities can help employees accomplish more and either move up the career ladder faster or perform their jobs better, so it’s not surprising that many people would like to develop them.

Humor

People who have a good sense of humor are capable of being the life of the party because they don’t take themselves too seriously. They might not always be in a jovial mood, but they can make anyone feel better with their positive approach to dealing with problems.

This talent could help people in many different careers, like acting or comedy; however, it’s also possible for someone to simply develop this talent on their own.

Communication

Communication is one of the most important talents that any person should possess. It doesn’t matter what career path someone takes because they’re going to need to know how to get their point across or relate to other people for everything to go smoothly at work.

Of course, communication is important in practically every job, but it’s especially key for people working in customer service or sales.

Intuition

Being good at connecting the dots and finding patterns makes someone an intuitive thinker. Their way of viewing things might be very different from everyone else’s because they’re thinking less logically; however, this allows them to do things that no one else can (like solve problems easily).

People can learn how to trust their intuition more while also gaining a better understanding of what other people think.

Warmth

Warmth refers to people having genuine compassion for others, which makes them good at working with others. Someone who can put other people at ease while also feeling strongly about something is going to be an asset in most settings.

They tend to have a positive outlook on life, so they could have all sorts of talents, from sales and customer service to counseling and education. Warmth helps with both personality development and communication, which are two factors that help people succeed in any field.

Passion

Passionate individuals love what they do, which gives them a strong foundation for being successful in their careers. They’re generally optimistic too because they always see the bright side of things. Passion comes from knowing exactly what it is that a person wants out of life, so there’s a lot of self-reflection involved with this talent. It can help people in all sorts of careers, including entertainment and music.

Spirituality

Spiritual people believe that there’s more to life than just what they see, so they tend to be very introspective. Spiritual-minded individuals are good at being patient because they take the time to explore their minds.

They might not always be able to explain it well since spirituality is difficult for some people to comprehend, but this ability could help someone in various forms of work like counseling, teaching, and even law enforcement.

Empathy

Empathy means understanding what other people are feeling without them having to tell you, which makes it a highly useful trait when working with others. Someone who has empathy will be able to help people get what they need during conversations, which can greatly improve their ability to connect with other people.

Patience

Patient individuals are willing to take the time necessary to reach their goals, so they tend to have very high levels of success. Being patient goes hand-in-hand with being spiritual because this allows them to better connect with themselves and understand why they feel certain ways about things.

This talent could help almost anyone in almost any career simply by improving how well they’re able to communicate with others while also taking the time needed to create solutions.

Spontaneity

Spontaneous people have a great sense of curiosity, so they tend to be very creative. This talent can help with being flexible, which can be useful when going through life transitions or trying something new at work. Spontaneity makes someone a more dynamic thinker, so they could excel in careers that involve both creativity and problem-solving.

Inquisitiveness

Inquisitive people always want to know more, which can be excellent when they’re looking into new opportunities or trying out activities that seem interesting. The mind of someone curious about life is constantly exploring their surroundings and figuring things out, so there’s boundless potential for success in both business and education.

This talent helps with being open-minded as well as having an analytical mindset, which are useful traits for almost any career path.

How do you identify your talents?

Identifying personal talents involves self-reflection, seeking feedback from others, and observing which activities come naturally and bring you joy. The HIGH5 strengths assessment is a valuable tool in this process, offering personalized insights into your unique strengths and guiding you toward activities that align with your natural inclinations. By understanding your innate abilities, you can strategically develop and leverage them for personal and professional success.

Personal talents FAQ

What are some unique talents?

Some unique talents that not many people have are being ambidextrous, being able to juggle multiple objects at once, or being able to control your dreams.

Anything that stands out can be considered a talent.

What are natural talents examples?

Natural talents are things people tend to be born with. Things like having an exceptional singing voice, or being double-jointed are natural talents.

What talent can I learn?

Some common skills you can learn are playing the guitar, learning another language, and cooking new recipes. Talents can come in many forms so try opening yourself up to new experiences.