Found an interesting article in Happinez – Mindstyle Magazine (July  2010) about “The Element”, written by Dagmar Van Der Neut.

You know my keywords for reaching Olympic goals right? Talent, passion, focus on the process, great teams, awesome networks.

Most of us however don’t really know what their talent is, so how can the even feel passion? Sir Ken Robinson explains in his book “The Element” that we all have more talent than we actually think. Your Element is the place where things we do well and things we like, come together.

When you are in your Element you feel authentic, time gets a new meaning, you are focussed, concentrated, etc It gives you a feeling of self-relevance. The reason why you are here on this earth.

The discovery of your element feels like a revelation. There are no golden rules to find your element, but Robinson describes a few guidelines to which I can strongly relate:

1. Open your mind: don’t let people tell you who you are. We are all born with tons of creativity. Some of that creativity is lost during education. Your intelligence and creativity are unique. Do something with it. Don’t be afraid to be wrong and make mistakes.

2. Look for things you really love: where do you get your energy? Music? Plants? Kids? Dancing? What drains you? What would you do if you had nothing to “worry about”?

3. Get into “the zone”: when everything runs as it should, you get into “the zone”. You feel on top of the world. You are focussed, happy,… you are in the moment.

4. Find your tribe: most of us feel different than the rest. It’s crucial to know to which tribe you belong. People in a tribe have the same worldview, they recognise your talent, inspire you, get the best out of you, create synergy. They share the same passion.

5. Conquer your fears: not only your personal fears, but also what people tell you to do. Keep in mind that those people actually think they are helping you. However, they don’t help you if you have to be somebody you don’t want to be.

6. Find a mentor: the road is longer without one. A mentor pushes you beyond the point where you would stop.

7. Never think it’s too late: says it all right?

Still not convinced? Get inspired by the most successful Harvard drop-out: