"Isn't it about time you realised your true potential?

"

HOW TO
FIND AND
FREE
YOUR MOST VALUABLE

INTERESTS
TALENTS &
SKILLS

Created & Written by Nick Laight

Know Thyself
Socrates

How much can you know about yourself,

if you've never been in a fight?
Tagline Fight Club

The man who views the world at fifty the

same as he did at twenty has wasted
thirty years of his life.
Muhammad Ali

Never too late to learn some embarrassingly

basic, stupidly obvious things about oneself.
Alain de Botton

Knowledge can be acquired by a suitable and

complete study, no matter what the starting point is.
Only one must know how to 'learn' what is nearest
to us is man; and you are the nearest of all men
to yourself. Begin with the study of yourself;
remembe rthe saying
'Know thyself.
G.I. Gurdjieff

Man stands in his own shadow

and wonders why it's dark.
Zen Proverb

Who are you?

The Who
Its a MIRACLE youre
reading these words
In fact, the chances of you existing at all
are so infinitesimally small that winning the
lottery every week for the next year would
be a dead cert in comparison.
Think about it

How likely is it that the universe exists?

Our galaxy?

Solar system?

Planet?

How probable is life itself?

Indeed, how probable were creatures like us, who can ponder their
own probability?

Consider the odds of the earth existing.

We need to be in the habitable zone of the galaxy that isnt

bombarded by radiation or asteroids that would kill life before it
even had a chance to get started.

It needs to be JUST the right distance from the sun, so that the
water is warm enough to melt, evaporate and fall as rain.

We also need a moon just the right size and distance from the
earth to create tides which in turn create tidal zones that are great
breeding ground for simple life forms.

And for the simplest life forms to appear in the primordial oceans
of earth 3.8 billion years ago is around 1040

Thats 10 followed by 40 zeros

10,000,000,000,000,000,000,
000,000,000,000,000,000,000
Next you need to factor in the billions of years it took for life to
evolve through natural selection from single cells to homo sapiens.

The numbers are so large, even scientists dont bother to calculate

them.

Instead, lets just focus on the odds of your birth.

Thankfully Dr. Ali Binazir has crunched the numbers for us.

First, the odds of your most distant human ancestors

meeting are around one in 20,000.

And the chances of them consummating their relationship is

one in 2000.

Getting down to reproductive nuts and bolts, the probability

of the right sperm meeting right egg is one in 400
QUADRILLION.

And the chance of every one of your ancestors reproducing

successfully is a further 1 in 10 45,000

Bill Bryson summed it up beautifully in A Short History of

Everything:
 Not one of your pertinent ancestors was squashed,
devoured, drowned, starved, stranded, stuck fast,
untimely wounded, or otherwise deflected from
its life's quest of delivering a tiny charge of
genetic material to the right partner at the
right moment to perpetuate
the only possible sequence of
hereditary combinations
that could result --
eventually,
astoundingly,
and all too
briefly
in --
you.

Combine these steps together and the probability of your being

born is

2,685,000
One in 10
Yep, thats a ten followed by TWO MILLION SIX HUNDRED AND
EIGHTY FIVE THOUSAND zeroes.

To put that into perspective the number of particles in the entire

universe is only 10 80

Makes you dizzy just thinking about it.

Whichever way you look at it, the chances of you existing at all are
so infinitesimally small as to be virtually impossible.

In other words its a BLOOMIN MIRACLE!

The definition of a miracle is an event thats so unlikely as to be

almost impossible.
But this miracle only brings us up to your birth.

What about all the choices you have made during your life that
have resulted in you reading these words right now?

Some choices have been made for you.

The place of your birth.

Your family.

Your first language.

The school you attended.

And as you grew, you began to make your own decisions

consciously.

If youre like most people you will be able to pinpoint some of the
most important decisions.

Those you wish you could change

And those that you know were right.

Decisions present themselves to us hundreds of times a day.

For example, right now, you have chosen to read this email.

You could have done other things, but at this moment you have
made the decision to keep reading.

Why?

Perhaps you are intrigued.

Maybe you want to know where its leading.

And yet... if something distracts you your mobile rings, someone

calls your name, a knock at the door - you then decide whether to
stop reading or ignore the distraction and continue.

Yet another decision in the long chain of decisions that go back to

your birth - even all the way to the beginning of life on earth.

Even the beginnings of the Universe itself.

The Big Bang.

So here you are.

This miracle.

A mystery.

What will you do with this gift?

Will you let it burn brightly or flicker and die?

What will you do with your life today, tomorrow, next week, next
month, or next year?

Will you seize this situation and make something of it?

After all, you've made it this far through the most impossible
odds imaginable

It would be a tragedy to waste.

So go now.

Take action.

Burn brightly.

Be you.
The aim of the following series of questions is simple:

To help you find your greatest strengths

and talents from amongst your interests,
hobbies, skills and life experiences.
It will help you to uncover what excites and inspires you.

It will help you to identify your greatest asset.

Whether you want to turn your passion into a business or simply

spend more time doing the things you love, then its ESSENTIAL
you take an honest look at yourself.

When was the last time you sat down and reflected upon all the
experiences and skills youve accumulated over the years?

Ok, unless you are writing your autobiography or putting a work CV

together, then its probably a long way down on your to do list.

If you are anything like me you might have a general idea of the
experiences you have gathered over the years and the skills you
have picked up along the way.

But its not until you devote a bit of time to reflecting on who you
really are that you can start to identify strengths that could make
you money.

Your real strengths have very little to do with exam results or

the school you attended.

Sometimes they are found in your greatest struggles.

In fact, you should take particular note of the areas in your life
where you may have faced the greatest challenges or even failure.

Pay attention to the problems youve overcome, lessons learned,

hobbies followed, places visited, the good (and bad) relationships,
investments or products owned.

The important thing is to include everything, even if you might think

its not relevant or you take it for granted: these can often be the
greatest prize of all.

So lets get started...

Well focus on 8 key

areas of your life
Your Personal & Family Life

Your Business & Career

Your Hobbies & Interests

Your Health & Wellbeing

Your Personal Finance

Your Personal Goals

Your World
Some will be more relevant to you than others.

Some will have absolutely no relevance to you at all.

But that doesnt matter.

When you do answer YES to any of the questions, make as many

notes in relation to it as possible.

Once you have completed the questions, put your notes to one
side and leave it for a day or two.

Then come back and read through the questions and your
responses again.

Youll be amazed how your brain will continue to process the

questions and when you return it will invariably remind you of other
experiences and skills that you had completely forgotten about.

And these questions are not meant to be definitive.

If they spark other ideas of life skills or experiences, write them

down anyway.
Your Personal
& Family Life
Have you ever...

q Gone through a major experience in your life thats changed,

inspired or deeply affected you?

q Made a big change in your life?

q Helped someone you love through a problem - it could be

grief, disability, relationship trouble, job loss?

q Cared for an elderly relative?

q Had to bring up children in adverse circumstances?

q Used dating services (online or offline)?

q Suffered strings of failed relationships?

q Are you regularly a shoulder to cry on? What is it people
come to you for help about?

q Travelled the world?

q Traced a family tree, or studied your familys history?

q Had an unusually happy, long-term relationship or

marriage?

q Struggled with raising children and overcome the problems?

q Survived a personal trauma like divorce or grief and gained

ways of coping?

q Have you overcome prejudice, bad luck or adversity?

q Overcome discrimination because of your age, sexuality,

race or religion?

q Gained insight because of your age, sexuality, race or
religion?

q Had to seek guidance or advice online (or offline in libraries,

support groups, advice bureaus and friends)?

q Is there an issue in your personal life for which you have had
to seek out information, or which you would enjoy immersing
yourself in?

q Is there anything in your personal life that you wish change

or improve?

q Are there any products for sale in this area that youve
bought and been extremely happy or disappointed with?

q Have you ever made something that addresses or solves a

personal problem?

q Have you had to fight to overcome prejudice, injustice or lack

of awareness about something in your personal life?

Your Business
& Career
Have you ever...

q Set up your own business (successfully or unsuccessfully)?

q Learned or taught yourself a skill that has helped you move

up the career ladder, start a business or improve the bottom
line of a business?

q Been trained in a business or career skill?

q Gained any specialised industry knowledge or insight?

q Left a boring or badly paid job for something more interesting

and better paid?

q Successfully switched career?

q Overcome the loss of a job?

q Owned, directed or managed a local business. (Maybe you
have or have had a shop, office, caf, restaurant, pub, or
manage a small firm)?

q Been responsible for a specific department in a business, for

instance marketing, sales, customer service, information
technology?

q Enjoyed long-term career success?

q Created or developed a product, either for someone elses

business or your own?

q Sold something youve made for money?

q Provided a freelance service for money (e.g., copywriting,

proofreading, will writing, consultancy, marketing, personal
shopping, cleaning)?

q Been involved in multi-level marketing?

q Set up your own website with a view to making money from

it?

q Made (or lost) money from commercial or residential property
or land investments?

q Turned a hobby, knowledge or skill into money (even as a

one-off)?

q Tried multiple business plans and strategies over many

years (successful or otherwise)?

q Sold door-to-door?

q Worked in sales or marketing?

q Made great speeches, performed live in front of people or

had excellent interviews?

q Learned special memory or confidence skills?

q Gained recognition in your industry or business for

something youve achieved?

 q Trained or taught others a skill, strategy or business?

IDEA TRIGGERS

q Is there an issue related to business and career that suffers

from information overload or noise and confusion?

q Is there something you want to achieve a better job, a new

career, your own business?

q Have you ever made something that helps other people

make money, save time, or run a business more
successfully?

 q Is there an area of business or a product youve been
involved which you are especially passionate about?

q Have you had to fight hard to change attitudes or ways of

thinking in your industry, business or career?

Your Hobbies
& Interests
Have you ever...

q Learned or taught yourself a specialist skill e.g.: fishing,

carpentry, musical instrument?

q Collected something books, wine, antiques, toys,

ephemera, autographs, art?

q Been passionate (obsessed?) by a subject - dogs, cats,

trains, sports teams, films, television programmes, cars,
bands, artists, food, drink, a certain town, country or city?




q Are you in a club, society or group? E.g.: running and
walking clubs, historical societies, re-enactment societies,
chess clubs?

q Created something? It could be anything from arts, crafts,

music, and photography, to writing a book, building a
website, starting a society or club, or making a computer
programmed.

q Had a special interest in your local area?

q Searched the Internet for information on your hobby or
interest but found little information available, or bad
information?

q Gained recognition, awards or media coverage for something

youve done, or that interests you?

q Been a professional or semi-professional sportsperson?

q Pursued a particular sport with enthusiasm?

q Coached sport?

q Studied martial arts?

q Been interested in nature, wildlife, walking, architecture or

landscape?

q Created your own recipes?

q Baked great bread, cakes or sweets?

q Been a connoisseur or collector of wine?

q Grown your own food?

q Designed and/or built your own garden?

q Successfully grown exotic or unusual plants?

q Cared for pets?

q Bred or trained animals?

q Been a bird-spotter, plane spotter or wildlife spotter?

q Made money from online poker or blackjack?

q Made money from sports betting or horse racing?

q Won prizes by entering competitions?

q Turned a hobby, knowledge or skill into money (even as a
one-off)?

q Been an obsessive reader of self-help books?

q Tailored or designed your own clothes, furnishings or fashion

accessories?

q Written short stories, comedy, scripts, poetry, plays or

novels?

q Written a book, (fact or fiction)?

q Created your own crafts, music, photography or art?

q Drawn, sculpted or painted?

q Taken good photographs?

 q Performed music or drama in public?

q Created and/or performed your own music?

q Taught music or drama?

IDEA TRIGGERS

q Think about hobbies or interests where theres plenty of skills

to be learned, news stories to follow, or conflicting opinions
and advice.

q Is there a hobby or interest youd like to learn more about, or
become more skilled in? Perhaps theres something youve
always wanted to take up, but never known where to begin.

q Think about hobbies and interests that require people to

spend money.

q If youve ever enjoyed making something and you think

others have a similar passion, this could be the avenue for
you.

q Is there something that interests you, but youve been

prevented from doing it, or its made particularly hard by
outside forces, prejudice or misinformation? Is it likely others
might feel the same?


Your Health
& Wellbeing
Have your ever

q Trained as a doctor, nurse, therapist or physiotherapist?

q Searched the Internet for information to solve a health worry,

but found little available information, bad information or too
much information?

q Overcome a physical illness, ailment or disease?

q Worked in the health services?

q Cared for elderly, ill or disabled people?

q Used natural remedies to control, ease or heal an ailment?

q Recovered from depression, anxiety, phobias, or sleep

problems?

q Struggled with problems caused by the side-effects of
conventional drugs?

q Struggled with chronic pain the doctor hasnt been able to

cure?

q Suffered long term pain problems such as sciatica,

migraines, IBS and arthritis?

q Coped with sports injury?

q Sped up your own recovery from an injury or illness using
natural means (for example physical therapy, alternative
therapies, positive thinking, meditation, acupuncture,
homeopathy)?

q Practiced, taught or worked in the field of homeopathy,

acupuncture, herbalism, reflexology, Chinese/Ayurveda
medicine, aromatherapy, hypnotism, meditation or any
other alternative health practices?

q Given up smoking, drinking or drugs?

q Lost a considerable amount of weight and kept it off?

q Lost a considerable amount of weight, only to find you
gained weight again afterwards?

q Formulated your own successful diet?

q Followed or created your own vegan, vegetarian, organic (or

any other) diet for health reasons?

q Kept fit?

q Worked in the beauty or skin care business?

q Used, or created your own, natural skin care remedies?

q Learned yoga, meditation or Pilates?

q Created your own herbal remedies, grown your own

medicine or developed your own healthy recipes?

q Successfully coped with an allergy

IDEA TRIGGERS

q Is there a health issue youve experienced which suffers from

information overload or noise and confusion?

q Is there a health problem you need to overcome that simply

going to the doctor hasnt solved? Or is there a health goal
youve always wanted to achieve?

q Which of the health areas that interest you require people to

spend money on books, foodstuffs, courses, supplements
and other products?

q Have you ever created something thats helped solve a
health problem e.g.: a diet plan or allergy- free food?

q Is there an area of health in which you work, or are deeply

involved, in which a product, strategy or breakthrough is
something you want to tell others about?

q Is there something that has particularly frustrated or annoyed

you in your quest for better health. Or is there something
youve used to overcome a health problem that you want to
tell others about?

Your Personal
Finances
Have you ever...

q Experienced serious debt?

q Suffered a serious financial setback, for example the loss

of a job, the collapse of a business, the loss of a home,
negative equity?

q Solved a financial problem yourself?

q Helped someone else through a financial problem?

q Successfully saved money to create your own nest- egg?

q Invested in the stock market?

q Made a capital gain on alternative investments such as

property, wine, antiques, collectibles, gold, bitcoin?

q Worked as a financial advisor?

q Worked in the financial industries?

q Regularly found amazing bargains, freebies and

discounts?

q Suffered serious tax problems?

q Successfully fought, or reclaimed money from banks or
financial institutions?

q Been scammed?

q Fought back against a scammer or provider of poor

services (or would like to)?

q Found a way to get things for free, or cheaper than most

other people?

q Sold goods profitably on eBay, Amazon or any other
online auction platform?

q Successfully drop-shipped or imported products?

q Made money from home trading?

q Made money from sports betting or horse racing?

 q Won prizes by entering competitions?

q Made money from Buy to Let or land schemes?

IDEA TRIGGERS

q Is there a money issue youve experienced which suffers

from information overload or noise and confusion?

q Is there a financial problem you need to overcome or a

goal youve always wanted to achieve?

q Have you ever spent money on a specific financial issue,
or paid out for advice, or found something lacking?

q Have you ever created your own financial product, such

as a guide to saving, investment, trading or scams?

q If you are in the financial industry, or sell some kind of

financial product, is this something you feel others could
and should benefit from?

q What money issues do you feel passionate about?

 q Have you ever crusaded to get your money back, resolve
an issue or get past bureaucracy and bad service?

Your Home
Have you ever...

q Made a big change in your location?

q Lived overseas?

q Lived in remote countryside?

q Overcome problems with unusual conditions (for instance,
youve lived with a big family in a small flat or you have an
eco-home)?

q Built your own home?

q Renovated a house?

q Worked as a builder, carpenter, plasterer, roofer or

similar?

q Learned some of the skills of the above trades so that you
can do it yourself?

q Done your own DIY? Do people come to you for advice on

DIY?

q Designed an interior? Given other people advice on

interior design? Do people seek your opinion on this
subject?

q Created, renovated or upholstered your own furniture?

q Improved your property?

q Dramatically changed your lifestyle to something more

ethical, ecological or cost-effective?

q Made your house more environmentally friendly?

q Grown your own food?

q Landscaped your own or someone elses garden?

q Worked in the construction industry?

q Worked as a landlord?

q Used your home to make money, (for instance renting

rooms, renting your house for holiday lets, renting your
home for location shoots)?

q Developed an empty space or an abandoned plot?

q Trained, raised or looked after pets?

q Had to deal with a troublesome pet?

q Raised your own farm animals e.g. pigs, chickens,

geese, ducks or turkeys?

q Created something for kids, for instance a park or

treehouse?

 q Fixed or renovated a car or motorbike?

q Organised events - street parties, baby-sitting circles, car

shares, garden sharing or other ultra-local initiatives?

IDEA TRIGGERS

q What do people find a struggle to get reliable information

about?

q What annoys you about your home situation that could be

improved?

q What have you spent a lot of money on, in relation to your
home, pets and garden?

q Have you ever made something for your home and

garden that you were proud of?

q Do you provide a service or product that helps people

improve their home lives?

q What do you think more people should be doing to their

homes and gardens?

Your Personal
Goals
Have you ever wished to

q Improve your physique?

q Overcome a disease or ailment?

q Significantly reduce or manage the pain related to a

specific disease or ailment?

q Beat a phobia?

q Cope better with a physical or mental disability?

q Achieve a promotion?

q Run a successful business?

q Change career?

q Work from home?

q Improve your home?

q Move overseas?

q Improve your self-confidence?

q Improve your relationship with others?

q Write a book?

q Do something creative that you really enjoy?

q Discover a new hobby?

q Return to something interesting that you used to enjoy in

the past?

q Be more environmentally friendly?

q Get out of debt?

q Learn a musical instrument?

q Learn a craft?

q Find love?

q Protect yourself from a hereditary disease?

q Get fit?

q Help your local community?

q Learn a moneymaking skill?

q Cook like a professional?

 q Invest your money so that it brings good returns?

q Relieve your pain?

IDEA TRIGGERS

q Does achieving your goal involve sifting through lots of

information, sometimes contradictory, controversial or
confusing?

q Which of these goals drives you, gets you worked up,

passionate and consumes your waking thoughts?

q What have you spent a lot of money on to achieve your
goal? Or what MIGHT you have to spend money on if you
were to set out on this path?

q Is there something you could make, or learn to make, that

would help you achieve your personal goal?

Your World
Have you ever...

q Had a special interest in your local area?

q Been involved in politics?

q Worked for a charity?

q Been involved in a political, environmental or social

campaign?

q Crusaded to raise awareness of an issue?

q Made a speech or written articles supporting a cause?

q Been part of a historical event?

q Fought for a right of way, public access or against a

development?

q Written about your town or familys history?

q Do you care about environmental issues in your area
river pollution, recycling, noise pollution, traffic congestion,
etc?

q Have you ever stood up for a cause and won?

q Is there something missing from your community or town

that would make life much better or easier?

q Are you part of a group of like-minded people, be it on the

Internet or in your local community?

q Do you teach, advise or counsel for a living?

q Set up a local club, society or group?

q Been harmed by the actions of others for instance a

companys product, a town planning decision, a new
development or an environmental disaster?

q Switched to a more environmentally friendly lifestyle?

q Found a way to conserve energy?

q Run a food bank, soup kitchen or initiative to help the

needy?

q Gained recognition for something youve done for your

community?

q Been profiled for your good deeds or actions in the

media?

 q Been frustrated by transport, law or crime in your town?

IDEA TRIGGERS

q What big issue needs a firm voice, or someone to cut

through the noise and make a clear argument?

q What social cause would you like to be involved in or find

out more about?

q Do you work for a cause, organisation, political group or

charity that you think offers something to others?

q Are you out to change the world, fight someones corner,
save the environment or improve your local community?

Your Next Steps
Well done!

Your profile should now be filled with plenty of notes.

Obviously some categories will be much more relevant than others

but nonetheless, the trigger questions should have helped you
identify some skills, interests, passions or experiences.

Now you need to focus identify which ones you have the greatest
personal connection with.

Heres how you do it....

Look through your responses from the top to the bottom and score
each skill/interest/experience with marks out of 5 for the following
5 being the top mark, 0 being the lowest:

I have a high level of interest in this

I have a high level of experience in this

I have had a high level of success in this

I am passionate about this

I talk to others about this

I feel a strong connection to this subject

 I can imagine myself being involved in this subject in some
way

Ive looked for a lot of information on the Internet about this

topic in the past.

Then just add up the total scores.

For instance, on your CV in the Your Health & Wellbeing section

you might have cared for an elderly parent with dementia.

I have a high level of interest in this +4

I have a high level of experience in this +5

I have had a high level of success in this +3

I am passionate about this +4

I talk to others about this +3

I feel a strong connection to this subject +5

I can imagine myself being involved in this subject

in some way +3

Ive looked for a lot of information on the Internet

about this topic in the past +3

So your score for this is 30 out of a possible 40.

Or perhaps in the Business/Career section you have written: I was
once trained as a telephone sales person...

I have a high level of interest in this +2

I have a high level of experience in this +4

I have had a high level of success in this +3

I am passionate about this +2

I talk to others about this +1

I feel a strong connection to this subject +2

I can imagine myself being involved in this

subject in some way +1

Ive looked for a lot of information online about

this topic in the past -0

Your score for this is 15 out of a possible 40.

At the end of the process, put the topic with the highest score at
the top of the list, the lowest at the bottom.

This is now your hot list.

What happens next?

Hopefully you will now have a much clearer idea where your
strengths and skills are.

Do they surprise you?

Or do they confirm what you already knew?

The next step is to make sure that you can match your specific
skills and experience to the right kind of enterprise or business.

Of course, there are other factors involved to determine the best

path to take, including your financial goals and how much time and
financial investment you can make.

Ill be in touch very soon with more practical steps you can
take to start your own profitable information publishing
business based on what you love doing most.