What if I have a few skills listed in the “High Skill Level” or “Moderate Skill Level” categories (and most of them in “Lack Desired Skill Level”)?
Are you typically a “perfectionist” or, in other ways, very hard on yourself? Remember that “High Skill Level” or “Moderate Skill Level” does not mean you can perform the skill perfectly. Ask two or three friends (or a counselor or other professional who knows you well) to help you evaluate your skills from their perspective. We suggest having at least two different people consider your skills so you can observe the commonalities and differences in their assessments.
What if I have no skills listed in the “Lack Desired Skill Level” (and all or most of them in “High Skill Level” or “Moderate Skill Level”)?
You might be too lenient when assessing your skills. A realistic evaluation of your skills across all three competency levels is crucial. This helps you identify which skills you enjoy most and which are most marketable. Consider asking friends to help evaluate your competency in different skills for a more accurate assessment.
What if I have few skills in the “Greatly Enjoy Using These Skills” (but have a lot of skills in the “Like Using These Skills” category)?
Are you conservative in how you experience emotions? Perhaps you are a person who does not relate to “greatly enjoying” much of anything. (When asked about a dinner you had eaten at an excellent restaurant, would you tend to say, “It was fine,” or “It was good,” or would you say, “It was terrific! I had a great meal!” The latter responses tend to come from people who have developed a more comprehensive range of emotional reactions.)
You can redefine “Greatly Enjoy” as “I like a lot” if that helps you differentiate the skills you most enjoy using.
Or, it may be that you have not tried many skills in your life or have not experienced many—or any—skills you greatly enjoy using. Choose some skills you think you would enjoy, and find a low-risk way to try them out. Or use skills you currently have in a different setting. A burned-out kindergarten teacher might find she loves teaching adults! (Remember, you may need to try a skill several times to determine if you enjoy it. Few people, for example, enjoy giving their first public speech as it takes time to overcome the fear and get good enough at it to enjoy it!)
What if I have the majority of skills in the “Dislike Using These Skills” category or “Greatly Dislike Using These Skills” (with few or none in “Greatly Enjoy Using These Skills” and “Like Using These Skills”)?
If you are experiencing some depression (or anger or other negative feelings), you may not feel very excited about or interested in anything. If these feelings persist, seek professional assistance. You do not have to live your life feeling this way.