Using a Talent To Inspire Awe
Develop a talent. Whatever your talent is, pursue it. People who become "awesome" at what they do invest a lot of time into getting there. Who ever said that being awesome was easy? Some theories say that it takes about 10,000 hours of practice before you can truly master something. Now, that's a lot of hours, and it's totally possible to have an awesome talent before even 1,000 hours of practice. But the people who really have amazing, awe-inspiring talent — Bill Gates, Mozart, Feliks Zemdegs — spent a lot of time preparing to be awesome. While you're practicing your talent, find ways to motivate yourself. Break your goal down into small chunks. Reward yourself with free time, a snack, or that new video game after you've achieved what you wanted to achieve.
Show off your talent. You could be the most amazing dancer or writer in the world, but you won't inspire awe in people if they never see your talent. Being awesome, by definition, means putting yourself out there, no matter how scary that is. However remember not to show off too much, like bragging for instance, for people might think you're being a show-off. Start small. Once in a blue moon, people will start developing a talent and have instant success. For us mortals, it usually takes a while for that talent to develop. So start small. Work yourself up to greatness. At the same time, think of the "biggest stage" your talent can be showcased in. Magicians want to pack auditoriums in Vegas. Singers want to have a #1 Billboard single. Soccer players want to win a World Cup. Don't be afraid to dream big when practicing your talent. That's part of what keeps you going.
Get feedback. Whether it's from a coach, a parent, or a panel, getting advice on what you can do to get better at your talent is absolutely essential. A famous poet once said, "No man is an island." What John Donne meant by that is that you need to rely on other people to help you out. You can't do everything by yourself. Always ask other experts in related fields how you can get better. Your desire to be awesome is directly related to your willingness to develop your talent into the best it can be. Ask other magicians for help; reach out to actors for techniques; attend basketball camps to develop your skills.
Have a mentor. A mentor is someone who is experienced in your field and willing to give you advice and help with the direction you want to take your talent. Having a mentor is huge for people who want to be awesome because of a talent; a mentor will help them process feedback, get new opportunities to show off talent, and network with other people who might continue to help them out. Reach out to other people who might act as a mentor. You can say something as simple as "I was hoping I could get some advice from the world's best flutist about the flute solo in Tchaikovsky's Symphony No. 2. Any help would be greatly appreciated!" Understand what other people get out of being a mentor. A mentor isn't a one-sided relationship, the master just showing the pupil how to get things done. The mentor gets value and happiness out of knowing that they helped you succeed, that they helped mold you into a more dedicated, awesome individual. That's huge! Show your mentor respect. You might think that your mentor's advice is a little off the mark, but try it before you dismiss it. There's a reason s/he's an expert and you aren't. Respect them by taking their advice very seriously.
Learn from your failures. It's a given that when developing a talent, you're going to fail every so often. If you didn't fail, you wouldn't be human. Many people give up when they fail. If you want to be awesome, what you'll have to do is get right back up, shake it off, and learn from your mistakes, not let them keep you down. Get your ego out of the picture. Not only will this help you shake off your mistakes more easily, it will help you develop a more selfless, humble attitude. If you didn't already know it, most people think people who exhibit greatness but still manage to be humble are "especially awesome".
Using Your Personality To Inspire Awe
Be funny. All but the most hardened cynics like someone who can make them smile and laugh. That's why being funny is a huge part of using your personality to be awesome. The good and the bad part about comedy is that there's no one way to do it. That means that you can develop your own sense of what's funny by being totally original, but it also means that there's not really a "how-to" manual for being funny. Be funny with words. Puns and wordplay are a great way to be awesomely funny because we use words all the time. Consider these examples of great wordplay: "Some cause happiness wherever they go; others whenever they go." - Oscar Wilde. "Men seldom make passes at girls who wear glasses." - Dorothy Parker. Use physical comedy to get laughter. Physical comedy can include impressions of other people, learning how to mime, or slapstick comedy. Pick one, experiment with it, and try incorporating it into your funny routine. Tell great stories. We think people who tell great, comedic stories are funny because we live for stories. Stories make us feel human, and so someone who can tell a great yarn delights us. Learn the basics of storytelling to feel even more awesome than you already are.
Be adventurous. Being adventurous means turning everyday opportunities into excuses to find adventure. Remember, you don't need to be Indiana Jones to be adventurous; you just need to be willing to take the road less traveled every once in a while. Travel to new, interesting places. Traveling doesn't need to mean dropping lots of money or taking lots of time. Try going someplace close you've never been. You'll learn about new places, have a new notch under your belt, and will get a chance to convince the locals there how awesome you can be. Learn about unexpected things. Being adventurous can also mean taking a journey of the mind. Now, that sounds cheesy, but it's absolutely true. The most awesome people in the world travel to novel, exciting, distant places in their minds as well as on their feet. Don't be afraid to break away from the pack if it's what you want to do. Sometimes, an awesome person will be adventurous by following his/her heart and set out on their own, against the advice of other people. Be adventurous by doing what you want to do, not what other people want you to do.
Unlock your inner awesome. The most awesome people aren't even aware of their awesomeness. They just are, without thinking about it too much. The awesomeness must come from a place within you. You can never force it out. Try not to focus on "being awesome." Instead, focus on the things that will make you awesome, like developing a way to convert certain recyclables into bio-diesel, or learning how to play pool with hockey pucks on ice. That way, people will be overwhelmed by your awesomeness before they have time to question it.
Express your awesome traits through style. Develop a style that is entirely your own. Don't mimic a style that you think is hip; make your own style hip by believing completely in it and never questioning what other people say about it. Perhaps have a trade-mark accessory by which everyone will recognize you as soon as they see it. Use it, but don't abuse it. Shake off any criticism you may get from other people (they're probably jealous or insecure) and wear it with confidence. Sometimes, having no style is as much of a statement. Some people genuinely don't care about fashion, clothes, or accessories. Lots of people celebrate that because those people are usually absorbed in other things. If you're this kind of person, be comfortable with your lack of style. Don't judge others for spending more time on clothing.
Have a fun personality. Realize that your personality says more about you as a person that your looks or appearance, although those can be important. Be nice, understanding, friendly, giving, and charming (both inside and out). People don't like a mean, selfish, unfriendly, boring person. Some traits that people generally think of as "awesome": Dedication/faithfulness. You are supremely dedicated to whatever you start, and are faithful to a fault. Reliability. You are someone who can always be depended on when people need you, for whatever reason. Kindness/generosity. You are willing to literally give the shirt off your back if you can afford to, and if it means that it will make someone else happy. Ambition. Although your goals are lofty, you would never step over someone to achieve them. Perspective. You can tell the forest from the trees; you know that the simple things in life — friends, family, love, health — are too often the most overlooked. Principle. You know what you believe in, and you have good reasons for holding those beliefs.
Inspiring Awe Through Giving
Be a role model to younger kids. You can be a role model in so many different ways. Consider this, however: if you do decide to help out kids, be sure you're doing it for the right reasons. Helping kids just because you want to be viewed as awesome is a little bit like going on a diet because you want people to like you, not because you want to be healthy. Volunteer as a teacher. Teach kids how to read, how to perform basic math, or how to value exercise. Hold onto your patience and remember that not every kid learns material the same way! Be a mentor to a kid. In the same way that you might have needed a mentor, kids need mentors, too. They want reliable information about relationships, drugs, careers, and life. You can be that source of guidance for a child you take a liking to. Carve out time just to hang out. If you're happy, positive, responsible, and mature, kids will be happy just to hang out with you. You won't have to do much to be awesome in their eyes. Lend them a bit of your time and you may find that simply hanging out can be lots of fun.
Get involved in politics. How often do we complain about politics? All the time. How often do we do anything about it? Not very much. Running for office is a great way to make a difference in your community by testing your political chops. Plus, who can say that they actually ran for office? That's pretty awesome! If you're younger, think about getting involved in student government. It may not have the reach that municipal, state, or federal government has, but it's just as important to the people around you. You'll learn a whole lot more about yourself the more you participate.
Help people less privileged than you. There's no legal responsibility to be charitable, but there might be a moral responsibility. If you were helped out by someone on your life journey, or if you just believe in the principle, think about paying it forward. Help the less advantaged find their way. Get connected through your local church group. If you're part of a community of believers, ask members of your church if they know how you might get involved in charity work. Often, your church will have programs or information about how normal people can best help. Consider making a microloan. A microloan is a small amount of money ($20, for example) that you lend out to other people through a lending institution. The people who get the loan are usually from very poor countries; they use the money to build hospitals, schools, generators, or simply to farm. After they have used the loan, you get the money back. It's a great way to make a difference around the world. Do random acts of kindness. Hold the door open for a person struggling to make the bus; give a homeless person the rest of your take-out lunch; tell your colleague how much you value their hard work. These small acts of kindness take almost no energy or resources to complete, and can have a huge impact.
Get involved in a cause that you believe in. What do you believe in? Do you believe in animal rights? Get involved in PETA or a similar organization. Do you believe in fighting global warming? Get involved in green energy solutions. Do you believe in basic financial literacy? Get involved in guerrilla economics. Whatever it is you believe in, being awesome is all about showing the world what makes you tick.
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