What are your strengths?
Words uttered at the job interview that put your brain on stun. I recall my first interview for a technical job, I had to say, I google a lot. The interviewer laughed.
We often ask ourselves on what skills or abilities to develop to have a better career. Some are job specific, like programming or cooking, or are very general, writing or conversational skills. With that mentioned, I'd like to point out one best ability that served as the best in any situation and in any career.
Growing up, I have been to many industries: Fast Food, Call Center, Sales and Marketing, etc. In all these jobs, I have realized that there is always something new you could learn, from the simple to the complicated. Getting a good understanding on these things and learning them is the best skill there is, your cognitive ability.
What is your Cognitive Ability or Cognition?
Like I said, I google a lot, so here's the definition:
Cognition is the process by which the sensory input is transformed, reduced, elaborated, stored, recovered, and used.
Too technical? Well, in short, it's how fast you absorb things.
In a situation where everything is fast paced and pressure is all around, you need to be able to adjust and adapt accordingly, and this skill will be your friend.
So, now you know how important it is, but how do I bring the best out of it? Like they say, practice makes perfect. Constantly learn new things: Play a new game, Learn a new dance, Try a new recipe, just constantly challenge yourself and accomplish something each day. Start from the easiest, like writing a poem, to the crazy hard, like doing backflips on a motorcyle.
The next time you are out there, ask yourself,
What are my strengths?
