Do you know your work superpowers? (You should & you can.)

Ever seen a superhero origin story? (I'll bet you've seen several.)

Whether your favorite hails from the Marvel or DC universes, or somewhere else entirely, there's a common theme to almost every one:

a seemingly normal human being discovers they can do something that few others can. And it changes their life.

I know it feels like a stretch to shift our focus from superheroes to you . . . but it's not.

Here's why: you have superpowers too. And you need to know about them. Otherwise, we'll all be missing out.

First things first: you have superpowers. Everyone does.

I'm not being cutesie when I say that. I'm being serious.

Over the last 12 years, I've helped hundreds of people get unstuck in their work-life. Every single one of them has superpowers.

You do too.

Now, I don't mean that my clients could turn invisible, fly, or shoot lasers from their eyes. Not that I know of, anyway. Those are superhuman abilities.

I mean this instead when I say superpowers:

every person in the world—you included—can do things that many others can't.

Not only can you do them; you can do them without breaking a sweat.

Think about it. Those are superpowers, aren't they?

You make it look easy when you do it, that thing that's practically impossible for many people. Probably, many things.

Here's the sad part: most people don't have any idea what their superpowers are. So those superpowers rarely get used as a result.

You're going to need those superpowers.

Imagine Bruce Wayne living his whole life without using his superpowers. Or . . . fill in the blank with your superhero of choice.

Or fill in the blank with yourself.

Imagine not knowing what you do best, what comes most easily to you, what you're drawn to in a way few others are.

Imagine not connecting your superpowers at all with what you do for work.

Imagine not being able to explain or demonstrate them to a future employer.

Imagine people not being helped because you're around them, but not in touch with your ability to help them in a way few can.

Imagine letting your superpowers remain completely undiscovered in the first place—those abilities you're uniquely made with, that come to you easily and create value for others.

I'm not talking about crazy stuff here: I'm talking about nearly anything that a human can do, but that most humans can't do.

Here are a few of mine, for example:

• I'm unusually good at capturing what someone else is trying to say, in real-time, and in words they prefer to their own.
• I'm unusually good at spotting the typo on the page . . . in milliseconds.
• I'm unusually good at leading a group in a productive conversation about something they've been stuck in.
• I'm unusually good at teaching —even complicated topics—enjoyably and memorably.
• I'm unusually good at creating such safe 1-on-1 spaces that people instinctively share things with me they've never shared with anyone else.

And that's just five of them. There are more. I'm not bragging on myself; just giving examples of how seemingly "normal" a superpower can be.

To me, after all, those things have almost always felt boringly normal. That is, until I started learning how unusual or even impossible they are for others.

Do you think these superpowers have shaped what I do for work? You bet they have.

So, what about you? What are your superpowers? And when are you going to start bringing them to work?

Dr. Will Gray creates programs that help people experience breakthrough growth. Through?Vocationality, he and his team help people like you get unstuck in your work-life. If you'd like to learn more, sign up for a free training called "How to make a career change that actually works" or schedule a?free half-hour chat?with a Vocationality advisor.

Will also publishes a weekly email called "Three Thing Thursday."