It’s Sunday evening, around 4:30 PM. Most people are out having dinner, watching a movie, or relaxing with their families. Me? I’m at my desk with my laptop open, writing this story.
You might wonder why. It is because if there’s one truth I’ve learned, it is this: Your life changes the moment you discover your real ability. This isn’t about luck; it is about finding the strength that comes from experience. The path to finding it is usually not glamorous, and mine definitely wasn’t.
What “True Ability” Actually Means
People love to say, “He’s talented” or “She was born with it.” But after more than 20 years of working, failing, rebuilding, and learning, I realized something important. True ability is not something you’re born with. It’s something you build.
I found that true ability grows from three specific things working together:
- What you naturally enjoy doing.
- What you work hard to learn.
- The real results you can create.
This became clear to me through experience—especially the hard parts.
My Story: Late Nights and Broken Machines
Years ago, I owned a printing machine as part of my small business. That machine broke so often that I knew its sounds better than my own heartbeat. There were nights I stayed up until 2 AM, sometimes even 3 AM, trying to fix it.
My hands were covered in ink, tools were scattered everywhere, and I was exhausted. But I was determined. People often ask me, “Why don’t you just hire someone to fix it?”
The answer was simple: Every time something broke, I learned something new. Every mistake gave me a new skill, and every challenge made me a little stronger. Looking back, those late nights didn’t just teach me how to repair machines; they taught me how to solve problems, stay calm, and keep going. That became one of my real abilities.
Where My Journey Started: From 2001 to My First Business
Before 2001, I felt lost. I didn’t know what I wanted to do, and honestly, nothing excited me. Then I got a job at a bookstore, and something clicked. The books, the customers, the conversations—I liked being there. It felt natural.
Later, I asked my boss to let me learn the printing side of the business. I didn’t do this because I had to, but because I wanted to understand everything. Deep down, I already had a dream: One day, I wanted to run my own business.
That journey taught me the three pillars that build real ability:
1. Knowledge: The Foundation
I learned by reading, asking questions, and watching others. I studied how printing works, how a small business survives, and why customers return. Knowledge doesn’t fall from the sky; you have to collect it piece by piece.
2. Skill: The Part You Earn
You can read all the manuals in the world, but you won’t learn anything until you actually try. I became good at printing because I practiced. I broke things, fixed them, made mistakes, and fixed them again. Skill comes from doing, not just knowing.
3. Attitude: The Deciding Factor
In 2012, I started my first business with a partner. Unfortunately, it failed. We lost money, and we lost confidence. But we didn’t lose hope.
In 2014, I started again—this time alone—and created Wardoh Books. Everything I had learned as an employee and from that previous failure became fuel. Your attitude during difficult times is often your real “special ability.”
How to Find Your Special Ability: 4 Simple Steps
The big question is: How do you find your true ability? These four steps guided me, and they are simple enough for anyone to follow.
Step 1: Try Things Without Overthinking. Before books and printing, I tried several jobs. Some bored me, some stressed me out, but each one taught me something. Your true ability might be hiding in something you haven’t tried yet. Say yes more often and explore.
Step 2: Notice What You Enjoy Even When It’s Hard. Pay attention to the tasks that don’t drain you. For me, anything related to books, printing, and business planning felt natural. Even on tough days, I still wanted to learn more. Your real ability usually lives in the things you enjoy enough to struggle for.
Step 3: Treat Failure Like Training. Failure is not the opposite of success; failure creates success. When my business collapsed in 2013, it hurt, but it also taught me lessons that no book could provide. Instead of asking, “Why did I fail?”, ask yourself: “What did this experience teach me about who I am?”
Step 4: Practice More Than Everyone Else. You don’t need to be the smartest person in the room. But if you’re the one who practices every day, you’ll win eventually. Consistency builds ability faster than talent.
The Moment You Discover Your True Ability
There’s a simple test to know if you have found it. Your real ability shows itself when things get difficult. Anyone can work well when everything is easy. But when the machine breaks at 2 AM, when your business collapses, or when you’re tired and still keep going—that is where your special ability reveals itself.
For me, it wasn’t just printing, selling books, or fixing machines. It was staying calm under pressure, finding solutions, and refusing to quit. That ability helped me build Wardoh Books and rebuild my confidence.
Your Special Ability Is Already Inside Your Life
Finding your special ability doesn’t require a miracle. It requires attention and effort. Try new things, watch what energizes you, learn from failure, and practice consistently.
I’m writing this on a quiet Sunday evening because I’ve found mine. I know you can find yours too—maybe sooner than you think.
