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Writer's pictureGary Goerk

If You Have a Niche, Scratch It


Woman scratching and itch to show how you can scratch or fill a niche.

How many times have you been walking down a hallway and felt a little itch appear on your back at the exact spot where you can’t reach it? That many? Me too. And don’t you have to find that wall corner to scratch it? Me too. Of course, we have to look around to make sure no one is looking. Don’t we? If someone does see me, I just tell them that’s why God created wall corners.


Finding Your Niche Is Exciting


When you discover your niche in your personal or work life, something exciting happens. You feel good about life, ready to jump right in and make things happen. You have to discover how to proceed. You have to find that “wall corner” to scratch that niche.


The word “niche,” comes from a French and Latin words that mean “nest.” The word refers to a place or situation where you seem to fit in and feel comfortable. In your personal life, it’s the singular thing you are meant to do. In your professional life, it’s the market for your abilities, services or product in which you can specialize and attempt to dominate.


Find Your Interests and Find Your Niche


You can find your niche in either case by identifying what interests you, what you’re passionate about, what drives you. In the professional or business arena, it’s helpful to identify problems in search of solutions, pain points the competition is not addressing.


Once you discover your niche, it’s time to find that “wall corner” and begin “scratching” it. Focus and concentrate on the present, what needs to be done each day to accomplish your goals and objectives. It’s important to learn from the past, plan and look down the road, but the present moment is where the action is.


There May Be Risk Involved


In some cases, especially in your professional and business spheres, there will be risk. Remember there will never be a “perfect” time to act, or a time without risk. Also remember the person who acts despite the risk is often the person who receives the greatest rewards.


You can find and develop more than one niche, but shouldn’t tackle more than two. Also, while optimum, it’s not necessary to be perfect in your niche. Progress in developing it is the important thing.

How Does God Want You to Serve?


As a Christian, a key component of your Christian walk is discovering the niche or niches in which God wants you to serve him, your God-given purpose, your destiny. It could be broadly as a housewife or husband. More specifically as a laborer, a craftsperson, a professional, a business owner, or in the ministry.


Regardless of the niche or niches you discover and explore with the help of the Holy Spirit through prayer, planning, and the guidance of advisers God provides for you, it’s important to act, to seize the moment, one of a limited number of moments God has given you.


Additional reading:


Listen to God's Words


Show me your ways, Lord, teach me your paths. Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long. Psalms 25:4-5


Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed. Proverbs 15:22


If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. James 1:5


Also read: Proverbs 11:14, Colossians 3:23-24, James 4:17


In the Words of Others


“You gotta keep trying to find your niche and trying to fit into whatever slot that’s left for you or make one of your own.” Dolly Parton


“Find what you love and you’ll never work a day in your life, that’s true. But also try to fill a niche. What can you try to do that is different?” Lisa Vanderpump


“If everybody is doing it one way, there’s a good chance you can find your niche by going exactly in the opposite direction.” Sam Walton


Think About It

  • Do you have a niche or niches in which you act in your personal or work lives? Describe them and how you “scratch” them, how you progress and succeed in them.

  • Identify someone you know personally and how you believe they succeeded in the niche or niches they performed. What lessons could you learn from their experiences?

  • Is there a niche or are there niches in which you feel God is leading you to serve him? Explain why you have yet to follow his direction. How do you feel about your explanation?


Information about Midlife Plus Christian Life Coaching

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