Find your Strengths and Thrive!
What are my strengths
In order to develop a career that really suits you, it’s important to have a basic knowledge of your key strengths. Unlike skills or knowledge you can acquire through education and training, your strengths are more intrinsic to your unique DNA. For the most part you were born with them and they come natural to us. You can certainly continue to develop new skills, but in the area of your strengths you have an unfair advantage. If you are smart, you will leverage your strengths.
Your strengths are things that come naturally and easily to you. Your brain has neural networks wired with these strengths which can allow your genius and greatness to emerge. You couldn’t really teach someone to be as good as you are unless they’re predisposed to have a strength in that area.
Assess your Strengths
There are serveral tests you can take to help assess your personal strengths. The one I recommend most is the Strengths Finder Test, which can be accessed online with a key from the book called Strengths Finder 2.0. This questionnaire will help you identify your top strengths with an emphasis on career-related abilities.
I took this test and here are my top 5 strengths. The results for my top 5 strengths were, in order:
Spirituality: sense of purpose and faith You have strong and coherent beliefs about the higher purpose and meaning of the universe. You know where you fit in the larger scheme. Your beliefs shape your actions and are a source of comfort to you.
Perspective (wisdom) :Although you may not think of yourself as wise, your friends hold this view of you. They value your perspective on matters and turn to you for advice. You have a way of looking at the world that makes sense to others and to yourself.
Industry, diligence, and perseverance: You work hard to finish what you start. No matter the project, you “get it out the door” in timely fashion. You do not get distracted when you work, and you take satisfaction in completing tasks.
Curiosity and interest in the world: You are curious about everything. You are always asking questions, and you find all subjects and topics fascinating. You like exploration and discovery.
Honesty, authenticity, and genuineness: You are an honest person, not only by speaking the truth but by living your life in a genuine and authentic way. You are down to earth and without pretense; you are a “real” person.
If anyone of you know me personally, these top five strengths are accurately reflect who I am. It is always good to review your strengths and reflect on them.
Understand your Strengths
Once you assess your strengths, it’s important to understand what they mean on a practical a way. What kinds of tasks are well-suited to you? You will find that often your strengths can create great frustration. Currently, I am working with a young man with a leadership gift. When he works in an environment where there is a leadership vacuum, he will either take charge or really get frustrated. Some our strengths can act like weaknesses to us.
It is important that you can see your strengths at work and that you can articulate them. With this understanding you will be able to make better choices about your career and understand why you may feel frustrated in different situations.
Apply your Strengths
You’ll be happiest working in a career that allows you to take advantage of your strengths on a daily basis. This will enable you to make a significant contribution to your field. You will be able to develop excellence in the area of your strength.
Based on my strengths, an ideal career for me would be one that leverages my spirituality and wisdom in helping people find meaning in their personal and professional lives. My love for knowledge, and my strong drive to complete projects adds a project and learning orientation. I would be great in a profession where I can communicate my knowledge, help people find meaning their lives, and accomplish significant projects. Jobs that might be best suited for me might include a teacher, manager, coach, writer, author or spiritual leader.
I suggest you take at least one assessment test to gain clarity about your natural strengths. With greater clarity you will be able fine tune your career focus. Working from your strengths will help you:
- be far more productive
- get better results,
- contribute more value
- attract higher compensation
- enjoy your work and it will be more meaningful
- experience greater fulfillment and sanctification
So take action and take a Strength Finder test and share it with someone today!
Categories: Leadership, Personal Development Tags: career, development, focus, satisfaction, smart, strengths, strengths finder
Simple, Elegant, and Powerful? Is that What you Want to Be?
We spent an hour at Verizon this morning buying the new iPhone 4S. What an amazing piece of electronics. It integrates your communications into one package creating a powerful, elegant solution which includes internet, voice, apps(tools), social networks, visual interaction kinesthetic(touch) audio, planning, synchronizing, and more. It’s an all in one and that is why so many people like this Apple product. It is an integrated communication tool that helps you manage your social and work life.
The days of electronic fragmentation with devices are gone. You don’t need a phone, iPod touch, and iPod classic, and computer any more. This fragmentation lends itself to compartmentalizing your life. Since this is a website about personal development and achieving greatness, you probably know where I am headed in this post.
The iPhone is about powerful communication. The essence of our lives is about communication as well. Everything we do has to do with some form of communication. Integration versus fragmentation in our personal and work lives can really mess us up. It can become an energy drain and lead to lots of frustrations.
When we experience fragmentation we are unable to integrate our strengths, skills, values, motivations, and learning styles in a healthy environment. When we fail to live in that powerful zone or sweet spot, we often experience frustration and failure. Imagine what your personal and professional life would be like if you were able to identify and master your strengths and become a power, simple, and elegant person? You would be satisfied and would probably create wealth where ever you go and would be in great demand.
What steps could you take to get integrated so you feel life your life is converging on your strengths?
1) Take personality inventory – learn how you are wired for motivation (click here). Go to the Personality Assessments. I recommend PSI for starters.
2) Answer the “What’s My Identity” questionnaire and debrief with someone about what you learned about yourself. Go to Downloads
3) Hire a coach who can help you grow in self-awareness and experience break through in your thinking. If you are a high school student or college student, we have some scholarships available and you can get feedback for free. Click here to contact us.
Don’t delay, invest in your future. Take these actions steps to move closer to a place of greater satisfaction and experience the joy of achievement. You will not regret it.
Categories: Identity, Leadership, Personal Development, Relationships, Workplace Tags: apple, break through, elegant, future, invest, iphone 4s, Personal Development, powerful, strengths
