Your Strengths
“The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong.”
Mahatma Gandhi (1869-1948)
Strengths are what you bring to any situation, for example, being flexible or persistent. They are sometimes called traits, qualities, or characteristics. They are part of your personality. They guide your behavior. For example, if one of your strengths is integrity, you will do the “right thing”, even if there is an emotional or financial cost to you.
Professional Strengths
“What are your strengths?” is a question that is frequently asked during a job interview. The employer is trying to discover your experience, skill set, personalities and goals. Ultimately, they are trying to identify if you will be a good fit. You can always answer with some technical skill.
But it may be equally helpful to share an interpersonal skill that calls attention to how you do your work because job responsibilities and expectations may change. For example, you were hired to do “A,” but after six months, you are transferred to department “B” with different expectations and a different skill set.
Focusing on your strengths or best qualities can help you learn how to bring those qualities to your relationships and your work to achieve your goals. Some strengths that are universal include:
• Collaborative
• Deadline-oriented
• Detail-oriented
• Flexible
• Organized
• Patient
• Positive
• Problem solver
• Self-starter
• Team player
Identifying your character strengths or your best qualities provides the foundation for self-awareness, helping shed light on who you are, what you value, and how you want to contribute to the world.
Personal Strengths
When you bring a new boyfriend or girlfriend home to meet your parents, your parents will be looking at that person’s strengths. What does that person bring to the table in a relationship? Is s/he honest? Loyal? Compassionate?
Character strengths are more than your individual achievements. They are the culmination of who you are, your core. They aren’t fixed; they can be grown. There is no endpoint to developing your character. It can be a lifelong project!
Think about what you loved to do as a child. Sports? Arts and crafts? What skills were required for those tasks? Are those personal strengths you can now use in adulthood? The persistence? Being creative? A problem solver?
Something to keep in mind is that unlike your height or weight, character strengths aren’t something that can be seen with the naked eye. Therefore, identifying, understanding, and valuing your character strengths is vital. It will require you to have consistent reflection and self-awareness.
How to Identify Your Strengths
Many people struggle to identify their strengths. It isn’t that they do not have any strengths! Some people just aren’t good at identifying them!
Start by asking yourself, “What are my strengths?” Think about what you enjoy doing and what you are good at.
If you struggle to identify your strengths, try asking one of your friends or co-workers to identify your strengths. They can help you recognize your strengths, which you may not see in yourself. They can at least give you a different perspective on your strengths.
Another way to discover your strengths might be to take an online quiz. There are many online options. Make sure you have the right mindset to take an online quiz. Self-awareness and honesty will be important.
Perhaps you can look at your own patterns of behavior. Ask yourself who you are with and what you are doing when you feel the most confident. Ask yourself what skills were required to complete that specific task. That can give you insight into your strengths.
Or think about your passions. Your passions and your interests are closely linked to your strengths. Think about the activities you love doing and the hobbies you are drawn to. For example, do you love doing art? These are usually areas where you naturally excel.
Strengthen Your Strengths!
Like any skill, strengths can be improved with practice and self-reflection. Look for opportunities to apply your strengths in your personal and professional life. The more you use your strengths, the better you become. For example, if you are a promising artist, you might join a painting class. If you’re empathetic, you could volunteer at a local charity. These are also great opportunities to meet like-minded people and build networks centered around your abilities.
Incorporating strengths into your daily life is one of the best ways to develop them. Whether it is using your problem-solving skills at work or your communication skills at home, consistent practice will pay off.
Strengths play an important role in your personal and professional development. They can guide you to success and fulfillment. By recognizing and developing your own personal strengths, you can open the door to career opportunities and forge deeper relationships with those around you.
Summary
One of the limiting mindsets is focusing only on your current strengths. It is possible to both refine and expand your personal and professional skills. You should ask both “What are my strengths?” and also “Which strengths are worth building?”
Examples of personal strengths:
Ambitious
Charismatic
Compassionate
Conscientious
Curious
Decisive
Determined
Disciplined
Efficient
Empathetic
Enthusiastic
Flexible
Honest
Humorous
Innovative
Insightful
Have integrity
Intuitive
Loyal
Patient
Proactive
Reliable
Resilient
Resourceful
Sincere
With warmest regards,
Thank you so much for reading this blog. If you enjoyed the content, please check out other blogs at:
RelationshipsRelearned.com
RVingNomads.com
In addition to blogs and articles, I have written a series of self-help books called The Personal Empowerment Series and a fictional series named The Charlotte Novella Series. To view my books and novellas I have written, please go to my Amazon Authors Page.
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If you live in the State of Maine or Texas and seeking individual therapy, please go to my Therapy website: KathrynMaietta.com
| AI has not been used to create any content for my website, articles, blogs or books. All material is original unless otherwise noted. All photos and graphics within my website and blogs were taken or created by David Harrington or Kathryn Maietta. |
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