The Importance of Identifying Your Strengths

22 Apr, 2016 Job Search,Personal Development,Self Improvement

jumping for joy, identify your strengthsWe’ve all been asked the following question during a job interview, what are your strengths?

We usually try to answer with the assumed expectations of the interviewer. But are the answers we give in times of nervous stress our truths?

If asked outside of a job interview, would we be able to tell honestly, what our strengths and weaknesses are?

The Traits That Define Our Lives

It’s important to accept and embrace our strengths because these traits define our progress through life.

According to the research gathered by Clifton StrengthsFinder, your strengths do not change over the course of your lifetime. Instead, your strengths become the guiding influence throughout your life, affecting how you achieve your goals and fulfill your full potential.

When Strengths Become Weaknesses

It’s important to realize that your strengths can easily become your weaknesses in two ways.

  • Obsession with a Strength – A healthy desire to be the best version of yourself can also turn into a vicious competition.
  • Wasting a Strength – When you take the time to sit down and examine what you’re strongest at, you can then begin to cultivate those strengths to achieve your full potential.

How to Identify Your Strengths

Recognizing your talents can be difficult. If you have been good at something your entire life, what may be amazing to others, is commonplace to you. Here are a few questions to ask yourself on your path to greater self-awareness.

  • What talents or personality traits do I exhibit when I felt the most successful?
  • When do I feel the most competent and empowered?
  • What abilities do I take pride in exhibiting?
  • What have I been complimented on in the past?
  • What tasks have others recommended me for? For example, “You need (insert task here) done? I know just the person for that!”

Also, ask your friends, family and coworkers for their input. After all, they are around you the most and probably know you the best. Once you have the answers to these questions written down, review them and organize them into a level of ability and importance to you.

Ask yourself if you have truly embraced your strengths. Have you nurtured them and used them to their full potential? If not, what steps can you take to improve? We all possess unique and incredible talents, and it’s time to recognize the strengths in yourself!

Still having a hard time identifying your strengths? Read a previous post where we offer information on the power of honest critique!

Do you know what your strengths are? Let us know how you figured it out in the comments section below!

Image attribution: https://www.flickr.com/photos/marcygallery/

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The Importance of Identifying Your Strengths
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We’ve all been asked the following question during a job interview. What are your strengths? We usually try to answer with the assumed expectations of the interviewer. But are those answers we give in times of nervous stress our truths? If asked outside of a job interview, would we be able to tell honestly, what our strengths and weaknesses are?
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