Our personal strengths are part of what makes us unique as individuals, and part of the value we offer to the world around us.
If we’re not aware of our personal strengths, however, we don’t always capitalise on them as fully as we could, and so may potentially miss out on great opportunities to excel in our lives and careers.
Here are 5 ways you can uncover your personal strengths:
1. Notice what you enjoy
What gives you a buzz? The kinds of activities we enjoy doing are often an indicator of the skills we naturally enjoy. Take a few moments to think about the things you really love to do, and look at the underlying elements that enrich these experiences for you.
Can you see any patterns or shared skills among these things?
2. Ask trusted friends and family
Sometimes it can be hard to judge our strengths with accuracy. Many of us come from cultures where it’s polite to be modest, and this can make it hard to identify our own strengths without any outside help.
Ask trusted friends or family who know you well what they think your personal strengths are, and see if any of the answers surprise you.
3. What do you value in yourself?
The qualities you particularly like about yourself will give you some indication of your personal strengths. For example, if you like the fact that you stick to your goals and see them through, even when the going gets tough, one of your personal strengths might be resilience, self-discipline or determination.
4. What work are you good at?
What kind of work do you do and what makes you good at that work?
Think about what you particularly enjoy about your work and why. If you’re struggling to find much that is enjoyable, consider what’s missing instead.
What do you do simply for the love of doing it? If you're happy to do something even when you don't have to, it’s a strength
5. What energises you?
We’ve already looked at the activities and skills you enjoy. Now it’s time to look at what leaves you feeling energised. Another way of approaching this is to think back to times you were in what is sometimes described as “flow”.
When we’re in “flow”, time passes quickly and we feel engrossed in the task at hand. Looking at the skills required for these tasks will give you further clues about your personal strengths.
