A year ago if you would have asked me what my strengths were, I would have looked at you like you were crazy! Then, I would have bashfully brushed off the question in an attempt to hide the fact that I honestly didn’t think I was good at anything! Sure, I had accomplished a few “noteworthy” achievements for a 21 year old. I overcame a multitude of personal challenges, I graduated from college in 4 years and I was on my way to grad school with a full tuition remission graduate assistantship. But nevertheless, I couldn’t identify what my strengths were. I learned that my achievements don’t define me and after having accomplished them, I still didn’t know how to define what I was good at, regardless of what other people saw in me. My inability to recognize and own my strengths could have been a byproduct of my (what seemed like a lifelong) romance with low self-esteem. And to top it off, I had no problem writing a figurative grocery list of ALL of my weaknesses…every single one of them. After a colleague encouraged me to read the book Strengths Finder 2.0, my perception of myself changed drastically! Below are a few bullets to wrap up my experience with Strengths Finder 2.0. It’s an easy read! You can literally read this book and complete the web-based assessment in a day, though I read bits and pieces over the course of a week. Philosophy- The author, Tom Rath, encourages readers to focus on their strengths and amplify them, rather than fixating on weaknesses. His research shows that people who operate from their strengths, are more effective and more fulfilled. Self-awareness- I found my results to be head on! The 5 themes (or strengths) that I identified with described me to a Tee. I printed my test results and I review them periodically. Reading the insights from the report made me feel more in tune with myself and I was able to easily identify and discuss my strengths to others. This was especially beneficial for job interviews! Confidence- There’s a section in the report entitled “Your Personalized Strengths Insights: What makes you stand out?” This was one of my favorite sections! Essentially, it described my unique characteristics that set me apart from others. What a confidence boost! I found that the explanations in the report eloquently articulated things about me that I had trouble verbalizing. Reach your goals- My other favorite section ( all three sections are my favorites lol) is the “Ideas for Action” section. This section takes your 5 top strengths into consideration and presents tips on achieving goals and ultimately leveraging your talents. Whether you’re aware of your strengths or having trouble identifying them, I highly recommend everyone to read this book and follow through with the quiz. It has truly helped me to boost my confidence, self-esteem and self-awareness. Click the photo below to purchase the book on Amazon’s site.
