The Help - How to identify your core streghts

       Socrates once said "Know yourself" and there is timeless truth to his words of wisdom. Let´s start by Identifying your talents in three main areas: personal, play and work.

What are you good at? What do you love doing? What makes you special?

Give yourself a truthful answer- realistic without feeling embarrassed or with false modesty. These are the things that make you unique and have the potential to bring great fulfilment.

1. Identify your talents: 

Personal: For example optimism, generosity, energy, empathy, openness, tenacity
Play: Sports, Creative, Intellectual and Social aspects

Work: Purposeful activity. The process of seeing work and the pursuit of interests that fascinate you could also include skills in organising and planning, caring for someone, solving complex problems ans technological expertise.

Core strengths are about pleasure as well as accomplishments. Look for common themes across all three areas and also identify gaps. Becoming aware of what the gaps are and closing them to create more unity can transform your life and make you more powerful and successful. Honour your talents in both work and play so they support who you are and what you do in alignment.

2. Focus on your strengths:

Learn to say no to tasks that do not play to your strength - remember to ask yourself: Will this move me closer to what I want to have/be/do.

Take time to develop your core strength - investing time in planning for your future, doing research - putting in the hours for personal development. High Achievers spend more time developing core strengths than improving areas of weakness- focus on the good stuff.

1) Write down what you feel are your three main strengths, expand on why you feel you are particularly good at certain tasks.

2) Make a note of what you feel are your three main weaknesses. Give details of why you are less good in certain areas.

3) Do this a day after the above - compare and contrast your two lists. what makes them different? What does this say about you as a person? How could you find more time and space to focus on the strengths you outline in number 1)? Make notes on three ways you could delegate the points mentioned- or ways to minimise their importance.

3. Develop your skills:

These questions will help you work out where your core strengths and passions lie. Answer each question, giving as much detail as you can. Your answers inform the focus of your attention.

1) When are you happy? (what are you doing? who are you with?)

2) Complete the following sentences:

a) I am really good at:

b) I find it easy to:

c) I have been praised for:

d) Faced with a challenge the way I approach it is:

3) Ask your friends trust for feed back:

a) what do you value most about me?

b) what is the most interesting thing about me?

c) what are my strengths?

4)Write down everything that makes you special and unique:

a) as a person

b) at play

c) at work

5) Complete the following:

a) The talents I use are:

b) The talents I don´t use are:

4. How to apply your core strengths:

1)Let go of activities that you don´t enjoy - some jobs can be delegated or shared.
2) Work out how much of your work and leisure time is spent on your core strengths. Aim for it to be 80%.
3) Avoid people who are constantly negative, envious and those who doubt you.
4) Take one of your talents and extend it out of your comfort zone.