Identify and develop your strengths

All of us have strengths and weaknesses. I would say that we all have more strengths and fewer weaknesses. But did you know that we think more of our weaknesses and fail to leverage or grow our strengths? In today’s post I will give you motivation to look at your own virtues and qualities and help you develop your strengths.

Positive things about you and your strengths may come in different forms- your mindset, intellect, habits, skills, or thoughts. It is very important to have a growth mindset. A growth mindset is where we believe that our learning and understanding can be developed and grown, as opposed to a fixed personality which believes these traits to be fixed.

Growth mind set

In the education sector, Carol Dwek is a well known psychologist and author. She is the Lewis and Virginia Eaton Professor of Psychology at Stanford University and one of the world’s leading researchers on motivation and mindsets. According to her “Individuals who believe their talents can be developed (through hard work, good strategies, and input from others) have a growth mindset. They tend to achieve more than those with a more fixed mindset (those who believe their talents are innate gifts)”. You can read more about it in her writing in the Harvard Business Review dated January 2016 here.

Growth mind set is one of the biggest strength anyone can have. Thinking positively and believing that your strengths can be developed, are vital for having a successful and content life.

Habits as strength

Let us now talk about your habits. Some habits, which have be cultivated and developed, can lead to a happier life. In my earlier post about 7 habits to cultivate, I wrote about how some habits may help you create a path of life-long success and happiness. Always doing good for others, living with an attitude of gratitude, letting go, starting each day with a plan and a reflection time, looking for goodness in others, and believing in yourself are some of the habits that you can cultivate for a happy and successful life.

In another parenting post about 6 traits to instill in our kids, I emphasized the need for respect, kindness, compassion, honesty, confidence and grit. I believe that these virtues are not only helpful for kids but also to all of us adults. I would add tolerance and patience to this list, and our world would become such a beautiful place when every human being has these traits at the core of their values and beliefs.

Skills as strength

Another strength that we may have is our skills set. Our skills can be in the form of our education- college or career, intellect or having interpersonal skills. In this post about personalities and learning styles, read about how your strength may be your personality type or your learning style. Do check this post for more information, and learn how to grow what you already have as your strengths and traits. Your learning styles, multiple intelligences, compass points directions, Myers-Briggs personality type, and color personality all give you insights and can help you with your vision and goals.

I love the eight multiple intelligences theory which can help you identify your strength as linguistic, logical/mathematical, spatial, bodily/kinesthetic, musical, interpersonal, intrapersonal, or naturalist. I believe each one of these are important, and not any one is above others. Linguistic learners learn best by speaking and finding the right words. Logical or mathematical intelligence involves the use of logic or numbers or following steps to prove ideas. Spatial intelligence visualizes the world in 3-D. Bodily or kinesthetic intelligence use movement and coordination as their strength. Musical intelligence people have music or rhythm/pitch/note as their strength. Interpersonal involves connecting with other people, while intrapersonal involves understanding yourself. Lastly, intelligence of naturalist works best with nature and understanding living things around them.

Thoughts as strength

This is such an important mental strength to have. Did you know that we have up to 70,000 thoughts in day? Imagine what and how much we can accomplish or improve if we paid attention to our thought process! Having a positive attitude and looking for good in every person are always on top of my list. Self-affirmation and mindfulness are just two ways you can try to start changing your thoughts to be more positive. Read this post about embracing the power of now and living in the present. Having an attitude of gratitude and always counting your blessings can make a huge difference in our lives. These are all strengths that can be developed over time and changes or evolves as we grow and learn in this journey of life.

My strengths

Some of my strengths include trying to always see positives in every situation, being thankful for every small thing in life and having an attitude of gratitude. My skills include being a people person, interpersonal skills and being friendly. Some of the habits as strengths would include being compassionate and putting myself in others’ shoes, so giving a benefit of doubt to the other person. I am still working on my strengths and it is a work in progress.

Book recommendations

Check out the book Mindset: The new psychology of success, where Carol Dwek writes- What are the consequences of thinking that your intelligence or personality is something you can develop, as opposed to something that is a fixed, deep-seated trait?

For professional guidance, check this book about 7 habits of highly effective people. This book by Stephen Covey was a groundbreaker when it was first published in 1990, and it continues to be a business bestseller with more than 10 million copies sold. Read about his holistic, integrated, principle-centered approach for solving personal and professional problems.

Read this book about Habits of mind by Bena Kallick and Arthur Costa which emphasizes the need for building 16 habits for success for not only students but also for any adults.

Strength finder 2.0 is a great book for anyone interested to know about their strengths and how to be more engaged at work, more productive in their role and be happier and healthier in their lives.

Howard Gardner’s frames of mind can help you identify which of the 8 multiple intelligences you fall into- linguistic, logical/mathematical, spatial, bodily/kinesthetic, musical, interpersonal, intrapersonal, or naturalist.

Wrap up

In today’s post I wrote about how to identify our strengths which can be in the form of mind set, habits, skills, or thoughts. The intention is for all of us to be self aware and be deliberate about growing ourselves. There are many strengths that can be developed over time and others that we may be born with. Genetics and environment both play vital roles in shaping our personality as well as strengths.

Dear readers, we would love to hear from you. I want you to think about your strengths that you have found helpful in your life- be it with family or work or society in general. Do share your thoughts and insights. You may comment below or send an email to nishtha@dawnandhope.com!