Know Thyself: Strengthsfinder (2.0)

Strengths are talents that were invested in and developed with time and energy. People can become skilled in things which they were not talented in and people can have unrealized talents which never become strengths. The point of this test is to discover what our main talents are so we don’t waste time pouring our time and energy into things which may not be our forte.

I – Strategic

Shared Theme Description

People who are especially talented in the Strategic theme create alternative ways to proceed. Faced with any given scenario, they can quickly spot the relevant patterns and issues.

Your Personalized Strengths Insights

Driven by your talents, you notice that multiple solutions to nagging problems automatically pop into your mind. You usually study each option from many different angles. After carefully evaluating the entire situation, you likely choose the alternative that makes the most sense. Why? You habitually aim to outscore or outperform most of your rivals most of the time. Instinctively, you are innovative, inventive, original, and resourceful. Your mind allows you to venture beyond the commonplace, the familiar, or the obvious. You entertain ideas about the best ways to reach a goal, increase productivity, or solve a problem. First, you think of alternatives. Then you choose the best option. Chances are good that you usually feel satisfied with life when your innovative thinking style is appreciated. You automatically pinpoint trends, notice problems, or identify opportunities many people overlook. Armed with this knowledge, you usually devise alternative courses of action. By evaluating the circumstances, available resources, and/or the potential consequences of each plan, you can select the best option. By nature, you generate innovative ideas. You offer unique perspectives on events, people, and proposals. You probably inspire people to start projects and launch initiatives.

You tend to identify a goal, devise numerous ways of reaching it, then choose the best alternative.

This explains why you see opportunities, trends, and solutions before your teammates, classmates, or peers see them. It’s very likely that you have a knack for identifying problems. You spontaneously generate alternatives for solving them. You probably consider the pros and cons of each option. You often factor into your thinking prevailing circumstances and available resources. You feel life is good when you sense you are choosing the best course of action.

II – Achiever

Shared Theme Description

People who are especially talented in the Achiever theme have a great deal of stamina and work hard. They take great satisfaction from being busy and productive.

Your Personalized Strengths Insights

Chances are good that you labor tirelessly when you know your performance and results are being compared to those of other people. You probably find it hard to recall a time when you failed for lack of effort. You are naturally motivated to be the very best — not merely one of the top finishers. Your satisfaction comes from being “number one.” By nature, you customarily establish weekly performance targets for yourself. You organize and plan new projects. Usually you know exactly where you are headed, how you will proceed, and when you will reach your goal. Pushing hard for desired results energizes you. Because of your strengths, you normally direct most of your talent, energy, effort, and reasoning to the task at hand. Your good judgment probably allows you to establish long-term goals that are truly worthy of your undivided attention. Driven by your talents, you usually give your undivided attention to individuals. You automatically concentrate on whatever they are saying. You earnestly strive to eliminate distractions or reduce interruptions that get in the way of your really understanding someone. It’s very likely that you think intensely to conceive vivid mental images of the future. Many individuals lack your ability to envision what will be possible in the coming months, years, or decades. As a result, they regularly rely on you to do this visioning for them.

III – Belief

Shared Theme Description

People who are especially talented in the Belief theme have certain core values that are unchanging. Out of these values emerges a defined purpose for their life.

Your Personalized Strengths Insights

Because of your strengths, you refuse to live a meaningless existence. You seek a vocation that allows you to express your deepest values every day. Work or school provides you with the opportunity to enrich and deepen the quality of your life. You really want to do what you love doing. Your job or studies need to be much more than a means to an end — that is, a paycheck or a diploma. It’s very likely that you are enthused about being declared the very best. The experience of winning likely means much more to you than any monetary reward. Chances are good that you associate false praise with dishonesty. This is one reason why you are cautious when giving individuals feedback. Your integrity demands that you say what you mean and mean what you say. Your compliments are hard-won and genuine. As a result, people really value them. Instinctively, you are determined to push for changes that will benefit humankind or Earth itself. Your desire to have an impact motivates you to enter into conversations with intelligent people. Drawing on their wealth of knowledge and ideas as well as sharing your treasure trove of wisdom is exciting. These discussions frequently cause you to think in new ways and to reexamine your purpose in life. By nature, you refuse to be blinded by others’ enthusiasm about what is possible. You are hardwired to isolate the issues that lie ahead. Working with overly optimistic people is difficult for you. You have seen them accidentally derail more than one promising project or unwittingly sabotage more than one inventive, yet undeveloped, idea.

IV – Responsibility

Shared Theme Description

People who are especially talented in the Responsibility theme take psychological ownership of what they say they will do. They are committed to stable values such as honesty and loyalty.

Your Personalized Strengths Insights

It’s very likely that you are determined to be victorious. As much as you yearn to be “number one,” you know cheating is unacceptable. You probably experience remorse when you unintentionally take unfair advantage of anyone. You likely think finishing first counts only when you have followed all the rules just like everyone else. By nature, you often describe your life in favorable terms even though obligations force you to keep working until you reach your goal. Instinctively, you are known as a reliable and dependable person. You are motivated to work diligently. You cannot rest until you have completed what you told someone you would do. Because of your strengths, you consistently work at assignments and chores to their conclusion. People have confidence that you will see whatever you do through to the very end. Driven by your talents, you derive much satisfaction from pulling newcomers into discussions or friendly chitchat. Over time, you may have become more aware of your abilities. They also have shown you how to be accountable for your words and deeds. You exhibit maturity beyond that of others your age.

V – Futuristic

Shared Theme Description

People who are especially talented in the Futuristic theme are inspired by the future and what could be. They inspire others with their visions of the future.

Your Personalized Strengths Insights

Instinctively, you have a capacity for envisioning what the coming months, years, or decades could, should, or will be like. Frequently you are prompted to transform your ideas into things you can touch, taste, see, smell, or hear. Chances are good that you crave moments alone with your thoughts. You consider whatever arouses your intellectual curiosity. Setting aside time each week to explore your ideas is not only a pleasurable but a necessary activity for you. Because of your strengths, you create detailed and vivid images of what the future promises. You can describe it long before others can imagine it. Driven by your talents, you have an imagination that allows you to peer into the future and see what is possible. Thinking about the coming years or decades makes you feel a lot more upbeat about yourself, your prospects, and your life. By nature, you may perceive that you have an ability to create vivid word pictures to describe the future. You may inspire people with your images of what can be. Perhaps individuals appreciate your forward thinking. They might want or need to hear from you more often.