#8: Figure Out My Strengths Using Strengths Finder 2.0

"People who have the opportunity to focus on their strengths every day are six times as likely to be engaged in their jobs and more than three times as likely to report having an excellent quality of life in general.  You cannot be anything you want to be- but you can be a lot more of who you already are."  -Tom Rath, author of Strengths Finder 2.0

After 30 days of working on my weakness in sport, I was ready to figure out my strengths in life.

I'll admit, I've grown up learning that the way to success is to work on my weaknesses.  In piano, I would repeatedly drill passages until my fingers gained muscle memory and I no longer made mistakes in that part of the piece.  In basketball, I practiced dribbling with my left hand so much that now when I go towards the basket, I drive to the left side.  Ironically, my weak hand became my dominant dribbling hand. 

When I first heard about this book, it intrigued me.  Of course!  Why haven't we been working on our natural strengths all along?  Why have we focused so much on improving upon our weaknesses that we are left so tired and unmotivated?

The book comes with a unique access code that allows you to take an online assessment.  You have 20 seconds to answer each question in order to capture the instinctual, top-of-mind responses, and based upon your answers, you will be given your top 5 strengths (out of a database of 34 talent themes).  By investing time and energy into your natural strengths, you can achieve many more things in a more enjoyable way. 

Here are my top 5 in order:
1. Maximizer

2. Empathy

3. Futuristic

4. Achiever

5. Activator

I encourage all of you to check out this book and take the assessment test.  Included in the book are ways to build and hone each other's strengths once they have been recognized.  Once you've established your top 5, let me know what yours are...so this way we can grow stronger together and fill in each other's gaps- allowing everyone to live deeper and more fulfilling lives. 

I guess it really is that simple after all.