The biggest thing we take for granted.
We all have a laundry list of things we’d like to change about ourselves and our business.
More of this. Less of that. Fix this. Rework that. Change. Change. Change.
It’s exhausting when we spend our days focusing on what needs “fixing”.
But what if we stopped the madness and focused – I mean super crazy-eyed focused – on our strengths?
Novel idea, right?
Unearthing your strengths is the key to your success. Truly!
Many of us spend way too much time trying to remedy our weaknesses. What’s the point?
How many of us struggle – hoping that one more class, coach, piece of advice or strategy might help our situation and make use better, more and enough. If only ______ (fill in the blank).
We’re focusing on the wrong things!
We often discount what comes naturally. We discount the areas that are easy for us. We take our strengths for granted and often don’t use them enough to become truly remarkable.
The adage “play to your strengths” is, of course, overused but let’s really let it sink in for a moment.
Play. To. Your. Strengths.
Even the word play connotes that your strengths don’t require a lot of work on your part. We can take the word play even further and realize that our strengths often surfaced in childhood. Reflect on the ways you found real joy and had fun.
So let’s discover some of your strengths so you can truly play to them!
Ask yourself the following questions:
1. When are you lit up?
What truly gets you excited? What gets you so jazzed that you’re giddy, talking faster, jumping up from your chair or so intensely focused that you don’t even hear your cell phone ring.
2. What do people complement you on?
People are wonderful mirrors. Do people walk into your home and comment how beautiful it is? Do you hear the same complements but brush them off because it seems so obvious to you?
3. What do people come to you for?
If people are coming to you for the same things they clearly view you as a potent resource. Not just one or two people but if several people reach out to you – there is something there. Investigate.
4. What do you do differently?
We all do something differently than others. What’s your unique spin? Perhaps you have a knack for seeing crazy connections between two totally different things? Maybe you naturally delight and surprise your customers with small touches. What’s obvious to you but not to others may be your defining strength.
5. How do you regain control?
In talking with Whitney Johnson recently who wrote the book Disrupt Yourself, she noted that a great way to figure out your strengths is to pay attention to the (helpful) ways you regain control in uncertain and stressful situations. Do you become narrowly focused on executing on your goals? Do you become an even louder cheerleader for your mission? You can learn a lot about yourself during these situations that you can deploy on a more regular basis.
Let’s stop focusing on correcting our weaknesses and instead celebrate and relish in our strengths. We all have them. Find yours!
Additional Resources to Uncover your Strengths:
Online: https://www.viacharacter.org
Book: Strengths Finder 2.0
Share your #1 strength below and let’s celebrate your best asset for success!
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