Strengths

Nearly two years ago I was talking with my good friend Danny V about finding my potential and purpose in life. He told me that I should read the Marcus Buckingham book "Now, Discover Your Strengths". So I went to Barnes and Noble and bought the book. This book is unique. Once you've read it you go online and take a test. From this test you'll find out your five signature themes. The test was compiled by the Gallup Corporation. They studied over two million people and found that there are thirty-four themes that where common to most people. From which each person's top five is revealed from the test.

This was very enlightening to me. I found out why I think, act, and feel certain ways. This opened a door for me, that I walked through very quickly. My life will never be the same. I say this because, before I spent a lot of time trying to fix my weakness. It seemed like more I tried the worse things got. Now I spend that time focusing on my strengths. By doing so the weakness will take care of themselves.

My Signature Themes

Connectedness: People strong in this theme have faith in the links between all things. They believe there are few coincidences and almost every event has a reason.

Adaptability: People strong in this theme prefer to "go with the flow". They tend to be "now" people who take things as they come and discover the future one day at a time.

Empathy: People strong in this theme can sense the feelings of other people by imagining themselves in others' lives or other's situations.

Positivity: People strong in this theme have an enthusiasm that is contagious. They are upbeat and can get others excited about what they are going to do.

Responsibility: People strong in this theme take psychological ownership of what they say they will do. They are committed to stable values such as honesty and loyalty.

One of my assignments this semester was to take a Strengths Quest Analysis. Come to find out it is the exact same test I took before. I was excited and curious to see if anything had changed. Sure enough a couple things did change.

Adaptability, Responsibility and Empathy stayed the same but Connectedness and Positivity moved down, Strategic and Belief take their place.

Strategic: People strong in this theme create alternative ways to proceed. Faced with any given scenario, they can quickly spot the relevant patterns and issues and come up with a plan "B".

Belief: People strong in this theme have certain core values that are unchanging. Out of these values emerges a defined purpose for life.

I think it's cool that I've have seven themes to work with. I can see all of them in myself. This will help me even more to proceed with my mission. To help people find their potential, and purpose in life.

Get the book, read it, take the test, open the door, live up to your potential and with purpose.

Now, Discover Your Strengths

(Do not buy this book used, it includes an access code for the online test.)