Identifying and developing your personal strength is a big deal; this is because it not only enhances your performance as an individual, it also offers you the opportunity to learn more about yourself. It’s no longer news that these strengths vary from person to person; while some are incredible in the arts, some others are much more comfortable in the sciences. Whatever category you fall in, the first step to becoming a superhero with your strength is to identify it. In this article we will learn 15 WAYS TO FIND YOUR STRENGTH.
But how do you find your strength? Well, that’s what this article has brought for you. In this article, you will take a look at 15 interesting ways you can find out what makes you different! Ready to get started? Let’s dive right into it! Welcome to Alux. If you don’t feel like reading the article here’s the video version:
1
FIND OUT WHAT’S EASY FOR YOU AND HARD FOR OTHERS
There is always something easy for you, it’s just you don’t know that. It could be painting, dancing, fixing items around the house, or even organising files.
All your life, you probably thought everybody could do this because of how easy it’s always been for you; but that isn’t the truth; that is exactly what makes you different! And you know what would make you stand out?
Becoming extremely good at this thing! When you become an expert at something that comes easy to you, it will naturally make you stand out from other people!
2
WHAT YOU HAVE A NATURAL INCLINATION TOWARDS
Let’s try a quick experiment: close your eyes and think of that one thing that you always naturally gravitate towards. What’s the first thing that comes to mind? Is it sports? Music? Writing? Whatever it is, there is a huge chance that this is the one thing you have always wanted to do! And you do have a strong interest towards that specific activity.
Now, it’s sometimes difficult to get back in touch with this natural inclination, and this is usually due to the fact that you have allowed your environment and the opinions of other people to condition your mind.
3
REDISCOVER OLD PASSIONS
There must have been one thing that you have enjoyed doing in your early age.Or what was that wild dream you had that everyone told you it’d be pointless pursuing? Well, guess what? This old passion is key to discovering your strength.
Most times, our childhoods reflect a pure self, a self that isn’t tainted by societal conditioning, or the opinions of others. So, it means that whatever passion or strength you discovered as a child isn’t due to your society or the opinion of others, but something that comes from within you.
Rediscovering this passion is not just important for finding your strength, it could also help you tilt your life in the right direction, especially if you’ve had a difficult time figuring what you want to do with your life.
4
FIND OUT THE THINGS YOU’D DO EVEN IF YOU AREN’T PAID FOR IT
Nobody likes to work for free, but come on, you know there’s something you’d do anyday, anytime, without anyone having to pay you for it! Now, this does not mean that you should work for free for anyone, everyone needs to be compensated properly for every task they complete.
It is only a tactic that will help you put yourself into focus, so you can see what makes you different from everybody else. After discovering your strength through this process, you can now charge others each time you use your unique strength to complete tasks.
5
ASK YOUR FRIENDS
If there’s anyone who knows you just as well as your family does, it’s got to be your friends. You do trust your friends, right? Then you can ask them what they think about you! The problem with discovering your strength on your own is this: you might end up forming a biassed opinion of yourself.
While some people would think too highly of themselves, others would think too little of themselves; the interference of your friends will help you create the perfect balance.
Ask your friends for their genuine opinion, and if you’ve known each other for quite some time, they will definitely have something to say! They’ll let you know exactly what it would be without adding any other spices to it.
Now, it’s vital that you ask as many of your trusted friends as you can. Then, you create a list of the strengths that have been consistently mentioned, including the ones that only a few of your friends mentioned.
6
WHAT PEOPLE TELL YOU YOU ARE GOOD AT
Now that you’ve talked about your close friends, it’s important to also factor in the opinions of other people. You’ve probably had a teacher, a colleague, or an employer commend you, and tell you how good you are at something.
Has this ever happened to you? Do you remember what exactly it is? If somebody who doesn’t share a close relationship with you notices something distinct about you, don’t you think that says a lot?
It means that it is something about you that stands out! Whatever this thing is, pay attention to it, there is a huge chance it is one of your strengths as a person!
7
TAKE A STRENGTHS TEST
A strengths test? Is that even a thing? Well, yes it is. Just like they are aptitude and personality tests, there are a bunch of strengths tests you can take online.
However, due to an increase in the number of tests available online, it can be quite difficult to find tests whose results are actually valid. But Alux has done the heavy lifting for you, and here are some tests you can try right after reading this article.
The Clifton Strengths Assessment is one of the most popular options available to you, and it takes nothing more than 30 minutes of your time. Through a series of questions and statements, this test assesses your personality, and helps you identify your strengths.
8
ALWAYS ASK FOR FEEDBACK
Okay, this particular one might not sit well with everyone, but come on, constructive criticism, even though not always pleasant, is necessary for growth! By this you will be able to know that what in general people think about you. Asking for feedback not only helps you discover your strengths and weaknesses, it also shows that you are committed to becoming better at what you do! It also implies that you have a unique drive to succeed at what you do.
Feedback from colleagues, friends, and employers will help you see your strengths, and how you can become even better.
9
UNDERSTAND YOURSELF
How do you identify your strengths as a person if you don’t even know who you are?Understanding who you are, your triggers, goals, passion, are all important in helping you discover your strengths.
In fact, by making the conscious effort to understand your personality, you are taking unconscious steps towards discovering your strengths! And if you don’t want to do the heavy lifting in determining your type of personality, there are also a ton of online personality tests available to you!
One great option is the 16 Personalities test, a free test which helps you identify your personality and shows you how it affects your life, and relationships with other people. So, if you are the one who is always conscious and have a question regarding yourself in your mind, it is time for you to understand yourself now.
10
TRY NEW THINGS
Imagine you never find your greatest strength because it was something you thought you said you’d never do. That would be a moment of shame, right? Sometimes, your strength might not be found in your typical hobbies and everyday activities, it just might be found in that new activity you always push off!
Do not make the mistake of undermining how much you can do; push yourself to try new things that are out of your skill set. Take risks; you’d be surprised at the strengths you will discover!
11
LEARN NEW SKILLS
In the vein of trying new things, you should definitely consider learning new skills! This could be skills tied to your current field, or skills that have nothing to do with your current field!
Why is this important, you ask? Well, branching out offers you a rare chance to test yourself in new waters. Who knows, you just might be a genius at it. Now, imagine if you never tried this new skill in the first place, the world will unfortunately miss out on your strength and talents.
To prevent this from happening, learn new skills and you just might discover one more interesting strength to add to your list!
12
KEEP AN OPEN MIND
Finding your strength can be a complicated process, but this doesn’t mean that it is impossible. As you advance down this road, you are bound to discover new and interesting things about yourself, so rather than dismiss them, keep an open mind.
Always remember that the idea is to get a better understanding of yourself, and discovering new things is a major part of the process. Keeping an open mind also helps you see and accept unexpected qualities about yourself, which in turn could lead to a field that you never considered yourself in.
It’s also perfectly okay if you discover that your childhood passion doesn’t reflect your strength. Humans are creatures of change, and learning to understand that change is a major part of people’s lives as humans will make it way easier to accept a newer and better version of yourself.
13
IDENTIFY YOUR PERSONAL WEAKNESSES
If you want to identify your strengths, then you must be willing to identify the not-so-great parts of yourself. Choosing to ignore your weaknesses wouldn’t make you a hero, instead it will have a profound effect on your strength-finding process.
Know your weaknesses, but you must strongly refuse to allow them to control your life.
Instead, focus all your energy on cultivating your strength, while staying aware of your weaknesses.
And as it is mentioned in a previous article, you shouldn’t bother so much about converting your weaknesses into strengths. But here’s the thing; identifying your weaknesses is way different from allowing them to affect your life!
Instead, delegate these to other individuals, and focus on developing your own strengths.
14
DISCOVER WHAT MAKES YOU PRODUCTIVE
Everyone pretends to be the best in certain environment.Some work better in quiet and lonely environments, with soft music playing in the background.
Others become their best selves in a shared working environment, where other people are present, with the ambience of human activities in the air. Perhaps yours is a little more specific than these, but whatever it is, it is critical that you find the sort of environment which aids your productivity and creativity.
But it isn’t just about your environment, certain factors could also hinder or enhance your productivity. There might also be specific hours of the day when you are at your most productive; identify these hours by creating a list of times where your productivity is at its peak.
15
WRITE THINGS DOWN
Writing things down? How is that supposed to even help? Let’s make this clear.Have you ever noticed that writing things down helps you understand your thoughts more clearly?
Yes, that’s right. This is because writing is a cognitive process, and for every word you write down, your mind has gone through a filtering and sorting process.
As regards your strength, writing helps you create a more detailed description of what you can do, which helps you develop a more insightful understanding of your skills!
To get started, write down everything you believe you can do, plus things you have a strong passion for. Then, try to remember scenarios where these strengths have proved useful in solving problems!
Whew! There you have it! 15 interesting ways to discover that super strength that makes you unique! Thank you for sticking around till the end of this article. And as a token of our appreciation, there is an extra tip for you!
16
FIND A SUPPORT GROUP
The sort of people you associate yourself with says a lot about you, and it also affects how you feel about yourself.
If you are surrounded by folks who can’t see anything positive about you or themselves, it’s only a matter of time before this starts to impact your behavior, how you see yourself, and your thinking process.
But if you are surrounded by individuals who spew positivity at every word. Who supports your dreams, and encourages you to become better, then you are on the path of greatness! A support group will make you better, while a group filled with negative-minded folks will do the exact opposite.
You already know which group you are rooting for. Have you got some smart ways you can discover our strengths? We’d like to hear what you think in the comments section!
