“Get Clear” by assessing your strengths

Your strengths are your talents, skills and knowledge.  Talent is your innate aptitude for an activity.  A skill is something you learn and become more adept at doing through practice.  Knowledge is your understanding of what needs to be done in a specific situation.  If someone asks you about your weaknesses, you are likely to recite a long, specific list.  However, if someone asks you about your strengths, you may list a few vague ideas such as “being good with people” or some generic characteristics such as “being competitive.”  Instead, think about those things that give you a feeling of glowing strength.  Write those down in a specific sentence.  Your goal is to “capture, clarify and confirm” these strengths.  When you find yourself in an activity you particularly dislike, write that down too.  Ask yourself these questions to clarify which aspects of your job matter:  1)  Does the reason why you do yoru work matter?  2) Do the people you are doing it with or for matter?  3) Does when you are doing it matter?  4)  Does the nature of the activity matter?  Use the “yes” answers to create a general statement, your personal “elevator speech” if you will about what your strengths are.