Do you know your Personality Strengths?

To make your self-discovery easy, I have summarized a list of Personality Strengths. This information is based on “NOW, Discover your strengths” by Marcus Buckingham and Donald O. Clifton, Ph.D. pages: 83-116. 

We will continue the process of defining your strengths. Read the description. Check it if the portrayal fits you. Write “No,” if it is totally unlike you. Highlight a sentence if only that part describes who you are as a person. You can also note traits of other people you know.            

Are you an…..

____ Positivity: You are generous with praise, quick to smile and always on the lookout for the positive in each situation. People see you as lighthearted, happy, energetic, and optimistic, and they want to be around you because your enthusiasm is contagious. You celebrate every achievement and look for ways to make things more exciting and vital. Cynics may reject you, but that rarely gets you down. You believe that it is good to be alive, that work can be fun, and that life is better with a good sense of humor.

_____Relator: This trait derives a great deal of pleasure and strength from being around your close friends or relatives. You are comfortable with intimacy and deliberately encourage a deepening of the relationship. You want to understand other’s feelings, goals, fears and dreams and you want them to reciprocate. Being close has risks, but you are willing to take them because a relationship only has value if it is genuine. Therefore, you are willing to entrust yourself to a friend and take the steps toward real friendship.

_____ Responsibility: This theme forces you to take psychological ownership for anything you commit to and no matter how important you feel emotionally bound to follow it through to completion. You believe your good name depends on it. If you are thwarted in completion, you look for ways to make it up to the person. Excuses and rationalizations are totally unacceptable. You will not be able to live with yourself unless you make restitution. Therefore, your reputation is that you are very dependable so others will begin to flock to you for help. So you must be selective because your inclination is to volunteer more than you can handle and thus burn yourself out trying to complete all the tasks.

_____Restorative: This is the problem-solver. You are energized by the challenge of analyzing the symptoms, identifying what is wrong and finding the solution. You may seek out or have a preference for specific types of problems. Some prefer problems they know how to handle, and others search for problems that will stretch their abilities. Either way, you enjoy identifying the factors and eradicating them so things can be restored. Without your help, the thing you fix may have ceased to function without you. You fixed it and maybe even saved it.

_____ Self-Assurance: In the deepest part of you, you have faith in your strengths. You know that you are able either to take risks, meet new challenges, stake a claim and deliver. This trait is confident in their abilities and judgment. Your perspective is unique and distinct and, therefore, you must make your decisions. You want to live your life. This gives you a sense of certainty, and you are not easily swayed. This trait is solid, it is strong and like the keel of a ship, it keeps you on your course.

_____Significance: The key to your life is to be viewed by others as very noteworthy, significant and substantial. You want to be recognized, to be heard, to stand out, to be known, to be admired, professional and successful. You look for others who have these traits and will tire of others that don’t fit in this class. You are an independent spirit that wants your work to be a way of life. You wish to be given free rein and leeway to do things your way. Normally your life is filled with goals, achievements, and qualifications. You keep reaching to move away from the mediocre towards the exceptional.

Continue with Part 7 in this series to read more definitions of personality strengths.

If you would like to research this subject more, try the books: Personality Types: Using the Enneagram for Self-Discovery by Ron Richard Riso and Russ Hudson, Personality Types by John-Nwankwo RN, MSN or Gifts Differing: Understanding Personality Type by Isabel Briggs Myers.

Some other articles written by this author are:

Define your Values, Focus your Life!

Empower Yourself to Move Forward in Life…Starting Today

Empowerment; and Priorities: Uncover your Top 5  By Vicki Langemo, LPC, MA. These can be found at www.supportivetalk.com