“Strengths are not
activities you're good at, they're activities that strengthen you. A strength is an activity that before you're
doing it you look forward to doing it; while you're doing it, time goes by
quickly and you can concentrate; after you've done it, it seems to fulfill a
need of yours.”
– Marcus
Buckingham
Author /
Speaker
There are
people who are good at things. Perhaps
they are good working with their hand, writing, singing, selling or working
with other people. Those who are around
them and care for them may well say, "You should do _____ for a
living." There are many who have
based their careers on the things they are good at only to end up miserable and
unsatisfied.
As a coach you want to help
people find where they are strong, not necessarily good. Our strengths define us and allow us to
become all we are meant to be. Our
skills can be learned, our strengths come naturally to us. We all have talents and abilities that come
in handy in life, however, they may not be meant to become our careers or life
work. Here are some ways you can
identify your strengths in life.
What Do You Love to Do?
A key way to find your strengths
is by looking at what you really love to do.
What is it that gives you the greatest satisfaction in life? If you could do anything at all, what would
that be?
It is very important that we see
our strengths as our guide to our careers.
When you love what you are doing you become more productive, work with
greater excellence and you avoid burn out.
People often burn out or become frustrated in their careers simply
because it is not what they want to do.
Forcing yourself to do things, even if you are good at them, causes
stress and stress causes us to wear out quickly.
What are You Most Successful At?
When you are working from your
strengths you are more likely to be successful at what you do. Because you love what you do and are good at
it, you are willing to do what it takes to be excellent. You will be willing, in fact, there is no
holding you back from learning all you can, being all you can be and going the
extra mile to go from good to great.
What Makes You Sing?
Here is a simple test to see if
you are working from your strength: As you prepare for work, do you sing or do
you feel angry or tired? As Marcus
Buckingham said, "You strengths make you strong. Your weaknesses make you weak." If you are working from your strengths you
will look forward to you work day and expect it to be productive and
enjoyable. This does not mean you will
not work hard or that all will be easy and light. The truth is, when we do the things we love
we work harder, longer and are willing to face all the difficulties with a
song.
If you have a client, or maybe
this applies to you, who is good at what they do, but they are not happy with
what they do, maybe they have missed their strengths. Being good is never good enough. Success-minded people always strive for
excellence in all they do. To be
excellent is more than skills and abilities, it is loving what you do and doing
what you love.
You matter to the world. You are here to make a difference and that
difference is good. Remember the
qualities of a real success-minded person: Be your best. Love God.
Have good manners. Discover the unknown.
Change the world.
John Patrick Hickey is an author, speaker,
and Life Coach. To read more from John Patrick Hickey or to get his books,
training and book him to speak to your church, business or group, visit our
website at http://www.growthcenter.net or www.johnpatrickhickey.com.
© 2014 John
Patrick Hickey
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