It doesn’t matter what your aspirations are, becoming more self-aware of what you can do, can’t do, and enjoy doing will see you in a better place for tackling those tasks and goals. Look no further:

Dig deeper

Get some different coloured pens out and read it from cover to cover. Highlight parts that:

• Resonate with you and feel most like you. Jot down why this is, what success you’ve achieved and why you love doing it.
• You need to take some action on. Even if you don’t know what this is yet, consider what made you say this, how you feel when using this, or the impact it has on you.
• Parts that most excite you. What are you most proud of? What would you love to be doing more of? Any ideas, jot them down.

Get some feedback

Share your Profile with a close colleague, family member, or friend and ask them what they think looks most like you. Get them to share how they have seen you use your strengths and how they may have benefitted from you using them. If appropriate, share the exercise you carried out above and see if they have any ideas to leverage your strengths further or how they can support you.

Make a life journey map

Jot down significant moments in your life. Include job and education changes, house moves, promotions, times of recognition, and challenges. Next to each event, list the strengths that you were using to create your success. With any challenges, note the weaknesses or learned behaviours you were drawing on and any strengths that might have helped you. Use it to help you build a picture of your strengths history and to support future life choices.

What’s that one goal?

A 10K run, a new career direction, focus on your wellbeing, finish that chapter? Plot your goal down and then work through:

1. What realised and unrealised strengths can help you get to where you want to be? What action will you take now and in a couple of months?
2. What learned behaviours or weaknesses might stop you achieving this goal? Who can help with this and which strengths might overcome any challenges?

Use the language

Make the strengths approach part of your everyday conversations with others. Explain you might not be the best person for the task or volunteer by mentioning your strength that will add value. Strengthspot in yourself by thinking about how tasks make you feel and perhaps why you put them off! Strengthspot in others, for example: “Thanks Tom, I can see you really owned that task with your strength in Detail”.

If you would like further tips on developing your strengths, The Strengths Book and Be your best SELF Model will guide you.

Discover your strengths and build on your best self  'TAKE A FREE PROFILE' here