my "talents" :)

i probably shouldn't be doing this right now, but i gotta write it down somewhere before i forget. :p
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...so it turns out that there is a difference between "strength" and "talent". according to gallup's clifton strengthsfinder:

"strength": the ability to consistently produce a nearly perfect positive outcome in a specific task.
"talent": a natural way of thinking, feeling or behaving.

strength comes when you invest in a talent. your talents are your greatest opportunities for success. you can build strengths by identifying your greatest talents, then refining them with knowledge and skills.

the strengthsfinder test helps me to discover and identify what i naturally do best by giving me a list of my top five (out of a possible 34) "talents" or themes. people have a tendency to focus on things to improve - things we are bad at. but this test highlights things that we are naturally good at so that we could invest in these talents and reach our potential. knowing the results won't automatically make me super pro at something, but it is a starting point.

i took the test with a little skepticism, remembering the time i took the myers-briggs test four times (in one sitting) and getting four different results. but i was pretty shocked to see my results: it got me dead-on.

...of course, there is selective reading: i tend to see or notice things that seem to fit and ignore or overlook things that don't. but, despite that, i feel like these five "talents" or themes pretty accurately put into words the essence of who i naturally am.
(if you don't agree with these results, i guess there's more of me for me (and you) to find out. :D)

these five talents (in order) are:

Empathy:
You can sense the emotions of those around you. You can feel what they are feeling as though their feelings are your own. Intuitively, you are able to see the world through their eyes and share their perspective. You do not necessarily agree with each person's perspective. You do not necessarily feel pity for each person's predicament - this would be sympathy, not Empathy. You do not necessarily condone the choices each person makes, but you do understand. This instinctive abilty to understand is powerful. You hear the unvoiced questions. You anticipate the need. Where others grapple for words, you seem to find the right words and the right tone. You help people find the right phrases to express their feelings - to themselves as well as to others. You help them give voice to their emotional life. For all these reasons other people are drawn to you.

Connectedness:
Things happen for a reason. You are sure of it. You are sure of it because in your soul you know that we are all connected. Yes, we are individuals, responsible for our own judments and in possession of our own free will, but nonetheless we are part of something larger. Some may call it the collective unconscious. Others may label it spirit or life force. But whatever your word of choice, you gain confidence from knowing that we are not isolated from one another or from the earth and the life on it. This feeling of Connectedness implies certain responsibilties. If we are all part of a larger picture, then we must not harm others because we will be harming ourselves. We must not exploit because we will be exploiting ourselves. Your awareness of these responsibilities creates your value system. You are considerate, caring, and accepting. Certain of the unity of humankind, you are a bridge builder for people of different cultures. Sensitive to the invisible hand, you can give others comfort that there is a purpose beyond our humdrum lives. The exact articles of your faith will depend on your upbringing and your culture, but your faith is strong. It sustains you and your close friends in the face of life's mysteries.

Positivity:
You are generous with praise, quick to smile, and always on the lookout for the positive in the situation. Some call you lighthearted. Others wish that their glass were as full as yours seems to be. But either way, people want to be around you. Their world looks better around you because your enthusiasm is contagious. Lacking your energy and optimism, some find their world drab with repitition or, worse, heavy with pressure. You seem to find a way to lighten their spirit. You inject drama into every project. You celebrate every achievement. You find ways to make everything more exciting and more vital. Some cynics may reject your energy, but you are rarely dragged down. Your Positivity won't allow it. Somehow you can't quite escape your conviction that it is good to be alive, that work can be fun, and that no matter what the setbacks, one must never lose one's sense of humor.

Developer:
You see the potential in others. Very often, in fact, potential is all you see. In your view no individual is fully formed. On the contrary, each individual is a work in progress, alive with possibilities. And you are drawn toward people for this very reason. When you interact with others, your goal is to help them experience success. You look for ways to challenge them. You devise interesting experiences that can stretch them and help them grow. And all the while you are on the lookout for the signs of growth - a new behavior learned or modified, a slight improvement in a skill, a glimpse of excellence or of "flow" where previously there are only halting steps. For you these small increments - invisible to some - are clear signs of potential being realized. These signs of growth in others are your fuel. They bring you strength and satisfaction. Over time many will seek you out for help and encouragement because on some level they know that your helpfulness is both genuine and fulfilling to you.

Adaptability:
You live in the moment. You don't see the future as a fixed destination. Instead, you see it as a place that you create out of the choices that you make right now. And so you discover your future one choice at a time. This doesn't mean that you don't have plans. You probably do. But this theme of Adaptability does enable to respond willingly to the demands of the moment even if they pull you away from your plans. Unlike some, you don't resent sudden requests or unforeseen detours. You expect them. They are inevitable. Indeed, on some level you actually look forward to them. You are, at heart, a very flexible person who can stay productive when the demands of work are pulling you in different directions at once.

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having a list of these five themes does not mean that i don't have any of the remaining 29. it simply means that the five listed above are my dominant ones. and now that i know what they are, i could focus on developing them to reach my potential.

finally, instead of focusing on what i'm bad at (something i'm so naturally inclined to do), i could focus on and develop what i'm naturally talented at. you know. put a positive spin on things for a change (ha!).

...but these all still thoughts in my head. i still don't have a clue about how i'm going to implement or exercise these talents.
(but i suppose that's expected since i'm not very high on the "Activator" theme. :p)

nonetheless. all this is for another day and for another blog.
time to get back on that paper!! :)


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shoutout to calvin!! :)