Every place and every person possesses something special and unique. Biltong is something unique to South Africa that we had the chance to experience. What’s unique and special about you?
There is something special about who you are and how you show up in the world. Whether you call this your strengths or your unique ability it’s up to you to identify and make the most of what’s great about you.
How to identify your strengths:
In GO Put Your Strengths to Work, Marcus Buckingham explains that there are four clear signs of a strength:
- Success—This is effectiveness in the activity you are doing. You can love doing something, but how successful are you?
- Instincts—Find those things that you instinctively look forward to, and capitalize on them. When you are in certain situations, what you are drawn to? Perhaps it’s stepping up in a leadership role, or making order out of chaos or even warmly welcoming others. See if you can identify those times in your life when you’re in this flow state, it will point to your strengths since they are involved in getting you to that state.
- Growth—You’re growing when you can concentrate on an activity, and time just flies by. This is the “State of Flow” that Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi wrote about. You improve the most in your areas of greatest strength. What have you learned quickly or easily?
- Needs—Some activities might make you tired, but they fulfill you. There is something deep inside that is satisfied when you are operating within your strengths. What makes you feel strong?
In addition to these signs, you can take Marcus’ Standout assessment or the Gallup Strengthsfinder assessment. There is also the Strengths List from the Happiness Institute.
Whatever resource you use, it’s important to know what makes you unique and special. Your strengths are your source for greater success, happiness and lifelong satisfaction.
We coach individuals, teams and organizations on how to identify and build on their strengths. We believe in leveraging your innate greatness, ask us how. Find your Biltong!