Over the past few years, I have really taken the time to get to know myself. By nature, I am regularly reassessing and evaluating myself, my circumstances, and my current position. For me, it is important that I am moving forward, growing, and being productive. If at any time I find this is not the case, I want to know why and what adjustments need to be made. Now this is not to say the adjustments are always easy, some of them take time and consistent effort.
So in my quest to get to know myself better, I completed the StrengthFinder assessment, and the Myers Briggs personality test. I am pleased to say that I am an INFJ, with the Strengths of Responsibility, Connectedness, Relator, Restorative, and Belief. I was amazed at how on point each description was as it pertained to me. While reading the book StrengthFinders, there was one point that still sticks with me today; and that is how we spend so much time trying to make ourselves better in the areas that we are weak in, rather than concentrating on and operating in the areas that we are strong. It was something so simple, yet so “deep.” I know a lot of people, including myself, who have spent a lot of time trying to make themselves better at the things they stink at, rather than focusing on the things they are good at and excelling in those areas. I believe if we did so, we would be a lot more fulfilled and happy.
When I got to the personality test results, I had to laugh at myself. The very job it said was not a good job for me was the very job that I had. However, I understood why it wasn’t a good fit for me. When I look back over my resume, the jobs I seemed to be most passionate about and fulfilled in doing, were the same types listed in my personality results. Although I am good at my 9-5, I’m not passionate about it or fulfilled. I’m good at what I do, because I find ways to operate in my strengths. No, I’m not contradicting myself, I’m just adding an addendum, “Operating in your strengths matched up with areas you are passionate about, will lead you to be more fulfilled and happy.” The interesting thing is most people don’t even know what their strengths are, nor have they taken the time to really assess what they’re good at.
So today, I am challenging you to go on a journey and find out who you are. Don’t spend the rest of your life randomly selecting what you think might be a good fit for you, or being miserable trying to make yourself good at what you obviously wasn’t created to be good at. Our weaknesses help us to rightly connect with others who are strong in our weak areas. It’s like a jig saw puzzle. When we match our strengths with another person’s weaknesses and vice versa, in the end we all work and come together to make the whole picture. It’s not your job to be strong in your weak areas, but it is your job to find out your strengths.
As always, I thank you for taking the time to stop by. If you’d like more information on the StrengthFinders assessment, you can go to www.gallupstrengthscenter.com; and for more information on Myers Briggs personality test, go to www.16personalities.com/free-personality-test. Remember today is a great day to Be Friendly, Show Favor, and Give Love.
T Lynn Tate 