My StrengthsFinder 2.0 Top 5 Strengths

Gallup Press publishes a book and online test called StrengthsFinder 2.0 that is basically an overall test to find out your strengths as a person. Inside of the book they detail some of the aspects of your strength and ways that you can take next steps. I cannot recommend this anymore highly. Everyone should take this test and others like it. It gives you an insight into yourself that sadly few of us really have. Here are some links: StrengthsFinder 2.0 Website StrengthsFinder 2.0 Book on Amazon

Here are my strengths and a small description on how I feel about them: 

Strategic

“Being strategic allows you to sort through the clutter and find the best route.” (page 165)

Sort of ironically, this is my biggest strength, but the description doesn’t really connect with how I look at things. I think that’s because the word that I use instead of “strategic” is “systematizing.” I love systematizing. It’s like breathing for me. I don’t know how to not do it. I am not the cleanest person in the world, but I am highly organized. Clutter annoys me because it’s just so highly inefficient. I hate inefficiency, especially on computers. I don’t think that I’ll ever be able to share a computer with anyone because of how organized I have to be. If I’m not organized, things start to get really frustrating, and I don’t handle things well. Order is King. 

Learner

“You are energized by the steady and deliberate journey from ignorance to competence.” (page 133)

This strength did not surprise me at all. I remember when I had a professor in college, a very odd Catholic woman who loved me for some reason. She asked me about my grades and was shocked when I told her that I wasn’t a 4.0 student. That shocked me. Then she said one of the best things ever said to me, “Oh your a learner, the grades don’t matter then.” That statement instantly relieved me of all my guilt for not performing on tests as well as I could have or getting the grades that maybe I should have. It is very true that we live in a results oriented world right now, where you can get all of the answers right, but miss the education. That is never my aim at all. 

For the past several years, maybe 10 years, I have been very into learning the technical side of things, the actual nuts and bolts of the way things work. Music, websites, The Bible, etc, now I’m much more into learning about people and their experiences. I am convinced now that success hinges on the people who are in our lives.  

Connectedness

“You are considerate, caring, and accepting. Certain of the unity of humankind, you are a bridge builder for people of different cultures.” (page 73)

I like this one because I think it really reflects a major aspect of that Jesus came to bring to people in general, and I’m glad that it’s inside of me. I really  do think that we are much more connected than we realize, obviously I believe that through Christ he is reconciling all things back unto Him. We are called to be connected to each other, not only because we need each other, but because it’s good for us all. We learn from others, we learn to forgive and show grace to others, and we learn how to love like God loves us when we are connected with people who are like us and those who are very different. We have to learn to be sensitive to others and their particular situation, but also confidant in the unique way that God made us. 

Developer

“You see the potential in others. Very often, in fact, potential is all you see… When you interact with other, your goal is to help them experience success.” (page 89) I think this is true for people, but it’s also very true to me with organizations, or just about anything. The freaking kitchen needs developing about half of the time. This is an inherit discontentment about things in leaders that causes them to see the potential in things and people. I feel that very strongly. 

Realtor

“You are comfortable with intimacy. Once the initial connection has been made, you deliberately encourage a deepening of the relationship.” (page 145)

Again, it’s like this book has been following me around for the past 10 years and learning my every move. Especially in the past several years, it has been becoming increasingly easy for me to reveal my heart to people and have real intimacy with those that are around me. I love people and I love being real with them. Real recognize real and the only way that you’ll really have legitimate relationships with anyone is to be honest and authentic.