I want to talk about strengths.
I try to be a lifelong learner. Each morning, I read something new. Sometimes it’s about money planning. Other times it’s about helping clients with risk. I also read books about how to run my business better. I always try to get a little bit better each day.
One book changed how I work. It’s called the Clifton StrengthsFinders. This book helped me find success when I first started my career.
Stop Copying Others
When I started my job, I would ask others how they did their work. I would try to copy them. I used their words and stories. But it didn’t feel right because I wasn’t being me.
Then I remembered that special book I read. The book says to use “positive psychology.” This means finding things that come so naturally to you that they’re like breathing. Then you find ways to use these natural talents in your work
Breaking Old Beliefs
If you’re like me, this idea goes against what we learned growing up. My father always told me, “If you work hard enough, no matter how bad you are at something, you can become good at it.“
I remember watching Michael Jordan hit a winning shot in a big college basketball game. My grandfather asked what I wanted to be when I grew up. I said, “I want to be a six-foot-nine black forward that plays basketball for North Carolina.“
Some dreams just can’t come true! But my father said, “If you work hard enough, you can make it happen.” That’s how I was taught – try to fit that square peg into a round hole.
Using My Own Strengths
StrengthsFinders is different. It takes the things we do naturally and helps us use them in our work. Let me share my strengths as examples:
- Competition – I’m not trying to beat others. I compete with myself. I want to do better today than I did yesterday, and better this year than last year.
- Strategic Thinking – I love figuring out how to put puzzle pieces together to make a beautiful picture.
- Achiever – I start fresh every morning. For me, New Year’s resolutions happen every day when I wake up!
These strengths help me have better talks with my customers and my team. I focus on how we can improve. I think about how to have a better conversation with the next customer. I use my strategic thinking to help my team work together.
Finding Your Strengths
This isn’t about me – it’s about you! I want you to think about your own strengths. You could buy the Clifton Strengths book. You could talk with your team. Or you could just think deeply about what your strengths are and how to use them in your job.
But remember: using your strengths doesn’t mean skipping parts of your job that you don’t like. If your job requires discipline and responsibility, you still need to do those things. You just need to find ways to do your job that match your strengths.
Taking Action
Try this: Ask your team to tell you your two biggest strengths. Ask them, “What do I do so well that I don’t even realize I’m doing it?“
Then, as you work each day, think about how you can use these strengths in everything you do.
When you focus on the things that come naturally to you – the things that are like breathing – you’ll enjoy your day more. You’ll be more successful.
