Soul-Searching :) ..!

“My own brain is to me the most unaccountable of machinery - always buzzing, humming, soaring roaring diving, and then buried in mud. And why? What's this passion for?”

Today was a great start to the week. I got to attend a "Driving my Career" course I had signed up earlier and as part of the course I got to do an online assessment of my strengths. I was at first skeptical as to how a computer program can assess and analyze my strengths based on the choices I click for a series of multiple choice questions. I must say, I was amazed at how accurate the results were and it proved to be a good validation of the perception I had of myself. Am not sure though if the results were just a coincidence or whether the questionnaire was really an effective one :). 

I used to be this person who always thought that self improvement happens more by analyzing one's weaknesses and striving towards eliminating them. But attending this class made me see the other side/aspect of the coin. I am even tempted to call it the positive approach towards self improvement. Focusing on our strengths and working towards improving them and leveraging them even more at work/life in general makes us positively build upon our existing selves. An approach similar on the lines of this below quote

Look well into thyself; there is a source of strength which will always spring up if thou wilt always look there.
- Marcus Aurelius

 

When you are looking in the mirror, you are looking at the problem. But, remember, you are also looking at the solution.

The online assessment amongst other things built up on my self awareness.

• It provided me with a brief shared description of my top 5 themes in rank order.
• A personalized strengths insights, which describes what makes me stand out from others with reference to the 5 themes.   

Below is some excerpts from the report. Am jotting this down here to make a journal of my strengths in this book of my life :)

Learner

People who are especially talented in the Learner theme have a great desire to learn and want to continuously improve. In particular, the process of learning, rather than the outcome, excites them.

What makes you stand out?
Driven by your talents, you are a history buff — that is, someone ardently devoted to studying the past. You link people to events and trace timelines.It’s very likely that you frequently examine the factors leading up to an event. Therein you discover the reasons why things happened the way they did. A number of individuals and/or groups probably appreciate your logical thinking style. By nature, you might accept the challenge of understanding the detailed workings of complicated processes, mechanisms, or plans. To some extent, you enjoy examining mechanisms, processes, ideas, or regulations in detail. Perhaps you can picture in your mind how all of the pieces or steps link together. Instinctively, you customarily figure out what makes each person special. You talk to, observe, or study
individuals who produce nothing less than excellence to identify what inspires them. Unquestionably, you prefer to associate with those who share your passion for taking something good and making it better. Once you understand what drives a person, you can motivate him or her to transform whatever was made better into something utterly superb.Chances are good that you channel your efforts into the task at hand. You persevere until you have gained the knowledge and skills needed to attain a goal. You can toil for many hours to secure your objective. You probably work hardest and most productively at a particular time of day.

Restorative

People who are especially talented in the Restorative theme are adept at dealing with problems. They are good at figuring out what is wrong and resolving it.

 

What makes you stand out?
Instinctively, you commonly reassure individuals that you notice, value, and appreciate them. You even think about how you can do a better job of showing them that they are truly deserving of your personal attention, interest, and time. It’s very likely that you naturally enjoy hearing what people have to say. You frequently evaluate your listening talents. In the process, you are apt to discover new ways to absorb a lot more information. Chances are good that you derive much joy from starting new projects, jobs, or courses of study. Before moving ahead, you automatically think about the things you need to upgrade, perfect, or do better.

Because of your strengths, you are honest with yourself about yourself. You can admit your shortcomings. You speak frankly about the areas where you need to do things better and more completely than you have done them in the past. By nature, you typically generate inventive ideas for new projects, especially those that require upgrading things. When you are challenged to be an innovative thinker, you feel valued.

Connectedness

People who are especially talented in the Connectedness theme have faith in the links between all things. They believe there are few coincidences and that almost every event has a reason.

What makes you stand out?

Naturally, you accept individuals as they are, not as you want, wish, or expect them to be. You sense that a bond exists between and among all people. This bond extends across time and space, and includes people you know and people you will never meet. The apparent and subtle links among members of the human family influences many of your choices. It’s very likely that you sense you are not all alone in the world. You probably feel linked with every person and living thing. This openness explains why you invite a vast array of people to participate in conversations, activities, social events, or groups. Because of your strengths, you enter contests simply to have fun. In the process, you often find yourself part of something much larger such as building team spirit or raising funds for a worthy cause.

This sense of being linked to other people means a lot more to you than finishing first or claiming an award. Instinctively, you continually seek wisdom from people with whom you have intelligent conversations. You not only listen but also share your thoughts. In the process, you are likely to move beyond concrete facts. Your curiosity draws you to speculate — that is, reflect or wonder — about theories, ideas, or concepts. To keep your mind fresh, you frequently quiz individuals who are equally fascinated with the intangible and abstract aspects of life. Chances are good that you welcome all kinds of people into your circle of friends, family, or acquaintances. You have an ability to bond with individuals without expecting them to conform to your way of thinking, working, or living. You typically revel in the diversity of humankind. You refuse to bemoan the fact that every person, language, or culture is different. You have concluded that human beings are inextricably linked with one another as well as with everything in the cosmos — that is, the universe.

Intellection

People who are especially talented in the Intellection theme are characterized by their intellectual activity. They are introspective and appreciate intellectual discussions.

What makes you stand out?

Instinctively, you relish conversations with people whose vocabulary is as sophisticated as their thinking. Discussing philosophies, theories, or concepts is exhilarating. You love to ask questions and be readily understood. As engaged as you are in the dialogue, you still make a point of pulling together insights so you can use this knowledge later. Chances are good that you have kept conversations centered on ideas since childhood. As a child, you likely listened carefully to discussions among adults. This approach allowed you to join in without rocking the boat — that is, without causing trouble where none was welcome. Today, you continue to listen intently to collect information before adding your ideas, contributing your insights offering your suggestions, or asking your questions. Because of your strengths, you regularly reflect on how you felt about your experiences as they occurred. You usually ponder how you felt afterward, too. Your emotional awareness sharpens your thinking. 

You are doubly blessed: You think with your head and feel with your heart. By nature, you prepare for important conversations or discussions by collecting lots of background information. It is not unusual for you to set aside at least five hours of quiet time each week to consider what you have discovered. You are likely to use this time to expand your thinking. A new piece of material can send you hunting for additional evidence to support your theories, concepts, or proposals. Driven by your talents, you usually are quiet during conversations, taking in everything that is said. You are particularly attentive when intelligent people toss about their ideas, theories, or concepts. Often you acquire more information and gain more insights than the speakers do. When you choose to expound on a topic that interests you or pose pertinent questions, many individuals listen carefully to every word you utter.

Responsibility 

 People who are especially talented in the Responsibility theme take psychological ownership of what they say they will do. They are committed to stable values such as honesty and loyalty. 

What makes you stand out?

By nature, you may want people to regard you as trustworthy, dependable, or reliable. Perhaps this yearning motivates you to do whatever you said you would do. It’s very likely that you conduct yourself in an exceptionally mature and orderly fashion even when your teammates, classmates, friends, coworkers, and colleagues are acting childish. Instinctively, you possess an inner drive to attain your high standards of excellence. Satisfying work and a passion for accountability fuel your zeal to do things very carefully. You want others to view you and your work favorably. Chances are good that you might be known as a reliable and dependable person. Perhaps you are motivated to work diligently. In some cases, you cannot rest until you have completed what you told someone you would do. 

Because of your strengths, you are naturally compelled to admit the truth. If someone asked you or told you to intentionally mislead someone, you would reply, “I cannot and I will not do that!”