Instructions and questions at end of article
Everyone is good at something. It’s just a matter of finding out what that is. And once you know your strengths, you can focus on developing them and using them to their fullest potential. Likewise, knowing your weaknesses can help you work on overcoming them so that they don’t hold you back in life.
Unfortunately, too many people go through life without really knowing what they’re good at or what their strengths are. They merely do whatever they think they’re supposed to do or what others want them to do. In these situations, people often feel unfulfilled and unhappy, which is why we’ve compiled a list of 25 questions to help you discover your hidden talents.
The importance of identifying your Strengths and Talents
One of the keys to a happy and successful life is knowing your strengths and working on developing them. By understanding your skills and talents, you can focus on leveraging your strengths. In addition to making you feel more confident and capable, it will also make it more likely that you’ll succeed in whatever endeavor you pursue.
Understanding your strengths and talents can also help you clarify your vision for the future. With the comprehensive questionnaire provided below, you can fine-tune the strong skill sets that you possess and help find the best fit for your career or business interest. For instance, if the questionnaire reveals that you have excellent communication skills or you’re good at solving problems, then you might want to seek out opportunities that require the use of those skills.
In short, taking the time to learn about your strengths and talents can pay off in a big way. It can help you feel more fulfilled and satisfied with your life, and it can also help you be more successful in your career or business.
How to identify your Strengths and Talents
If you’re not sure what your strengths are, don’t worry. There are ways to find out. One way is to take a personality test or aptitude test. These tests can give you some insights into your strengths and talents and are one way to hone in on potential career and business options moving forward.
Another incredibly effective way to discover your strengths and talents is to self-reflect with the help of some powerful questions that will make you reflect on what you’re good at. These questions will help you dig deep and uncover things about yourself that you might not have realized before.
What are your unique gifts? What makes you special? Discover your strengths with the questions below!
INSTRUCTIONS:
- Grab a pen and use this second page (or use your journal) to answer these questions, writing down whatever comes to mind – however small or unimportant it might seem. Try to keep all your answers on one page.
- Aim for 3 strengths or responses to each question.
- Know that repeating answers are good – it highlights important strengths and themes!
- If your answer is not a strength ask, “What strength could lie underneath this?” or “What qualities helped me achieve this?”
- Wrap-up by looking for common themes and patterns; review your answers and circle re-occurring strengths and themes.
- Then write out what you consider to be the Top 10 Strengths on a separate piece of paper. Refer to this list often!
Getting Started – Make a list for each question:
- What are 3 strengths you can think of right away?
- What are you proud of in your life? What do you like about yourself?
- What do you do better than others?
- What do you enjoy or love doing? (most people usually enjoy what we’re good at)
- What small things do you do that you find extremely satisfying? What strengths could this point to? (eg. organizing the dishwasher, helping people feel welcome, remembering to buy cards/gifts)
What Others Think – Consider how you are seen by others:
- What do you get complimented on? What could be the strengths that lie underneath?
- What would your partner or favourite person in the world say are your Top 3 strengths?
- What would your family say your strengths are? To go deeper, consider each family member in turn.
- What do your friends admire in you? What do you get asked to help with?
- What would your co-workers say are your strong points?
Times You Have Been at Your Best – What lies underneath your success?
- What were your favourite subjects or classes at school? Why? What did you bring to the class?
- When have you felt most energised? What were you doing?
- What have you created and brought into the world? (from childhood to now, anything you’re proud of)
- Consider your various achievements (big & small): What personal traits would you give the credit to?
- What would not be like it is, had you not been part of it? What value did you add? (eg. volunteer or work projects)
Finding the Best in the Worst – What gifts are underneath those tough times?
- Think about when you have stood out and felt uncomfortable: What strengths have you learned to hide?
- Thinking about the worst experiences you have had: What strengths or abilities shine through?
- What challenges have you overcome? What strengths helped you along the way?
- What have you been told “not to be big-headed about”? (this could point to strengths and talents)
- When do you do the opposite of everyone else? What strengths could lie underneath this?
The Unusual and Unexplored – Yearnings, Admiration & More!
- What do you yearn to do? (this suggests possible strengths or talents)
- When have you been criticized for something that is really a strength? (think a parent criticizing you for “too much energy/enthusiasm”, teachers criticizing you for your “curiosity”)
- What are your unusual or unexpected talents? What does not ‘fit’ or get used in your life?
- What is the strength you have been avoiding?
- What do you admire most in others? Now, where do you already do this in your life?