I’m asking myself how I can start doing more of what I’m good at and stop doing all the other stuff I feel I need to do…
I get into my flow when I do what I love doing and what I know I do well; and when I try doing what “has to get done”, I get stuck in the frustrating slowing down of momentum!
But tonight I realised I’m more than halfway towards the answer of what I should do to create more flow: I did my signature strengths test, and have 24 pointers towards what I’m naturally great at.
So it’s as simple as making sure that every day of every week of every year, I focus on activities requiring my strengths. These are::
- Learn new things.
- Be original in finding new ways to do things.
- Be honest, authentic and genuine.
- Remain industrious and persevere to get things done.
- Show gratitude and remain aware of the good things in my life.
- Keep thinking things through and if need be change my mind.
- Be curios and interested in the world around me.
- Offer my wisdom as grounded advice.
- Create a future based on hope and optimism.
- Speak up for what is right even if there is opposition.
- Increase my capacity to love and be loved.
- Create more energy and maintain my enthusiasm.
- Appreciate beauty and excellence.
- Be playful and have fun.
- Be fair without letting my personal feelings bring bias.
- Be careful in my choices.
- Build on my sense of purpose and develop my spirituality.
- Be kind and generous.
- Be loyal and work hard for the success of my teams.
- Show leadership.
- Always remain modest and show humility.
- Forgive and give people a second chance.
- Maintain self-control and discipline.
- Be aware of the motives and feelings of other people.
Your 24 strengths will be different from mine. And from most other people! That is why each of us has a different “formula for success”. You can define your unique “formula” by doing the VIA Survey of Character Strengths, developed by Martin Seligman.
Go to http://www.authentichappiness.sas.upenn.edu/testcenter.aspx to do the test now.