10 ways to choose a strength to focus on for 2019 #CliftonStrengths
For the last blog of January 2019, I want to show you how to focus on one of your strengths for the year. I suggest choosing a talent that is in your dominant themes. To determine your dominant themes versus your supporting talent themes, read the brief description of each of your top 15 talent themes. When you get to one that you don’t feel connected to, draw a line above that talent. Read on. Any more on the list that you would include on your dominant talent list? If you find one below the line you drew, go back and re-read the one that didn’t resonate. Pull out your theme insight card or review your Gallup 34 Report and read what Gallup has to say about the talent. Ideally, you are looking to draw a line between the talents that you use on a daily or weekly basis and those that you only draw upon when you really need them. The supporting talents are not energizing for you and they aren’t naturally ways that you behave, think and feel. Ok, so now that you know the difference between your dominant and supporting talent themes, it’s time to choose.
I chose my number 3, Futuristic. I feel like I am using my Strategic (1) and Achiever (2) daily. I even have a bottle of those strengths’ corresponding oils, clary sage (1) and arborvitae (2) on my desk. Clary Sage essential oil is also the corresponding oil for Futuristic. If you want to see Melinda Brecheisen’s list of strengths and corresponding oils from her book Anchor To Your Strengths, I have it posted on my site. Back to it. I am dreaming of a future for Ninja Courage that is big and bold and audacious. I need to use my futuristic talent to help me get there. Also, the people that I work with and share essential oils with are looking for me to help them create opportunities and possibilities for their futures. This aligns with my core values: love, health and courage. That is how I chose my strength for 2019. Here are some ideas for how you can choose:
Choose a dominant strength that you don’t understand very well.
Choose a strength that you think is misunderstood by others and learn how to leverage its power and edge.
Find an essential oil that you love that corresponds to one of your dominant talents. At least you’ll be wearing and diffusing a scent that you love all the time.
Choose a strength that you used to use often but are not currently implementing in your life and work.
Choose your favorite strength, the one you are most proud of.
Put all of your insight cards corresponding to your strengths on the floor and pick blindly.
Ask your partner or spouse which talent of yours they love the best.
Choose the talent that you think will make you the best parent.
Choose a strength from number 6 through 10 that you forgot was in your dominant themes.
Choose the last talent that you identified as dominant from the activity above.
Once chosen, here are some tips for investing in that talent to build it into a strength:
Read the chapter from StrengthsFinder 2.0 on that talent.
Read that portion of your 34 Report and Insight Report
Highlight the words or phrases that resonate with you in one color.
Turn those words and phrases into an affirmation.
Highlight the words or phrases that don’t resonate with you in a different color.
Turn those words and phrases into an intervention for yourself.
Diffuse the oil associated with the talent.
Listen to the Gallup Podcast Theme Thursday about that talent - there may be a few to listen to.
Find a strengths twin, someone with that same strength and talk to them about how they use it to be successful.
Write the talent on a sticky note and put it on your dashboard. As you drive, think about ways you can use the talent at your destination.
Enjoy the year and comment below to tell me how it’s going.
