Operating out of your Strengths

Seems like absolute common sense right? Find out what you are good at, what you've got natural talents in, and try and do as much of that as possible. When I got out of the car that took me to the university in the US decades ago, I always remember the driver saying, "whatever you do son, make sure you're good at it". How true.

I was a great swimmer & runner, mostly because I discovered I had some natural aptitude. Encouraged by that, I trained as much as I could to get better. On the flipside, I was terrible at volleyball. The ball would constantly bounce off the edges of my hands, wrists, making me a liability to my team. Needless to say, I did not feel motivated to get better at that.

True it takes time to learn something, riding a bike, studying chemistry, being a husband. But what are you a 'natural' at? Chances are, you or your parents have nurtured that, become skilled and knowledgeable about your God-given gifts and talents.

What about now? In the 16 hours that you are awake, do you operate out of your strengths? In your workplace, in your home?

As someone who feels like they have spent 9 years trying to overcome weaknesses, some of them skillbased, some of them character based, it was an eye and spirit opening experience to identify my 5 top strengths and realise how little of it I was able to use in the last 9 years, because I was busily trying to become more 'well-rounded' and 'balanced.'

I took the Clifton Strengthsfinder as well as other tests, for Mosaic's Origins conference. I found that out of 34 identified strengths, that mine were: Strategic, Futuristic, Activator, Connectness, Relator. I found that I engaged in these strengths in various degrees in many spheres of my life, but really never thought to develop them, ie. develop skills and knowledge around them. Furthermore, in my work life, even my present one, I found that I spent most of my time, outside of these strengths. Basically I'm a big picture, connector guy for new things. Once they get going however, I should really step aside. But more often that not, because I feel responsible for what I started, and carry the implementation and management burden, which I'm really not naturally gifted at. I've trained myself to be adequate at those things, but they take up 85% of my time.

So I've been immensely challenged to 'specialise' in the strengths which I, my family, my friends know I have and apply them vigorously in all areas. For example, I find myself writing strategic plans about various things, but I've never developed one for myself, or my wife, or my family. Surely if I have Strategic as my top strength, I should apply it in the most important areas of my life. I have found that I am perfectly OK to be 'imbalanced' by emphasizing my strengths holistically, so long as I keep on working with God in my character issues, so I don't allow my strengths to overtake my character.

So I encourage you to think about how you are purposefully living out your life right now. Imagine what would happen if you decided to live out of your strengths, and that each member of your family, work team, church & community, did so as well.

Revolutionary, I believe.