STRENGTHSFINDER 2.0: My 5 Strengths

Way back in January of 2018 I read a Gallup Strengths finder book titled, STRENGTHSFINDER 2.0, by Tom Rath. The book aided me in finding my Clifton Strengths, which was developed by the psychologist, Don Clifton and a team of scientists. Following this, I took the online strengths finder assessment, which was included with the book. The assessment provided me with the five strengths that most closely aligned with my personality and the way in which I answered the assessment questionnaire. Although I was initially hesitant, and cautious to believe the results of my assessment, I think there is quite a bit of merit within them, and do agree with results of my assessment. My five strengths are: Input, Intellection, Learner, Context, and Ideation. Below are my personal strengths, with extracts, defining them, from the Tom Rath’s STRENGTHSFINDER 2.0.

1. Input – “You are inquisitive. You collect things. You might collect information – words, facts, books and quotations…yours is the kind of mind that finds so many things interesting”

2. Intellection – “You like to think. You like mental activity…You are introspective. In a sense you are your own best companion, as you pose yourself questions and try out answers on yourself to see how they sound…this mental hum is one of the constants of your life.”

3. Learner – “You love to learn…The process, more than the content or the result, is especially exciting for you. You are energized by the steady and deliberate journey from ignorance to competence…The outcome of the learning is less significant than the “getting there.””

4. Context – “You look back. You look back because that is where the answers lie. You look back to understand the present. From your vantage point the present is unstable, a confusing clamor of competing voices. It is only by casting your mind back” when “the present regains its stability…if you haven’t seen the blueprints, you will have less confidence in your decisions.”

5. Ideation – “You are fascinated by ideas…An idea is a concept, the best explanation of most events. An idea is a connection. Yours is the kind of mind that is always looking for connections”

For the most part, I agree with all of these strengths. They are definitely a significant portion of my personality, although I do believe there are other, possibly more subtle, personality strengths I posses. However, looking at these five, is a good way for understanding myself, as well as giving me insight into the ways in which I can positively contribute to differing situations in the future.