Defining
and Using Personality Strengths and Weaknesses
Personality strengths chart
5
questions
1
other way to identify strengths and weaknesses
2
Personality test recommendations
1
example for using your personality
strengths and weaknesses in stressful situations
When
faced with stresses like job hunting, life changes, and lifestyle
crisis we have a tendency to approach them all in the same
way. An interview, a day full of kids or the end of the
month...
I’m
stressed. 
This is terrible!

This is the worst day, year, or decade of my life!

Why is this happening?
How is this happening?
When facing
stress our emotions can
cloud our responses and bring out too many of our weaknesses. Being overwhelmed, over-extended,
emotional,
nervous, worn out, burnt
out, angry, frustrated, or scared
is
average
and
completely
sane reactions.
However, they
are not good
strategies for controlling stress
Use your personality strengths to make stress
fun.
Stress
is fun.
(Wait, wait,
don’t leave!) I’m suggesting a novel
approach to stress. You're saying, “Not having
enough money, losing my keys or having family problems is completely
the
opposite of fun.”
Let me explain.
Recently,
my dog decided that my spare bedroom was a great
doggy bathroom and I didn’t have the money right away to get it steam
cleaned. It stunk up the whole house! And, I had to leave the windows
open in the
middle of February. Freezing in an igloo of a house doubling as a dog
porta-potty is not exciting or pleasant in any way! That’s not
FUN! Definitely stressful though.
Why then
do I suggest that stress can be fun?
Maybe
I mis-spoke. Stress itself is not fun. But, you can use
it as an opportunity to find out what your strength and weaknesses are,
what
you enjoy, and use those things to deal with stress. (Once you know
what your
strength and weaknesses are it’s a lot easier to answer that interview
question, budget money, deal with family, change bad habits- one less stress!)
An
example of how I
used my personality strength and weakness for controlling stress.

Step 1. I put on my
coat while scolding the dog. I even used
all the curse words I knew in one sentence.
This is where I recognized that my favorite
thing in the entire world is
laughing. Now, I had used all the curse words and it came out in an
obnoxious
but silly sentence and some of my stress dissipated as I laughed. If
you are not one to use profanity, you might try something like, "Dirty
words, dirty words, DIRTY WORDS!"

Step 2. I looked
around the house and saw my stacks of paper
in jeopardy from a cold gust and weighted them down. Another thing I
enjoy is
feeling strong, so after lifting several heavy objects I was a little
pumped. I
succeeded! I succeeded at making sure all my things in my frigid little
house
didn’t blow away. Yay for me. Congratulations! I love attention, even
if I’m
the only one giving it to myself.

Step 3. I asked if there was any possible way that I
could
keep myself from being miserable. “Alright fine” I said, to my mother’s
voice in
the back of my brain.
“I will make
it into an adventure.”
Many years of
rainy, off-season, coastal, family vacations had
prepared me for just this situation. I love camping. It plays to the
personality
strength of self-reliance. I found the mini marshmallows popped them on
a fork
and roasted them over the burner. I made hot cocoa. I pulled out every
blanket
I had out, snuggled up with the cat, and made the appointment with the
cleaning
guy for after payday.

Step 4. I negotiated. I’m not particularly good at asking
for a discount or… Well, I’m not good at negotiating at all.
I do, however,
enjoy being a kind and generous person, and if someone explained their
situation
to me I would be likely to help out. So, I explained the situation and
sure
enough, doing what I enjoyed ended up getting me a one third off the
cleaning.
Again I felt successful with a side of thrifty, this time.
You
can imagine how poorly this could have gone had I given
into the typical reactions to stress, right?
My Personality
Strengths and Weakness
I
love to laugh. I like to feel strong and
successful. I love to be self-reliant. I like to be resourceful. I'm no
good at negotiating. I love attention (this can be a weakness).These
are the
things I enjoy and used for controlling stress in this particular
situation.
Are
you starting to see how you can use your personality strengths and
weakness for controlling your stress through a variety of situations?
Your Personality Strengths and
Weakness
Maybe
your strengths are organizational. In my situation, you could
have taken the time
to do a re-file while building up body heat (yes, it can count as
exercise,
another good stress relief tip, if it gets your
heart rate up). Or,
perhaps, you
enjoy being in charge and in my position you could command the
furniture into new positions.
Of course
it’s silly. But, when faced with big and little problems throughout a
lifetime,
you have to know what your strength and weakness is and how to use
them to
your benefit: starting with controlling stress.
"But what am I
good at?!" you ask.
Here
is the personality strengths chart you have been looking for. Not just
the usual answers to the, "What is your greatest strength?" question.
| Able |
Communicative |
Extroverted |
Knowledgeable |
Quick |
| Accommodating |
Competent |
Factual |
Leader |
Quick
learner |
| Accomplished |
Competitive |
Fair |
Leading
edge |
Quiet |
| Accountable |
Complimentary |
Fearless |
Liberal |
Rational |
| Accounting |
Computer
savvy |
Fervent |
Lighthearted |
Realistic |
| Accurate |
Confident |
Finisher |
Listener |
Reasonable |
| Achiever |
Conformative |
Flexible |
Live
wire |
Receptive |
| Active |
Conscientious |
Focused |
Lively |
Relaxed |
| Active
listener |
Conservative |
Follow
through |
Logical |
Reliable |
| Adaptable |
Considerate |
Follower |
Loyal |
Reserved |
| Adept |
Consistent |
Forgiving |
Managerial |
Respectful |
| Adventurous |
Content |
Free
spirit |
Mature |
Risk
taker |
| Aggressive |
Controlled |
Friendly |
Mechanical |
Self-controlled |
| Agile |
Cooperative |
Funny |
Mediator |
Self-reliant |
| Alert |
Coordinative |
Generous |
Merciful |
Self-starter |
| Ambitious |
Counselor |
Gentle |
Methodical |
Self-directed |
| Amiable |
Courageous |
Giving |
Culturally
aware |
Self-reliant |
| Amusing |
Courteous |
Goal
oriented |
Moral |
Self-sufficient |
| Analytical |
Creative |
Go-getter |
Motivational |
Sensitive |
| Anticipatory |
Critical |
Good
judgment |
Multi-tasker |
Sincere |
| Approachable |
Curious |
Good
natured |
Musical |
Sociable |
| Articulate |
Decisive |
Grateful |
Negotiator |
Soothing |
| Artistic |
Dependable |
Gregarious |
Numerical |
Spiritual |
| Assertive |
Determined |
Hard
worker |
Objective |
Spontaneous |
| Astute |
Dignified |
Harmonious |
Observant |
Stabilizing |
| Attentive |
Diplomatic |
Healthy |
Open |
Stimulating |
| Attractive |
Direct |
Helper |
Open-minded |
Successful |
| Autonomous |
Directive |
Honest |
Optimistic |
Supportive |
| Balanced |
Discerning |
Hospitable |
Organized |
Sympathetic |
| Bright |
Disciplined |
Humorous |
Organizer |
Systematic |
| Businesslike |
Discreet |
Idealistic |
Original |
Tactful |
| Calm |
Distinctive |
Imaginative |
Outgoing |
Task
oriented |
| Carefree |
Distinguished |
Independent |
Passionate |
Tasteful |
| Careful |
Do
gooder |
Industrious |
Patient |
Teachable |
| Caring |
Doer |
Influential |
People
oriented |
Team
player |
| Categorical |
Driven |
Informative |
Perceptive |
Tenacious |
| Certain |
Easy
going |
Ingenious |
Perfectionist |
Thorough |
| Challenging |
Educated |
Initiator |
Persistent |
Thoughtful |
| Charismatic |
Effective |
Inquisitive |
Persuasive |
Tolerant |
| Charitable |
Efficient |
Insatiable |
Planner |
Tough |
| Cheerful |
Empathetic |
Inspiring |
Pleasant |
Transparent |
| Clean |
Energetic |
Instigator |
Practical |
Trusting |
| Clear
headed |
Engaging |
Intellectual |
Precise |
Trustworthy |
| Clever |
Entertaining |
Intelligent |
Prepared |
Truthful |
| Coach |
Enthusiastic |
Introspective |
Preventative |
Unique |
| Coherent |
Exceptional |
Intuitive |
Problem
solver |
Upbeat |
| Collaborative |
Expedient |
Inventive |
Professional |
Warm |
| Collected |
Expert |
Investigative |
Progressive |
Warm
hearted |
| Collector |
Explorative |
Just |
Punctual |
Whimsical |
| Commonsensical |
Expressive |
Kind |
Questioning |
Witty |
How to answer the infamous, "What is your greatest strength and biggest weakness?"
Each of these strengths has a corresponding weakness,
that can be turned into a not
so damaging answer to your personality strength and
weakness questions.
For instance, I am easy going it is my greatest strength because I stay
relaxed and cool through intense situations. (insert your personal supporting example here) It could be a weakness
because of the atmosphere it creates around me can seem chaotic. But,
it also makes for an enjoyable and productive work atmosphere (insert second example depicting this two sided strength).
Another
example could be- I am very industrious. It is my greatest strength.
But, it can also be my greatest weakness. Sometimes, I can focus in on
something so completely that I forget to take a break.
Questions
for Identifying personality strengths and weakness
Ask someone else what you are good at. Other
people
can often identify your strength and weakness much more quickly than
you
can. And often, if asked, they are happy to volunteer what they like
about
you.
If
asking someone these things makes you uncomfortable, then, answer
them for yourself
but WRITE IT
DOWN! You will need to come back to them over time to
encourage yourself, mark your growth or set new goals.
Some good
questions to ask them or yourself are
What
makes me- me?
Each
strength and weakness you have comes together to create your
distinctive youness. Figuring it out can be very revealing. It
helps you use to your advantage each strength and weakness in all parts
of your
life.
What
are three positive things about me?
I'm
sure there are more than three! When trying to describe something,
narrowing the possibilities down to just a few most important points
makes it more manageable and less overwhelming. So pick three and focus
on those.
What
personality strengths do I use in my hobbies or when I am having a good
time?
Our
hobbies are really what we have a passion for. Because it is our
passion we find much success in these areas. They are a good place to
glean information about what our personality strengths and weaknesses,
what we do and why.
When
I dream about my future what strength or weakness do I use?
Are there many people
around, when you dream? Maybe a personality strength
is socializing
or networking. Are you by yourself building
your own place? A strength could be learning new skills or designing
great feeling spaces. The possibilities for identifying strengths and
weaknesses in your long term goals and dreams are endless.
What
is your favorite animal?
Our
favorite animal embodies
a the strength we value, strive
for, or identify with . Often times, the strength and weakness
of our
favorite animal can uncover truths about our personality strengths.
Other
ways to identify personality
strength and weakness
www.astro.com
You can take
this with a grain salt or read it like its
infallible, either way it can be enlightening. They don’t send you
anything
when you sign up. You need to enter your birth year, birth place and
exact
time you were born. The
exact time is important. So, make sure you have it. There are a lot of
things to
think about once your chart comes up and you start reading chapters
(Meaning, there is a TON of information given. It took me two hours to
get through it.)
about
yourself. Even if it is generalizations and speculation it certainly
gets
the mental introspective, “What am I good at and what are my
personality
strengths and
weaknesses?” juices going.
Personality
Tests
You
can find personality tests all over the web. I haven't found them to be
much more than fun and games... Well, a lot of free ones can be kind of
cheesy.
The most accurate
personality tests I have found are Myers-Briggs
type tests. The sites I've found give you a four letter personality
type. Some, but only few, will give you the interpretation of those
four letters. You may need to enter those four letters into a search
engine to find a good explanation of them. You can also find famous
persons who share that personality type and careers that are suited for
your
particular personality strengths
Another type
of personality test is the Keirsey
Temperament Sorter.
You can find these for fee and for free. This personality test is
used in many career centers, colleges and companies. These can be incredibly informative
about personality strengths and weaknesses and how best to utilize them
in your place of work and life.

You
may find after indentifying your personality strengths and
weaknesses and using them to defeat stresses, that not so many things
stress you out. You will find that when you are
faced
with a stressor that you welcome it, beat it into pulp and have fun
while
you do it!
This is one of
my personal favorite go-to
tips for controlling stress. I started using it several years ago and
it has now become ingrained in the way I live my life. It gives me confidence and allows me to shine in most situations.
You liked this page enough to get all the way down here! For more come browse through the home page. Maybe this wasn't the tip
for you, but we have tons more,
click to find
another great way to combat
stress.
