According to research, everyone in the world has 24 character strengths. These are personality qualities like love, fairness, perseverance and creativity. But what makes you unique, is that some of those 24 strengths come more naturally to you than they do to other people. You also express your strengths unlike anyone else.
When you completed the scientific VIA Survey, your results revealed which strengths rank highest and lowest for you. What you might not realize is that those results hold powerful information that can change your life.
Using a resource like the Total 24 Report can help you see all of the ways your strengths impact your thoughts, feelings, behaviors, and interactions with others. Let’s explore 3 reasons why understanding your strengths is a key pathway to greater well-being.
1. Your Highest Strengths are Natural Happiness Boosters
Positive psychology research refers to your top strengths as signature strengths. They are so essential to your identity they are like your fingerprint or written signature. People notice these strengths in you and it feels good for you to use them.
Your customized Total 24 Report explores your signature strengths in great depth. Since using your top strengths is crucial to your positive well-being, it’s important to have a solid understanding of how they play out in your life so you can always be looking for new opportunities to apply them.
2. Lesser Strengths Are Valuable and Don’t Have to Stay “Lesser”
Humans have a natural negativity bias. If you were curious about which strengths you're not as good at, you’re not alone. Actually, your curiosity is a good thing! Awareness is the first step toward change.
Lesser strengths are not weaknesses, they are qualities that don’t come as easily to you as some of the other strengths in your profile. Research shows that you can build your lesser strengths with conscious attention and deliberate practice. Is there a strength at the bottom of your list that you’d like to improve? In your Total 24 Report, you’ll learn how even the strengths that rank low on your list can be boosted and, ultimately, very beneficial to you.
3. Finding Your “Just Right” Can Change the Way You Approach Challenges
Strengths overuse and underuse is such an interesting and refreshing concept. It’s taking a negative (or neutral) behavior and reframing it. What does this mean? Here’s an example:
Could your inability to make a decision simply be an overuse of your strength of judgment? Reminder: the strength of judgment involves weighing all ideas, opinions and facts to make rational decisions. In this example, if you’re high in judgment, you could be using it too strongly to your detriment. Luckily, your other strengths like perspective and bravery can help temper this strength to move you forward.
As your Total 24 Report reveals, you’ll be more inclined to overuse or underuse certain strengths depending on where they rank for you. Understanding these dynamics can help you recognize when your strengths are out of balance. When you become aware, you can adjust your strengths use and tap into other strengths, which can lead to many positive life changes.
Exploring Your Full Strengths Profile
The main takeaway to remember is that all 24 character strengths matter. Your signature strengths might be the easiest pathway to greater well-being, but when trying to reach certain goals, some of your lesser strengths may need to play a role.
There are so many ways your strengths can help you boost relationships, improve work success and engagement and live a happier, more meaningful life. When you explore your strengths, you fully appreciate and activate all of your goodness!
