What are your strengths and weaknesses? If someone asked you this question, what would you say that your strengths are? Maybe you would say that you are a good leader or teamworker. That you are curious and open-minded. Or maybe that you are loving and caring. What about your weaknesses? Maybe you would say that you sometimes find it hard to be disciplined or structured in your work. Or that you are not the most creative person in the world. These are all examples of personality strengths and weaknesses that people can have. Being aware of your own strengths and weaknesses can help you do well and live a more fulfilling life. So let’s take a look at what strengths and weaknesses are, and how you can use your own strengths to thrive in life.

  Strengths are often defined as personal traits that are valued positively. They are valued positively because they can help people in many areas of their lives. This includes domains from school and job performance, to having good relations with others. For example, perseverance and interest in learning can help people do well in school or their job. And being caring and forgiving can help people develop and maintain happy relationships. Weaknesses, on the other hand, can be viewed as personal traits or strengths that are less developed. These can also influence different parts of a person’s life. For example, a person who is not very persevering or interested in learning, may find it hard to work on school or job assignments. And a person who is not very caring or forgiving may struggle to maintain good relations with others. Being aware of your own strengths can be very helpful. This is because it may help you put your strengths to better use and increase your chances of thriving in life. Being aware of your own weaknesses can also be important. This is because it can help you understand parts of yourself that may be holding you back. Once you understand this, you may be able to work on your weaknesses and turn them into strengths. So, let’s dig a little deeper into some personality strengths and weaknesses that you may have.

Wisdom and Knowledge

The first type of strength that you may have is strengths of wisdom and knowledge. This includes love of learning, creativity, curiosity, open-mindedness, and the ability to make meaning of the world around you. If you have these strengths, you may like to explore new topics and experiences, and you easily master new skills, topics, and knowledge. You may easily come up with new ideas and ways of doing things, and have a good eye for examining things from different perspectives. You may also be good at making meaning of the world in ways that make sense to both yourself and others. On the other hand, if you have weaknesses or less developed strengths within this area, learning new skills or topics may not come as natural to you. Coming up with new ideas may also not be your greatest strength.

Courage

A second type of strength that you may have consists of strengths of courage. This includes bravery, perseverance, integrity, and zest. If you have these strengths you are probably quite good at persevering and finishing tasks even if there are hurdles on the way. You do not shrink from challenges. You are likely to meet life with excitement and energy, and you take responsibility for your own actions and feelings. On the other hand, if you have weaknesses or less developed strengths within this area, you may find it hard to endure challenges. You may also find it hard to finish tasks that you have started, and may live life with less excitement.

Humanity

A third type of strength that you may have is strengths of humanity. This includes love, kindness, and social intelligence. If you have these strengths you may be good at helping and taking care of others, and value close bonds with others. You may also be good at reading social situations, and have a good understanding of your own and others’ feelings and motives. On the other hand, if you have weaknesses or less developed strengths within this area, you may not be the best at reading social situations. Close bonds may not be your top priority, and caring for others may not come as natural to you.

Justice

A fourth type of strength that you may have is strengths of justice. This includes leadership, teamwork, and fairness. If you have these strengths you may be good at encouraging your group to get things done while also maintaining good group relations. You work well together with others, and give everyone a fair chance. On the other hand, if you have weaknesses or less developed strengths within this area, teamwork may not be your strongest suit. You may also be less concerned with giving people a fair chance.

Temperance

A fifth type of strength that you may have consists of strengths of temperance. This includes humility, forgiveness, prudence, and self-control. If you have these strengths, you may be humble, forgiving, and good at giving people a second chance. You may also be good at controlling your own feelings and actions, and are careful about your choices and actions. On the other hand, if you have weaknesses or less developed strengths within this area, you may not forgive people very easily, or accept their shortcomings. You may not put in too much thought in how your choices and actions may affect yourself or others.

Transcendence

The final type of strength that you may have is strengths of transcendence. This includes appreciation of beauty and excellence, gratitude, hope, humour, and spirituality. If you have these strengths you may have a strong ability to notice and appreciate beauty, excellence, and skilled performance in domains ranging from science to nature and everyday experiences. You manage to see life from the light side, believe in a good future, and work to achieve this. You may also have a strong feeling of belonging and connection in the world, and have a sense of meaning of life that comforts and guides you. On the other hand, if you have weaknesses or less developed strengths in this area, you may be less likely to notice and appreciate beauty and excellence. You may also feel less belonging and connection, and may have a more serious outlook on life. As you can see, personality strengths and weaknesses come in many shapes and forms. Whatever strengths you have, being aware of these can help you live a fulfilling life. For example, if you are curious, value close bonds with others, and live life with excitement and gratitude, you have good chances of feeling satisfied in life. If you are persevering, have a hopeful view on the future, and love learning, this may help you do well in school or in your job. At the same time, if you have weaknesses that you would like to improve, that is also possible. For example, you can work on you perseverance to improve your school or job achievement. Or practice gratitude to increase your happiness. However, maybe even more important than strengthening your weak points, is appreciating the strengths that you already have. Research has shown that when we focus on using our strengths, we are more likely to thrive in life. We are also more likely to reach our goals and achieve the best that we can. Therefore, one of the best ways to live a more fulfilling life, may be to recognize and use the strengths that you already have. At Epsychonline we have a range of resources that can help you learn more about personality strengths and weaknesses, and other topics. You may want to read up a bit more to get a better understanding . We also have a series of self-help courses, including one. You can visit our Courses page to find a course that suits you.