Personal Strengths Defined (+ List of
Strengths)
Summary
The article discusses personal strengths and weaknesses. It defines
personal strengths as built-in capacities for particular ways of thinking,
feeling, and behaving and personal weaknesses as areas where we are lower
in character strengths. The article also emphasizes the importance of
understanding our strengths and weaknesses and provides several tools for
measuring personal strengths.
Table of Contents
1. Personal Strengths Defined
2. Personal Weaknesses Defined
3. Black Friday Savings. Up to 79% Site-Wide
4. 5 Symbols of Mental Strength
5. Fortitude of Character
6. 5 Benefits of Listing Your Strengths and Weaknesses
7. Professional Strengths: ‘The Big Four’ for Work
8. 17 Exercises To Discover & Unlock Strengths
9. List of 92 Strengths for Resumes & Cover Letters
10. A Take-Home Message
11. Frequently Asked Questions
Elaine Mead, BSc.
25 Mar 2020 by
In my work with young people, we often talk about their ideas of personal
strengths and weaknesses.
One of the exercises we begin with asks the students to think about one of
their best friends or someone they admire, and to write a list of all the
personal strengths they believe this person has. Then they are asked to write
a list of their weaknesses.
Almost every time, the strengths list is long and full of wonderful sentiments
and statements, while the weakness list usually contains one or two things,
or nothing at all.
Then we flip the exercise. Students are asked to repeat the same task, but
this time write a list of personal strengths and weaknesses they feel they
have. The results? The strengths list is minimal, while the weakness lists are
double the length.
I’ve found that this isn’t something that goes away as we become adults and
further develop our experiences and personal knowledge. So, how do we
better acknowledge our personal strengths versus our personal
weaknesses? And what is the importance of doing so?
Before you continue, we thought you might like to download our three
Strengths Exercises for free. These detailed, science-based exercises will
help you or your clients realize your unique potential and create a life that
feels energized and authentic.
Personal Strengths Defined
One of the key contributions positive psychology has made is supporting
individuals to reflect on, consider, and identify their core strengths to utilize
them to lead a flourishing life (Boniwell, 2006).
Within positive psychology, personal strengths are defined as our built-in
capacities for particular ways of thinking, feeling, and behaving (Linley,
2008). We all possess distinct character strengths that are associated with
the six virtues of positive psychology theory (Seligman, 2002):
1. Wisdom
1. Creativity
2. Curiosity
3. Love of learning
4. Open-mindedness
5. Perspective
2. Courage
1. Authenticity
2. Bravery
3. Persistence
4. Zest
3. Humanity
1. Kindness
2. Love
3. Social intelligence
4. Justice
1. Fairness
2. Leadership
3. Teamwork
5. Temperance
1. Forgiveness
2. Modesty/Humility
3. Prudence
4. Self-regulation
6. Transcendence
1. Appreciation of beauty and excellence
2. Gratitude
3. Hope
4. Humor
5. Religiousness/Spirituality
Over three years, Peterson and Seligman (2004) explored what personal
strengths might look like and came up with the above list of 24 core
strengths. They referred to these as character strengths and concluded the
following:
These 24 strengths are evident across human history and world
cultures.
Each of the 24 strengths exists in all of us to varying degrees.
Positive psychology helps us to acknowledge that we may be stronger in
some areas and weaker in others, and that’s okay. It’s what makes us all
unique. The point is to identify your pattern of strengths so that you can tap
into these to live a more fulfilling life.
Personal Weaknesses Defined
One of the other purposes of positive psychology is to bring our ideas of
strengths and weaknesses into balance. Positive psychology traditionally
took the stance that other areas of psychology have placed too much
emphasis on pain, trauma, and negative emotions and experiences
(Seligman, 2002).
With that in mind, positive psychology considers a weakness to be one of
the 24 character strengths that you are lower in, rather than a full deficit of a
strength in particular. Peterson and Seligman (2004) believe we each hold all
of the character strengths within us, and understanding how each sits within
our personal capacity allows us to respond and behave in more positive
ways.
Positive psychology does not see weaknesses as ‘unfixable’ areas, and we
can work to improve some of our less-developed character strengths if we
wish to, through various positive psychology techniques and tools.
Download 3 Free Strengths Exercises (PDF)
These detailed, science-based exercises will equip you or your clients with
tools to discover and harness their unique strengths.
Download PDF
Understanding our strengths and weaknesses is important within positive
psychology, as it forms the foundation for much of the theory and
therapeutic work.
Encouraging children to become aware of their strengths helps them to
develop more self-confidence and self-awareness, as well as a deeper
appreciation and value for how each of us is different (Peterson & Seligman,
2004).
Further research has backed up the positive impact of encouraging
individuals to explore and understand their character strengths.
The process of identifying and utilizing your strengths in everyday life
has been linked to an elevated sense of vitality and motivation (Clifton &
Anderson, 2001), increased probability of achieving goals, and a
stronger sense of life direction (Hodges & Clifton, 2004). It has also
been linked to higher self-confidence, engagement, and productivity
(Peterson & Seligman, 2004).
Rust, Diessner, and Reade (2013) found that students who were
encouraged to focus on identifying their character strengths over 12
weeks reported higher gains on the Satisfaction With Life Scale (Diener,
Emmons, Larson, & Griffin, 1985) compared with a control group.
Identifying strengths has also been linked to benefits beyond the
individual. Focusing on employee strengths during performance reviews
was showfn to increase workplace productivity by up to 34%
(Corporate Leadership Council, 2002).
Using strengths-based interventions in the workplace also led to a lower
turnover of staff by up to 14% (Asplund, Lopez, Hodges, & Harter,
2009).
Understanding our strengths has been shown to have extensive positive
benefits across our life. Still, research has gone one step further and
acknowledged that alongside knowing our strengths, knowing when to use
them is equally important. Understanding which strengths are optimal in
which contexts allows us to further navigate our understanding of ourselves
and achieve goals (Ryan, 2009; Schwartz & Sharpe, 2006).
Wheel of Character Strengths
Researchers believe we each have all the character strengths to differing
degrees, and understanding how each sits within our personal capacity
allows us to respond and behave in more positive ways (Peterson &
Seligman, 2004).
Learning your strengths and shortcomings can be an integral part of your
personal development. One way to identify your inherent strengths is the 15-
minute VIA Character Strength Identification Survey.
This Values in Action (VIA) Survey is a leading assessment to highlight an
individual’s character strengths (Peterson & Seligman, 2004). It measures
24 character strengths under six overarching categories: wisdom, courage,
humanity, justice, temperance, and transcendence.
5 Symbols of Mental Strength
Another positive psychology concept worth exploring in relation to personal
strengths is the concept of mental strength, sometimes referred to as mental
toughness.
Mental strength is the capacity to deal with various stressors or challenges
when they arise and still perform to the best of your ability and personal
strengths (Clough, Earle, & Sewell, 2002). Mental strength is another core
foundation of positive psychology and something that can be built and
developed over time with purpose and practice.
Positive psychology defines mental strength through the following attributes:
Adaptability
Endurance
Steadfastness
Dependability
Effectiveness
With personal strengths comes the balance of personal weaknesses, and the
same is true with mental strength. If not practiced in alignment with personal
strengths or without purpose, mental strength may change into its negative
counterpart:
Adaptability can become fickleness.
Endurance may lead to martyrdom or victimization.
Steadfastness can turn to inflexibility.
Dependability can become predictability.
Effectiveness may lead to laziness or taking shortcuts.
Being aware of this can help you to adjust where you notice an imbalance.
Just as you might go to the gym to build physical muscle and give up bad
habits to meet personal fitness goals, you can develop better mental
strength through the right mix of behaviors and thoughts (Morin, 2017).
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Fortitude of Character
Fortitude; noun:
1. strength and firmness of mind; resolute endurance
2. the strength to bear misfortune, pain, etc. calmly and patiently; firm
courage
Collins Dictionary, 2020
Another term you might come across when exploring personal strengths
within positive psychology is ‘fortitude of character,’ sometimes referred to
as ‘strength of character.’
Similar to building mental strength, fortitude of character is the process of
identifying, focusing on, and building your innate strengths over time.
Alongside your strengths, fortitude of character advises focusing on the
character strengths that assist you in overcoming challenging situations that
you might be weaker in (Corbett, 2018). This could be assertiveness,
courage, confidence, or justice.
This process does not happen overnight, and a purposeful, conscious
practice is needed to regularly identify small daily actions that can lead to
you building your fortitude of character. Each day will present new scenarios
or situations in which you can practice.
5 Benefits of Listing Your Strengths and
Weaknesses
Referring back to my example from the start of this article about how I get
my students to list their strengths and weaknesses, one of the biggest
resistances to this exercise is that it ‘is narcissistic.’ But that is entirely
untrue.
Listing your strengths and weaknesses is a beneficial exercise that helps to
motivate a range of positive cognitive and behavioral changes. Here are five
to get you started:
1. Builds your self-awareness
Self-awareness is crucial in a variety of personal and interpersonal settings.
When you spend time reflecting on and identifying your strengths and
weaknesses, it allows you to consider the various situations where you shine
and where you don’t.
This level of awareness means you can play to your strengths and seek
support in situations where you are weakest.
2. Helps you understand other perspectives
Knowing your strengths and weaknesses also enables you to understand
others’ strengths and weaknesses and increases your capacity for empathy
(Abbate, Boca, & Gendolla, 2016).
Better self-awareness increases your confidence in your capabilities,
resulting in reduced self-seeking and self-gratifying mentalities (Stephenson
& Wicklund, 1983), freeing you up to listen to others and understand their
perspectives.
3. Allows you to identify areas for improvement
Sometimes we might know intuitively where we need to improve, but never
actually go one step further to proactively make those changes. Actively and
creatively reflecting and problem solving around your strengths and
weaknesses can motivate you to pursue improvements.
The process of writing these things down can instigate the identification of
the micro-actions that can create the positive changes you might want to
see.
4. Increases your positive vocabulary and positive self-talk
Another benefit of actively writing down your strengths is that it allows you
to flex your vocabulary muscles and develop the language needed to talk
positively about yourself. Self-talk is vital for our overall feelings of
contentment. Positive self-talk has been linked to effective positive cognitive
and behavioral changes (Tod, Oliver, & Hardy, 2011).
5. Greater appreciation for areas you may have previously
undervalued
How do you know which aspects of yourself to value if you’re unsure what
they are? Sometimes we view particular behaviors as negative or ‘weird’
when, in fact, they are linked to personal strengths.
Identifying your strengths and weaknesses also allows you to begin
connecting them to specific behaviors and habits. In doing so, you can begin
to decide which ones are beneficial and contribute to who you want to be,
and which ones aren’t.
This process of listing your strengths and weaknesses isn’t a one-time
exercise. Make sure you revisit your list often to review your progress. Your
ideas of your strengths and weaknesses will almost certainly fluctuate over
time, so this exercise can be great to see what direction you’re heading in.
How to find your strengths - Motivated Mindset
Exploring your strengths can be an exciting endeavor if this is the first time
you’ve considered them. Positive psychology has presented us with several
valuable tools we can use to begin painting the picture of our strengths and
weaknesses.
Here are three to get you started:
1. The VIA Character Strengths Inventory
Developed by Peterson and Seligman (2004), the VIA Character Strengths
Inventory is one of the most popular and fundamental ways to measure your
personal strengths.
It is based on their 24 character strengths, around the six virtues. You can
complete a short questionnaire, responding to a series of statements. Your
results then rank the character strengths, from strongest to weakest.
It’s an excellent starting point and can be quite enlightening and surprising.
2. The Big Five Personality Test
The Big Five Personality Test is another excellent questionnaire to begin
exploring your personal strengths.
Free to access and complete, it provides you with a series of statements and
asks you to rank them from inaccurate to accurate as you feel they relate to
you. The results then provide you with a score for the ‘Big Five’ personality
traits: openness, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness, and
neuroticism.
It is shorter than the VIA Survey and should only take around 10 minutes to
complete.
3. The 300-Question Personality Traits Inventory
If you’re seeking to go in depth, this could be the questionnaire for you!
Consisting of 300 statements, this inventory asks you to rate your responses
to each one from inaccurate to accurate as you feel it relates to you
personally. The results then provide you with a detailed overview of your
core character traits.
This inventory takes around 30 minutes to complete.
Professional Strengths: ‘The Big Four’ for Work
Once you’ve spent some time reflecting on your strengths, you might also
begin to consider your professional strengths.
Many of our strengths can be translated well to the workplace and
professional contexts, but it’s how we translate them and the language we
use that transitions them from ‘personal’ to ‘professional.’
For example:
Personal strength Professional strength
Love of learning Commitment to professional development
Perspective Strong team player
Bravery Able to deliver on tough projects
This reflection can be especially helpful when you’re considering which jobs
might be right for you. Once you know your personal and professional
strengths, you can start to reflect on job roles in this context and find ones
that are the best match for you.
When applying for jobs where you feel unsure about which strengths to
focus on, try asking yourself these four questions:
1. Is it relevant for the job?
This one is crucial. We often have a list of strengths and skills, but we don’t
hone them down for relevance.
When weighing up whether to include a specific skillset, reflect on the job
role itself and review the job description. Is the skill mentioned in the job
posting? Will it be required for the role or add value?
If it is not relevant, do not include it.
2. Is it accurate and true?
Many employers state that one of their biggest annoyances is when
candidates list skills that they don’t have. I often experience this with the
students I work with, where they list a skill they know is relevant to the
industry, but have little or no experience with themselves.
Make sure everything you list is accurate about you and provides a true
reflection of your skill level. You will be asked about it!
3. Is it adaptable?
There will be certain skills we pick up in one role that are fully relevant and
adaptable to another.
If you identify some skills that fit this profile, make sure you detail how the
skill can be adapted to the new role or industry you’re applying to. Years
working in a retail job will give you excellent communication and teamwork
skills, which could adapt well to an office or administrative environment.
4. Can you provide examples?
Linked back to question number two, make sure that any skill you list comes
with tangible examples of when you have used or developed it. This is
especially important if it is a skill listed in the job posting, as you will likely be
asked about it in the interview.
One of the best ways to structure an example that focuses on a specific skill
is the STAR technique. Here’s what that looks like:
Situation: Set the scene for your example, describing where you were
working and what your role was.
Task: Provide details of what you were asked to do that demonstrates the
skill you are seeking to describe.
Action: Paint the picture of what you did to meet the demands of the task
and show your skill.
Result: Detail what happened as a result of your actions and skill.
17 Exercises To Discover & Unlock Strengths
Use these 17 Strength-Finding Exercises [PDF] to help others discover
and leverage their unique strengths in life, promoting enhanced performance
and flourishing.
Created by Experts. 100% Science-based.
Anyone who has ever had to write an application, resume, or cover letter
knows that listing your strengths is crucial to demonstrate a personal and
professional match for the role.
Most of us, however, get stuck at knowing how to articulate these strengths.
One of the core ways to begin identifying which strengths you should list or
focus on is to read the job posting carefully, highlighting any keywords that
stand out and particularly focusing on those that relate to the personal and
professional requirements of the job itself.
Once you have this list, you can begin to create your own list that aligns as
closely as possible. Having the language to do this helps a lot. We’ve
compiled a list of 92 key personal and professional strengths that can be
used for resume and cover letter purposes (List of Personality Traits, n.d.;
Positive Personality Adjectives, n.d.; 638 Primary Personality Traits, n.d.):
Adaptable Flexible
Affectionate Outspoken
Focused
Ambitious Painstaking
Forgiving
Articulate Passionate
Forthright
Aspiring Patient
Frank
Calm Perceptive
Friendly
Candid Perseveres
Generous
Capable Persuasive
Grateful
Caring Polite
Hard-working
Charismatic Practical
Helpful
Cheerful Proactive
Honest
Clear headed Prudent
Humble
Communicative Punctual
Imaginative
Competitive Realistic
Independent
Considerate Reliable
Innovative
Cooperative Resourceful
Insightful
Courageous Respectful
Intuitive
Courteous Responsible
Inventive
Creative Responsive
Involved
Curious Seasoned
Kind
Decisive Self-confident
Mature
Determined Self-directed
Methodical
Devoted Self-disciplined
Meticulous
Diligent Modest Self-reliant
Efficient Motivated selfless
Empathetic Natural leader Sensible
Endures Neat Serious
Energetic Objective Sincere
Enthusiastic Open minded Sociable
Expansive Optimistic Sympathetic
Experienced Organized Systematic
A Take-Home Message
Exploring and understanding our personal strengths and weaknesses can be
a fulfilling experience. I know that when my students start working on this, I
see a noticeable improvement in their confidence and the positive ways they
begin to talk about themselves. They also acknowledge each other’s
strengths, and this, in turn, creates a great classroom environment where we
support each other.
I hope after reading this article, you’ll have found a starting point or a
continuation for the ways in which you can explore your personal and
professional strengths. If there’s one key message I’d like you to take away
from this, it’s that this process is in no way narcissistic and can lead to some
wonderful moments of self-discovery and growth.
I’ve seen my strengths and weaknesses develop over even a short amount of
time as I focus on the ones I want to work on and improve.
After reading this, I hope you feel a renewed motivation to check in on your
strengths more frequently.
We hope you enjoyed reading this article. Don’t forget to download our three
Strengths Exercises for free.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I identify my personal strengths?
Why is it important to know your strengths?
How can I use my strengths for growth?
References
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About the author
Elaine Mead, BSc. Dual Honours, is a counselor, passionate educator, writer,
and learner. Since completing her degree in psychology, she has been
fascinated by the different ways we learn - both socially and academically -
and the ways in which we utilize our experiences to become more authentic
versions of our selves. She is currently completing her diploma in Cognitive
Behavioural Coaching & Mentoring.
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