Now this test literally helped me to understand myself in ways that I never had before. The test will tell you your top 5 strengths, but that doesn't mean that you are only limited to those strengths, it is simply the ones you display most often.
Your strengths can also be your weaknesses if not used properly. However, if used properly, you have the potential to pretty much be amazing. So here are my top five strengths along with a brief definition (written by me).
1. Communication. This one is pretty obvious. Communicators generally communicate well, through both speaking and writing. Communicators are especially good if they are well-prepared. But sometimes we would rather speak when we should be listening...
2. Competition. It doesn't matter if it is a quick round of Halo with friends, a wrestling match, or fantasy football...people with competition play to win. To a strong competitor, life is a game, and coming in 2nd is never good enough. However, the downside is competitors will often avoid "games" or situations where they feel they might "lose." Or, if you don't really care about something (like school or work) you will most likely accept mediocrity. The trick is making everything a "game" and striving to "win" in all your tasks, without being so over the top that you make everyone around you sick of your competitiveness.
3. Activator. Activators are always asking "When can we start?" You find the go button and you press it. Activators are also good at motivating others around them motivated to complete a task. (For instance with me when I convince all my friends to act ridiculous in my videos). However, sometimes activators are quick to jump in head first without checking for water. But, if used properly, an activator has the potential to be a great leader, and to accomplish great things. An activator must be interested and believe in what they are doing to really be motivated to accomplish.
4. Strategy. You need a plan, or else you feel that you may fail. Planning is essential to reach success for the strategist. A strategist wants to consider all sides. Sometimes strategists can over-think.
(note that Activator and Strategy are perceived as near opposites. However, they are both very true in my life. I have found difficulty recognizing and balancing this conflict. It is the conflict that sometimes I feel the activator pushing me and making me want to accomplish, but the strategy in me is like the brakes, which kills the activator...this excites me- the challenge to find the balance, almost like a game...they contradict each other, but if used properly, they compliment each other)
5. W.O.O. This stands for Winning Others Over. This strength is only displayed in about 4% of the population. There is such a wide-variety of uses for it. It is not only is this the ability to persuade if need be, but it is also the desire to have many friends. Woo-ers are generally good at first impressions, and are good at being friends with everyone. A woo-er is good at finding connections with others, or ways to relate, and because of that a woo-er can be very helpful in solving conflict. There is much more to W.O.O. but I don't know how to summarize all of it.
So those are my strengths, like them or leave them. As with everything in life, the key is balance. Finding a way to use the positives of these strengths without abusing them so as to induce the negative aspects. I view them almost as undeveloped powers, like the characters from the TV show "Heroes" way back in season one (back when it was good). I'm very excited about all this, and I've been spending a lot of time lately thinking of ways to develop my "powers" for more effective use, and also how to work them all together for success.
I wrote all this for two reasons. 1. I am a communicator, and I love writing. And 2. I want to challenge others to either take this test, or to look at their own lives and see the strengths that God has given them, and to find ways to use them more effectively. It is very fun and interesting, and you'll learn a lot about yourself!
