Experts believe that discovering your strengths and figuring out what you’re good at are key elements to finding the right career fit and maintaining that fit over time. No one puts it better than Donald O. Clifton, the late professor and creator of Strengthsfinder- a personal development tool which provides an individual with their ‘top 5’ strengths. He said, “You are not powerless, even in a job where you are not satisfied. Today, make the investment in understanding and leading with your strengths. Each person’s greatest room for growth is in the areas of his or her greatest strength.” Why should you know your strength? Jane Nakaayi, the head of the department of languages at Riviera High School in Kigali says strengths are a unique combination of one’s skills, talents, knowledge, and experience. She says, everyone has their own strengths; some are obvious but many others aren’t and that in most cases, much strengths go underutilised, unappreciated and unrewarded too. For this reason, Nakaayi says understanding your strengths can keep one ahead in many things. For instance, she says that if one is looking at career options, it’s easier to narrow down specific job scopes based on the things you know you are good at. Besides, it also helps one to grow more. Nakaayi notes that on the other hand, it’s important for one to be intentional about knowing their value and strengths. This she says, will help you gain clarity, inspiration and motivation with one simple act of self-discovery. “When we identify our strengths and focus on them, we are more productive, perform better, are more engaged and have greater joy in work and life,” she says. Knowing your strengths better, Sylvester Twizerimana, a psychologist says helps one identify and appreciate others too. He says that doing this can change how one interacts with everyone adding that a person can discover and seek to understand others. Twizerimana says that knowing your unique capabilities will help transform how you perceive yourself and others in general. The psychologist points out that by knowing your strengths better, it helps one to grow even more. “Pinning down what you are strong at or what you can excel at can help one aim even higher than they were before,” he says. Twizerimana also adds that knowing what you are good at helps boosts one’s self esteem. He explains that by one finding what they are good at, it will give them a boost in self-confidence. He mentions that these skills could be drawing, writing, cooking among others and that when one feels confident about what they know, they can achieve so much more. Naakayi notes that understanding the things that one is good at can make them happier people. “Just imagine doing what you love every day without being pushed? This will definitely make you feel good about yourself and this will even make you believe in yourself thus becoming happier,” she says. She also highlights that discovering your strengths can be an inspiration and guide for others. “When one has taken time to check and analyse what they are good at, they can use that to be an inspiration and guide for others.”
