So what are strengths? How are they different from talents? Don Clifton, founder and chief designer of the StrengthsFinder profile, often referred to talents as: “Any recurring pattern of thought, feeling, or behavior that can be productively applied.” For example, if you naturally relish competing, you have a talent in competitiveness. If you can easily develop in-depth relationships, you have a talent in relating. Often in children, these talents show up in their recurring curiosities and the activities they are drawn to, how they naturally approach a learning situation and develop relationships.
In adults, clues appear when we slow down and notice: How we spontaneously react positively to a situation; skills that come easily to us; activities that we seek out or experience from which we get a high degree of satisfaction. Once we notice our talents, then we have clearer ideas of where to invest our time and energy so they become strengths.
Talents + Practice = Strengths.
