Is Fear Hiding Your Successful Self?
While wandering around the great ocean of blogs known as My Blog Log, I stumbled upon a small business site on which resided an article by the Gallup Management Journal.
Here is the headline text that so harshly welcomed me to 2007:
Yikes!
Here is a portion of the excerpt that had me examining my strengths and weaknesses for days: (Marcus Buckingham and Donald O. Clifton)
- You may be reluctant to investigate your strengths quite simply because you don’t believe that your true self is much to write home about. Whatever the label — a feeling of inadequacy or “imposter syndrome” or plain old insecurity — the symptoms are familiar. Despite your achievements, you wonder whether you are as talented as everyone thinks you are. You suspect that luck and circumstance, not your strengths, might explain much of your success. The anxious little voice in your ear whispers, “When will you be found out?” and, against your better judgment, you listen.
- In part this explains why, when asked to describe their strengths, people rarely refer to their natural talents. Instead, they talk about external things that they have gathered during their life, such as certificates and diplomas, experiences and awards. Here is the “proof” that they have improved themselves, that they have acquired something valuable to offer.
I am so guilty of this self-sabotaging behavior (to borrow a worn out phrase)…when asked what my strengths are, I just sit there and stare into space.
On the other hand, I know I must have strengths, otherwise, how could The Pet Set have been conceived and executed?
For some reason, at least for me, I am quite nimble at rattling off my weaknesses…otherwise I’d have been on the Oprah show by now and the Pet Set would have been selected as one of her favorites!
I’ve read many self-help/coaching books throughout my adult life…I think this book may actually help guide me toward identifying and leveraging my strengths.
