The new year is almost upon us. It’s time to think about goals and where you want to go in the new year. Why not decide now to do something new and different. Something that will push you. Something you can do remarkably well.
Take it to new heights.
Be the best you can be.
Stand out from the crowd.
Build from your strengths.
Here is a simple plan to get started.
1. Find Out What Your Strengths Are
Give yourself a present this holiday season. For under $20 you can quickly find a direction for your life. Order the book Strengths Finder 2.0 by Tom Rath. Take the online strengths test included in the book. Print out your strengths assessment.
2. Create a Strengths Action List
In your printed strengths assessment will be a list of your top five strengths. Take a look in the book under each strength for Ideas for Action. Download and print our Action Statement Creator for MS Word and write down one or two action ideas in each strength box. (We have included a sample document that is filled in with five random strengths for use as an example)
3. Create an Action Statement
In the center of the Action Statement Creator is a box to create your action statement. Look for keywords in the action ideas under each strength. List your keywords under each strength in the box provided. Combine the keyword ideas and create a concise action statement
4. Print Out Your Action Statement
Print your action statement in a nice large font in Word on a letter sized sheet of paper. Put it in a frame and post it where you can see it on a daily basis.
5. Take Action on a Daily Basis
Use your action statement to guide your actions at work or at home. The keywords will help you mold your actions to fit your strengths. Create a daily action plan to use your strengths to further your goals.
6. Mentors
In each of the strength boxes is a place to put mentors names. Put down people that you know that exhibit this particular strength in a positive way. Get to know them and have them help you fully develop your similar strengths.
7. Go from here
There are many other strengths based resources available such as Marcus Buckingham’s Now, Discover Your Strengths and his new book, Go Put Your Strengths To Work
This tool has been useful to help me better see my strengths and find practical ways to apply them. I hope you will take the time to find your strengths in the coming year and hopefully you’ll find this tool helpful in taking action on them.
(Please note that we are not affiliated with the authors of these books or the Gallup organization. This is a personal worksheet that I have found useful for writing a strengths based action statement. Hopefully you will find it useful too.)