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Just stop. I mean at some point doesn’t the brain get weary of the incessant need for more? The deep search for opportunity is not driven by anything evil. On the contrary it’s actually a strength of mine. The ACHIEVER.
If you haven’t already met, let me introduce you to the Clifton Strengths assessment by Gallup. We first met almost fifteen years ago when the second book was released called Strengths Finder 2.0. At that time I was working full time in pastoral ministry for a church, specifically with students and families. This resource provided invaluable insights on self-awareness for our leadership team, while helping each individual understand where they thrive. It helped raised the performance of our team across the board.
If you’re a strengths newbie then here is the short of it! The global strengths movement started six decades ago when Don Clifton posed a simple question:
“What would happen with the world if we studied what went right with people versus what is wrong with people”.
Clifton invented the CliftonStrengths assessment, which has been completed by *26,492,542* people. It’s a 30 minute assessment with 177 questions where you select which one fits you the best. The assessment measures your talents — your natural patterns of thinking, feeling and behaving — and categorizes them into [the 34 CliftonStrengths themes].
This is where it gets real! Here are my top five.
Strategic
Achiever
Relator
Arranger
Focus
Let’s circle back to the Achiever strength which keeps me on my toes all-the-time! Achiever: People who are especially talented in the Achiever theme have a great deal of stamina and work hard. They take great satisfaction from being busy and productive.
While this is absolutely a strength, there are pain points at times too. One being that I struggle to rest because I am always contemplating what else I can achieve. The list of what needs to be done is never-ending. This factors into my personal and professional life. The zinger is that every time I accomplish a task, it’s like a dopamine hit. Like this…
Schedule Chicago hotels for my son’s volleyball tournaments HIT
Launch a complicated website HIT
Successful new partnership for Studio EightyEight HIT
Do eight loads of laundry, fold and put away HIT
Successful Christmas tree decoration night HIT
Limo and theatre experience for my son’s 16th bday HIT
Plan out 2022 dental events and conferences HIT
Create celebratory experiences for our S8E8 team HIT
And I could go on…but you get the picture. Something my husband said to me while we were curled up in our bed discussing the future was, “What if we’re content with where we are right now? We had a great year full of incredible relationships, travel, connections and memories as a family. I know there’s more but what if we are “okay” with TODAY?”
Today. There’s a word that I tend to overlook because there’s always new vision and ideas knocking at the door begging to be opened! Learning to love this aspect of my world-changing self while embracing where I am today will be a lifelong journey. The good news is, I'm getting closer to fully embracing "who I am".
This is only part one of a string of short stories on strengths, but let me encourage you. If the achiever strength resonates with you in any way, then know that acknowledging and celebrating the accomplishments you’ve worked so hard on matter. They are seen and so are you. You work your heart out for everyone around you with less ego than most realize. You’re not wrong, you’re normal and this strength of yours is what our world needs more of. Affirm yourself for what you did in the here and now before you move on to the next thing. It's okay to celebrate for a minute!
Stay tuned! More to come…I’m into these short stories so let me know if you are too.