My Top 5 Strengths

So I just took my StrengthsQuest online and got my top five strengths. I think they fit me pretty well, especially the first three. The last two apply to the way maybe I would like to be, but I don't think I really display those strengths quite yet. Anyway, so my top five strengths:

1. Individualization - I see each person's unique traits and I study the differences between people and how they interact based on those differences.

2. Input - I collect different things (including quotes and facts) and I am interested by many things and tend to go crazy researching things I find interesting.

3. Belief - I have specific core values that are important and unchanging and I value high morals.

4. Connectedness- I know that everything happens for a reason and that all people are connected. I see or am aware of the larger picture and try not to hurt others because in reality that would mean hurting myself.

5. Developer - I see each person's individua potential and try to help them succeed. I am patient and notice the small successes each person has as they grow.

Okay, so I think individualization is scary accurate of me. I mean, I was reading through the description and I can relate to basically everything it says, and the suggestions of things to do (like charting the differences of people I meet and taking classes like psych and soc to learn more about people and how they act) made me really excited...all of them seemed like things I would be interested in doing (or things I had already done because I was interested in them). So in general I would say that I do try to get to know each person I meet on a personal, individual level. That's why meeting so many people at the beginning of the school year drove me crazy...there was no time to really get to know anyone, and everyone I met kind of got pushed together into a jumble in my brain. Also, this is random, but one of the things the description says people with this strength do is pick out just the right present for their friend's birthday, since they know each of their friends so deeply as an individual and want to get them something they would really like. I mean, right there I was like dude, that's me, lol. Probably my favorite thing about Christmastime is shopping or brainstorming about what my friends would really like...I always spend time on it and try to match the gift to the person. But anyway, so I guess individualization allows me to get to know people in one on one relationships and to support and encourage them based on their specific needs and goals. Supposedly I would also be great at forming teams because I would know who would work well together and how each person would compliment the other's strengths....that's true, I'm sure, but since I'm not very assertive, I cannot imagine myself ever really forming a team or anything like that. Though I do love thinking about all these things and analyzing different people and their motives. Like one of the things the test suggested I do when I read is "take notes about how the author vividly sets up the uniqueness of each character"...I definitely do this all the time, sometimes just in my head and sometimes I actually do take notes without being told to, lol. So yeah, I think this fits me.

My input strength is also pretty accurate. I do collect things, from quotes to information I am interested in to stuff with wolves on it, lol. And like it says, I do read and research to learn more, not to use the information to hone in on and refine my own theories. Actually, as you will see in the next strength, those stay pretty constant. But I just love new information. Why do you think I loved It's Academic so much?, lol. And I really do spend way too much time researching for my projects (when I finally get around to doing the work) to the point that I need to stop myself and go back to the interesting stuff later so that I can actually get the paper finished (that is one of the examples they gave as something I might do). I also will just research for fun anything that I am interested in. I do it a lot. Obviously if anyone knows about my comic book phase, you know I collected information like crazy. And in my spare time I love to read about and research different psychological concepts and experiments, which also goes along with my individualization strength. I mean, when we had to research the Zimbardo Prison Experiment quickly for psych class, I spent like three hours on the site finding out everything I could and reading through it all...I almost ran out of time to complete the assignment I had been working on too, lol. But yeah, so input works for me because it causes me to store up information that could really come in handy at any time and to be constantly interested in learning and discovering, which definitely helps in school. I just have to be interested in the subject matter and I'll learn really well. So one of the suggestions was to suggest alternate topics or assignments to my professors so that I will be doing work about something I want to learn about. Another was to talk to professors in the fields I am interested in and bascally pick their brains about the subject, which is definitely something I would do if I wasn't so shy and afraid to approach my professors, lol. We'll see though...maybe I can try it at some point.

So I think everyone who knows me pretty well would agree that my belief strength is completely accurate. I do have strong and unchanging morals that guide my life and everything I do, and I do tend to value others who have similarly high ethics. My belefs do give my life its meaning and direction, and I definitely know that there are more important things than fame and money. Another really true part is that I need to find work that I will find important and meaningful, as well as work that fits in with my core beliefs and principles. This is actually exactly why I wanted to come to a Christian university to study film and psychology and why I do not want to join the secular film world. I need what I do to make a difference and to uphold my morals and I refuse to compromise those morals for secular projects that I really don't believe in. I mean, I am not totally against the secular would, but there are specific lines I will not cross, and I have always known that. So my belief strength works for me by giving my life a meaning and by helping me to decide what is and what is not worth it...it really helps me make easy decisions, because when judging by my morals, I know in my heart what is right and wrong for me to do. It also inspires me to use my career pursuit, making documentaries, to spread and uphold my values, such as loving and honoring God and being loyal to others. I think this strength is a large part of why I got into the documentary film track in the first place.

My connectedness strength fits somewhat, but I do not live out all of the "action items" or senerios it lists. I do know that all people are connected and part of a bigger picture, because that is God's plan, and I do value the fact that because of that I am never truly alone. I tend to seek out other Christians for that reason. And I do believe in not hurting people or exploiting them, though not necessarily, as they put it, "because we will be harming ourselves" since we "are all part of a larger picture." I mean, I believe that, but I care about people and, going along with my individualization strength (and my developer strength), want to see them grow and succeed, and thus would never want to hurt them. The description does say though that my faith helps me to give encouragement to others that there is more beyond the often not so pleasant present and it helps me and my friends continue on in the face of life's mysteries and challanges. So really, it goes along with my belief stregth pretty well. It's just that a lot of the action things involve making bridges between people and helping others appreciate the connection between all people, which is rather in contradiction with my individualization strength, not to mention that I do not like to speak in front of people, give directions, or basically do anything assertive. Thus unless it's totally behid the scenes I would never be involved in helping other people see the connections. Although, I just realized, I guess that is a large part of what I want to do with film...show people what is going on with other cultures and peoples in other areas so that they can relate to them and get inspired to help them and make a difference, or just to appreciate them and their strong faith. And it does say that I should partner with someone with a communication strength to tell the story of the connectedness, not that I should tell it alone, so I guess that works. In that case, it does seem to fit me pretty well.

Last but not least (though actually it is the least of my five traits, so maybe that isn't true, lol), my developer strength helps me to see the potential in everyone individually and promotes me to help them grow and reach their goals. Supposedly I should be naturally patient and see the little steps a person takes as they grow and change, with my help and encouragement, and this makes me feel happy and accomplished. I suppose this is true, though I certainly am not the most patient person ever, but there are some areas where I can see how this has worked. I mean, with my brother I was always pushing him to be more independant and to do more on his own, and though I did often get frusterated with him, I was the one that recognized the small progresses he made, like saying "excuse me" before being asked and taking the initiative to get his own food. I can even remember back in elementary school making a fitness training program for my friend that we ran through during recess everyday, because she wanted to lose weight or get in shape or something and I wanted to help. I never expected fast results from it, just kept at it, though really I don't think that specific circumstance amounted to much. But yeah, this strength goes along wth my individualization strength, because I again see people as unique individuals, though this time i am recognizing their potential and trying to help them achieve it and reach the goals they have for themself. Basically I am "a natural encourager", which is very true of how I am with my friends, I think I do try to push them to keep at their goals and to never give up, and I try to help them see the small progress they make when they are feeling that it is hopeless. I think I could do a lot more with this strength, especially if I was a little more assertive in trying to help people and support them. But yeah, in general I definitely am the encourager and behind the scenes supporter. I guess that's why I tend to by so optomistic with my friends' problems (though never with my own, lol).

So those are my strengths. What do you guys think (those who know me well)? Do you think they fit? I am supposed to ask three of you to read my blog and comment on my strengths. Thanks for your help!