In the recent November 2017 copy of National Geographic Magazine, there was an article on the world’s happiest places, by Dan Buettner, the author of The Blue Zones, Lessons for Living Longer from the People Who’ve Lived the Longest. According to Buettner, the three happiest places on earth are Denmark, Costa Rica, and Singapore. The things they have in common are that their “people feel secure, have a sense of purpose, and enjoy lives that minimize stress and maximize joy”.
You’ve likely heard people talk about the phenomenon of “Imposter Syndrome” – the propensity to feel like you’re going to be ‘found out’ by everybody due to this or that weakness you have, despite your many accomplishments.
In the face of this defeating self-talk, a greater focus on strengths can provide a validation of your skill set. It feels better because you’re using the natural talents you already have inside you and bringing them out, front and center.
You’ve likely heard people talk about the phenomenon of “Imposter Syndrome” – the propensity to feel like you’re going to be ‘found out’ by everybody due to this or that weakness you have, despite your many accomplishments.
In the face of this defeating self-talk, a greater focus on strengths can provide a validation of your skill set. It feels better because you’re using the natural talents you already have inside you and bringing them out, front and center.
I have discovered something that feels very counterintuitive to a Type A person like me. The more I relax and am at ease; the better I become. This is a major paradigm shift for me. I am an ACHIEVER, (#13 of my Clifton Strengths) so getting things done/checking things off my list has always been highly valued by me and many of the people I have worked with. In fact, at one of my first jobs out of college, being an achiever was so important that it reinforced the very act of being busy. The busier you were, the more people noticed, and the more you were rewarded. The challenge is whether you are busy on the things that actually matter or not.
