Journal Entry 4
Hey, how's it going?
Hard to believe that I'm already on week 4 of 8! Oh, and in case I forgot to mention, there's 8 weeks for this course. That means 8 weeks of blog posts. And I'm on week 4. Now the first part makes more sense, huh?
This week I'll be talking about strengths. My strengths, other people's strengths, how my strengths get along (and don't get along) with other people's strengths, and so on. It's gonna be fun! Not to mention deep and hard-hitting. Anyway, take a deep breath, and HERE WE GO!!!
Vital Friends Map
Okay, so maybe we won't start with the "strengths" part. Instead, it's the Vital Friends Map.
It's a bold subject, so you know it's gonna be good.
Apparently, there's these 8 or so categories in our lives that get filled by friends, or family, or whatever. Unfortunately, the "vital friends, family, or whatever map" isn't as catchy of a name, so they just stuck with "vital friends". Oh well, whatever works, right? Oh, and I should mention that often, one person fits into more than one role. Also, one or more roles are often left empty, due to not having anyone to fit that spot. I guess that's totally normal, though. On to the categories!
Builder- A great motivator, someone who always helps you grow and pushes you to do more. This role sounds like a teacher or mentor type to me. This category could fit either of my parents, really. They both will make time for me, if need help badly enough to ask. I can be a bit stubborn about doing things myself, though...
Champion- A loyal person, someone who will always follow and defend you. Very proud of your successes, and accepting of what you say without judgement. Kinda sounds like a "sidekick" to me, but I suppose that's not really a bad thing. My little brother David, through and through. He's always looking up to me and asking me questions. I feel like he's helped me to be a better person by striving to be a better role model.
Collaborator- A friend who shares your passions and interests. Someone who seems to be on the same page with you quite often would fit this role. This one sounds a lot like my dad. We share a lot of interests, having lived in the same house for so long. We watch the same TV shows, play the same video games, listen to the same music, etc.
Companion- This is the person that's always there for you. You know you could count on them for anything. They'd put they're life on the line for you, and you'd do the same for them. I can't think of anyone that would fit this category too well. I mean, besides the Lord.
Connector- As the name suggests, this is the person that can connect you with anyone. They know all the right people, and can get you in touch with them. I'm generally self-sufficient when it comes to getting in touch with people. I can't think of anyone to fit here.
Energizer- These are the fun friends. They pick you up when you're down, and they're the ones you go to when you want to enjoy yourself. This would be my friend Justin. We haven't talked or hung out in a long while due to distance and busyness with school, but I still consider him a good friend. If I get too overwhelmed, and find myself in need of a break from life, he's the person I call or text.
Mind Opener- A mind opener will broaden your perspective. They ask the interesting questions that help you see things a new way. This could be my friend Delaney. Anytime we talk, it's always about some ridiculous idea or concept. Most of the time we're joking, but every once in a while, we stumble onto something interesting.
Navigator-The Navigator is the person that keeps you pointed in the right direction. They're the one you talk to about your big decisions in life, and the ones you can trust to keep you on the right path. This sounds to me like my mom. She knows me better than most people, and never hesitates to give me advice on what to do.
Okay, so those are the categories. Unfortunately for me, I tend to not keep many close friends. Usually no more than 2 or 3 at a time. Instead, I realized that most of these roles are filled by family members! Yeah, yeah, I know that sounds like a cop-out. I can't help that it's true!
Anyway, moving on to strengths now.
Strengths and Conflict
Okay, so according to this Gallup StrengthsFinder test, there are 34 different themes that we have as humans(for example: adaptability, competition, discipline, positivity). Each of us have these themes in differing amounts, and are naturally geared for some. The test shows you which 5 you are the most naturally inclined to. Here are my top 5:
1. Ideation: A fascination with ideas. Someone strong in this theme is creative, easily inspired, and able to find connections with things seemingly unrelated.
2. Context: Someone strong in context often looks back to the past to understand the present and predict the future. They become more confident after knowing the history of something, and after understanding the ideas behind it.
3. Empathy: The ability to sense the emotions of those in contact with you. A strong empathizer can put themselves in someone else's shoes, and see the world from their perspective. This helps them to understand others better, even if they don't agree with them.
4. Strategic: Strategy helps you see through the clutter and find the best route. A strategic person can see patterns, and use them to play out potential scenarios to find the end result.
5. Learner: People strong in the learner theme love to constantly improve themselves. The process of learning excites them, and they can't stand being stagnant.
I thought they sounded a little bit like me when I took the test, but now at the end of the week, I can't seem to find anything that I do that doesn't correspond with one of these themes!
I think that I work best with:
Futuristic themed people, that can keep me from getting too wrapped in Context, and encourage my Ideation and Strategic themes, while keeping me focused on the end result. Activator themed people can also be a major benefit, getting me past the "planning" stage and into the "action" stage. They could also spur me on, despite any Empathy-based restraint. The one thing that I believe my talent set really lacks is motivation to act, and now that I can see that, I can do something about it. I also think it's important to stay around people that can keep my diverse talent set balanced, rather than push one or two so hard that I can't ever employ the rest.
I have difficulty understanding:
Woo themed people, who thrive on making large amounts of friends. What's the point in making so many new friends that you neglect the old? Also, the single-mindedness of the Focus theme is difficult for me to follow. Some people might say I'm easily bored, but I can't help that I think so quickly! I could also imagine myself frustrating someone with a Command theme, being the mental free spirit that I am.
I could potentially have conflict with:
People who have strong Discipline, Command, and Belief themes. The rigid structure and frequent obstinance that sometimes occurs in these themes is overpowering to my open-minded(some might say sketchy) Ideation and Empathy themes. In my mind, it's more important to be open, and care about the other person's opinion, than to be right. Also, the impatience that accompanies the Activator theme might clash with my methodical, Strategic way of going about things. If I could get along with an Activator, though, we would make a powerful team...
Okay, so I've identified my own strengths, my best team-ups, and my potential conflicts. Now all I need to do is be aware of the differences in our styles, and work to make myself less frustrating to them, and trying to be less frustrated by them. I also know which kind of people I would do best by surrounding myself by. If I can survive their go-getter attitudes, that is. Maybe all I need to do is get in touch with my own go-getter, so that I can better understand them.
Whoa. I have a lot of work to do. At least I'm a good empathizer...
Now, here's a quote! Again, no idea who this guy is.
No comments:
Post a Comment