You hear a lot about the importance of constructive criticism and all the good things it entails. It promotes better communication. It enhances personal growth and it simply gets the best work out of people. You may be a creator who is constantly working to improve your craft and your business practices. But you probably don't hear enough about what you're already doing right... and you may have just as much to learn from your strengths as you do your weaknesses. Finding your strengths is a lot harder than it seems. So, how do you identify them and distinguish them from the things you could improve on? And why should you take the time to find and channel them?Read on to learn more about finding strengths in your business and why you need to own them!
Brainstorm a List of Everything You’re Doing Right
Let's face it: Artists can sometimes be their harshest critics. Flattering oneself doesn't come so easy to some people - artist or not. But that doesn't mean you're doing everything wrong, either. Turns out you're doing a great job as of right now. So, if you were wondering what those things are, ask yourself this monumental question:Who are you and what do you do? Are you an interior designer with a shabby chic specialty? Or, are you a jack-of-all-trades kind of maker who can flip and transform any house thrown your way? Whoever it is you are and whatever it is you do - acknowledge it. And then ask yourself what you've already accomplished in your career. Think back on every client you've helped. Look at those experiences individually. What did you accomplish? And what have you done to improve since then? Then, think on what you're doing every day that is making you a better creator - and an all-around better person. Have you developed a habit of starting work earlier in the morning? Are you busting out newer and better content every day on your blog? Are you making it a point to sketch for an hour at least every day? No matter how big or minuscule the accomplishment may seem... it's a strength you need to acknowledge nonetheless.
Think About How You Can Bolster Your Strengths
After finding your strengths, think about how you can reinforce them. You've already accomplished a lot from your strengths. But what more can you get out off pursuing them and making them better? If you've increased your sales, what could you keep doing to generate more? If you're garnering more social media followers, how can you keep people coming back for more? Next, contemplate how you can bolster your strong points and good qualities. Would you benefit from taking a class or attending a workshop? Would traveling or learning a new language help you connect with new customers? Is there a new project that would take your expertise to a whole new level? Don't look at this process with the philosophy: "There's always room for improvement." Rather, look at this as an opportunity to feed off your strengths and become a powerhouse creator!
Acknowledge What You Want & What’s Most Important to You
Are you struggling to identify and channel your strengths? Feeling the creative burnout?If so, think about what's most important to you in life. Separating your professional and personal life is crucial to your well-being... but so often they go hand-in-hand.Let's say you have children and you value spending time with them. To help you accomplish this, you could start your workday earlier, for example.Maybe it's important for you to become a well-known figure in the home design industry. You need to start a home design business to get to where you want to be eventually. But what if you’re scared to take the plunge? In this case, learning to overcome business fears would help you gain more strengths than you ever dreamed possible.
Start Finding Your Strengths & Celebrating Them!
Channeling your strengths and improving upon them takes a lot of determination... more than most people realize! But if you wake up each day with the intent to become stronger, the results will speak for themselves in so many ways. What important lessons have you learned along the way to becoming successful? What do you know about finding your strengths and why you need to own them? Share your wisdom in the comments!
