Your strengths within

A few months ago during training in New York, we were asked to take a Strengths Finder Test to find out what our top 5 strengths are. My top strength turned out being an achiever and looking back at the description of that strength, it says, “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.” I had to agree with that top strength and with that, I am able to tell that I am more of a hands-on person rather than a meetings person. However, since I started work on Tuesday, I have been in numerous meetings as well as having nothing to do. With that happening, I have found myself becoming discouraged and confused.

I am very much someone that has always asked people for more to do, I want things to do and to stay busy, and even if my schedule is already packed and crazy, I will still do more. I was that way during my 4 years of being involved with InterVarsity Christian Fellowship and that’s what I am used to. Being here in Texas so far, I have been experiencing the opposite and wondering when will things pick up and when I will be busy rather than finding myself with not much to do. My strength is achiever and right now I don’t have anything to work toward and I am not busy. So, how do I work my strength into my job right now and what can I do so that I am utilizing my strength even when there’s not much for me to do? I have been reading “Toxic Charity” but even that doesn’t fulfill my want to be busy and be doing something, anything!

At the all staff meeting yesterday, they made the comment and was joking around about giving me a lot to do since I am the youngest person working at the Dallas Leadership Foundation and I wanted to make the response that I look forward to the day when I am busy since right now I am not busy and don’t have much going on. I will be meeting with both of my supervisors next week on Monday to try to organize a schedule for the week since they will both be gone at a conference for part of the week so I will need something to do. Therefore, I am hoping that starting next week, things will pick up for me and I will find myself being able to use my strength of being an achiever!

So, a week has passed and even with being discouraged some days, I am still excited and looking forward to my time spent here in Texas and partnering with the Dallas Leadership Foundation! It’s a transition for us all since my placement site has never had a US-2 before so they are learning along side me in regards to how to do things. But, in the week, I have attended a neighborhood association meeting, attended a meeting where I heard more about the community development area and what’s going on there, attended a meeting that is preparing people to get on board and on track with youth Bible studies, attended an all staff meeting, went out into the community to look at houses that the community development area might work on, met all of the staff at D.L.F, and helped with a tool loaning program.

So, I am doing things, it’s just not what I am used to or accustomed to but at this time, this is what it takes since relationships need to be built before “ministry” can happen and I need to have a foundation and know what’s going on and how to do things before I can do things. And some of the things are not in full swing yet with D.L.F. so once things get started up then I will become busier. So, please keep coming back to my blog to see the updates and what’s going on! 

My top 5 strengths are:

1. Achiever 

2. Responsibility 

3. Developer 

4. Belief 

5. Connectedness