Get To Know Me: Achiever

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Dear Reader

About three years ago I read Now, Discover Your Strengths by Marcus Buckingham and Donald O. Clifton. I came across my results from The Gallup Organization’s StrengthsFinder, which lists your five greatest potential strength areas. It’s been a while since I last read them, but I still think they are ridiculously accurate, and more so now that I’ve had time to work on them. They provide a good laugh when you read them with someone, like your spouse, who knows you really well. I thought I would share them here, not as a way to toot my own horn, but as a way for my readers to get to know me a little better. I seriously don’t think I could write more accurately…except about my weaknesses.

Achiver:
Your Achiever theme helps explain your drive. Achiever describes a constant need for achievement. You feel as if every day starts at zero. By the end of the day you must achieve something tangible in order to feel good about yourself. And by “every day” you mean every single day-workdays, weekends, vacations. No matter how much you may feel you deserve a day of rest, if the day passes without some form of achievement, no matter how small, you will feel dissatisfied. You have an internal fire burning inside of you. It pushes you to do more, to achieve more. After each accomplishment is reached, the fire dwindles for a moment, but very soon it rekindles itself, forcing you toward the next accomplishment. Your relentless need for achievement might not be logical. It might not even be focused (mine happens to be logical–to me–and focused, but you will see why in the following posts). But it will always be with you. As an Achiever you must learn to live with this whisper of discontent. It does have its benefits. It brings you the energy you need to work long hours without burning out. It is the jolt you can always count on to get you started on new tasks, new challenges. It is the power supply that causes you to set the pace and define the levels of productivity for your work group. It is the theme that keeps you moving.

Are there any other Achievers out there? I know my friend, Brian, is one. If you’re not really sure about yourself, I would recommend Now, Discover Your Strengths. It doesn’t just show you your personality. It teaches you how to capitalize on your strengths and maybe even become dangerously effective.
Stay tuned for the next edition of “Get To Know Me: Discipline.”