Personal strengths
Strengths-based approaches start from what people do well instead of what they lack. The idea is simple: time spent building on a natural strength often pays off more, and feels better, than time spent patching a weakness.
MindScale's eight strengths are our own. Everyone has all of them to some degree, and the test names the one that stands out most, along with any close behind it.
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Your score and full report: $2.95 for 7 days of full access, then $29.95 every 4 weeks until you cancel.
Curiosity
Wanting to know how things work, asking questions and learning for the fun of it.
- Toward the high end
- For people here, curiosity is a strong suit. New ideas pull them in, and they keep asking until something makes sense.
- Around the middle
- People here are curious about some things and happy to leave others alone.
- Toward the low end
- Learning for its own sake is not what drives people here most. They'd rather use what they already know well.
Drive
Setting goals, working hard toward them and finishing what you start.
- Toward the high end
- For people here, drive is a strong suit. They set goals, push through the dull parts and like to see a job done.
- Around the middle
- People here work hard on what matters to them and ease off on what doesn't.
- Toward the low end
- Pushing hard toward goals is not what drives people here most. They may prefer to take things as they come.
Creativity
Coming up with new ideas, new ways of doing things and making something of your own.
- Toward the high end
- For people here, creativity is a strong suit. They enjoy finding a new angle and making things that didn't exist before.
- Around the middle
- People here enjoy a fresh idea now and then and are also happy with tried-and-true ways.
- Toward the low end
- Inventing new things is not what drives people here most. They may prefer to improve what already works.
Leadership
Taking charge, organizing people and helping a group decide and move forward.
- Toward the high end
- For people here, leadership is a strong suit. When a group stalls, they tend to step up and get things moving.
- Around the middle
- People here can take the lead when it's needed and are just as happy to follow.
- Toward the low end
- Taking charge is not what drives people here most. They may prefer to contribute without running the show.
Kindness
Noticing what people need and helping, generously and without being asked.
- Toward the high end
- For people here, kindness is a strong suit. They notice when someone needs a hand and are quick to give it.
- Around the middle
- People here help others when they can and also keep time and energy for themselves.
- Toward the low end
- Looking after others is not what drives people here most. They may show care in quieter or more practical ways.
Focus and order
Planning ahead, keeping things organized and paying close attention to detail.
- Toward the high end
- For people here, focus and order are strong suits. They plan ahead, keep track of details and like things done properly.
- Around the middle
- People here keep things organized when it matters, without needing everything in its place.
- Toward the low end
- Planning and tidy systems are not what drive people here most. They may prefer to keep things loose and flexible.
Connecting people
Making friends easily, bringing people together and keeping a group close.
- Toward the high end
- For people here, connecting others is a strong suit. They make friends easily and enjoy bringing people together.
- Around the middle
- People here enjoy company and can bring others together, and they also like their own time.
- Toward the low end
- Building a wide circle is not what drives people here most. They may prefer a few close people to a big group.
Calm under pressure
Staying steady, clear-headed and practical when things go wrong.
- Toward the high end
- For people here, staying calm under pressure is a strong suit. When things go wrong, they keep a clear head.
- Around the middle
- People here stay steady in most hard moments, though some still throw them off.
- Toward the low end
- Keeping cool in a crisis is not what drives people here most. They may feel things strongly and need time to settle.
How scoring works
Each statement has five response choices. A response contributes from 1 to 5 points to the scale it belongs to, and the points become a position from 0 to 100. Around 0–33 is the low third, 34–66 is around the middle and 67–100 is the high third.
For the strength result, the highest position is the closest match. A scale within 10 points of the highest can also appear as close behind, because a questionnaire cannot turn a mix of traits into one perfect box.
The benefits of knowing your top strength
Naming a strength makes it easier to use on purpose: to choose tasks, roles and projects that draw on it, and to describe it when it matters, such as in a job interview or a conversation about what you'd like to do more of.
It can also explain why some work leaves you energized and other work, which you may do just as well, leaves you drained.
Using strengths in everyday life
Try using your top strength in a new way each week: a curious person might pick up a topic they know nothing about, a kind one might help a neighbour, and someone calm under pressure might offer to handle the next tricky moment at work.
A strength can be overused, too. Drive can tip into overwork and leadership into taking over, so it helps to notice when to dial it down.
How to take the test
MindScale's strengths test has 40 statements and no time limit. Choose the response that best matches how you usually are, not how you would like to be.
You can go back and change an answer. When you finish, you can unlock your score and full report: $2.95 for 7 days of full access, then $29.95 every 4 weeks until you cancel.
Your score and full report: $2.95 for 7 days of full access, then $29.95 every 4 weeks until you cancel.
Conclusion
MindScale's eight strengths are curiosity, drive, creativity, leadership, kindness, focus and order, connecting people and calm under pressure. Everyone has a mix, with one or two that come most naturally.
If you'd like to find your top one, the MindScale strengths test has 40 statements and explains how to use your top strength more. The price is shown before you start.
See your own result
Your score and full report: $2.95 for 7 days of full access, then $29.95 every 4 weeks until you cancel.