Wednesday, January 24, 2007

Knowing my Strengths

I took the Multiple Intelligence test.

The results did not surprise me - they match what i recognise myself to be strong and weak in.

Consistently high scores (>35) for my top strengths. Some were innate passions; others were either nurtured or enhanced by activities in my life. Let me analyse a little how i have (or not!) built upon my strengths over the years.

Linguistic Learner :[innate+practice]
Ooh i love to play with words and the sounds of them. How i loved to attempt poems! Writing is definitely one of my best expressions, even in architecture. And i do a lot of that since young.

Visual/Spatial Learner :[innate+nurturing]
'learns best by: visualizing, dreaming (?!), using the mind's eye and working with colors/pictures'. Yes my mind is usually busy doing these. =p Did i tell you that my guy friends told me that i am better at directions and maps than them? hee. My Art school for 11 years since p1 must have deepened these skills too. Architecture was my crucial training ground for this.

Body/Kinesthetic Learner :[nurtured+(fear)]
Being a dancer for 8 years in my school days did make me more in touch with my bodily sensations. The dance vibe has always been in me, but fear and consciousness bound me from pursuing it deeper. (But who knows now i may.. =p)

Musical Learner :[nurtured]
i learnt piano for 6 years since p3, but was never serious in it. However it did hone my sensitivity in sounds, rhythms and beats, and my delight to sing (a lot to God!). =)

Intrapersonal [innate] + Interpersonal [nurtured] Learner:
i like to be in total control of my projects and their paces, and thus yes finding myself impatient to work with others or ask for help. Yet at the same time, as my pastors have told me, i have an unique dose of sensitivity in handling people's emotions and feelings.
With that, my architectural internship (previously) and church work and the spiritual family train me in my interpersonal skills, and i am striving to continually grow in that. =)

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I think that heart to want to know, improve and grow in our strengths is so important. It helps us to achieve our potentials. Definitely i am thankful for my parents who so willingly gave for me to learn the many skills, my spritual family for the many wonderful opportunities to grow in my potentials... and Jesus who empowers me!

However knowing my strengths does not mean that i need to strive to be an excellent linguist, artist, architect, dancer, pianist, and singer all at the same time. It is not about what we are, but using the unique blend of our strengths to contribute to our work and people. And how we do so will reflect the more important part of us - our character.


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To find out more about the MI test and its inventor
To take the MI test

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