How can you use your strengths and passions to boost creativity?

1 Identify your strengths

The first step to use your strengths and passions to boost creativity is to identify what they are. Your strengths are the natural abilities and skills that you excel at, enjoy, and find fulfilling. They can be related to your personality, your values, your knowledge, or your experience. To discover your strengths, you can use self-assessment tools, such as the VIA Character Strengths Survey, the CliftonStrengths Finder, or the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator. You can also ask for feedback from people who know you well, such as your friends, family, or colleagues. Once you have a list of your strengths, rank them according to how important and satisfying they are for you.

2 Pursue your passions

The second step to use your strengths and passions to boost creativity is to pursue your passions. Your passions are the activities, topics, or causes that you are deeply interested in, curious about, and motivated by. They can be related to your hobbies, your goals, your values, or your dreams. To find your passions, you can explore different options, try new things, and reflect on what makes you happy, excited, and fulfilled. You can also look for inspiration from other people who share your passions, such as mentors, role models, or communities. Once you have a list of your passions, rank them according to how meaningful and engaging they are for you.

3 Align your strengths and passions

The third step to use your strengths and passions to boost creativity is to align them with your work or projects. This means finding ways to apply your strengths and passions to the tasks, challenges, or opportunities that you face. For example, if you are good at writing and passionate about social justice, you can use your writing skills to create content that raises awareness and advocates for change. If you are good at math and passionate about music, you can use your math skills to analyze patterns and rhythms in music. Aligning your strengths and passions can help you enhance your performance, increase your motivation, and generate more creative solutions.

4 Challenge yourself

The fourth step to use your strengths and passions to boost creativity is to challenge yourself. This means stepping out of your comfort zone and trying something new, difficult, or different. Challenging yourself can help you expand your skills, learn new things, and discover new possibilities. For example, if you are good at painting and passionate about nature, you can challenge yourself to paint in a different style, medium, or location. If you are good at coding and passionate about gaming, you can challenge yourself to code a new game, feature, or genre. Challenging yourself can help you overcome your fears, grow your confidence, and spark your creativity.

5 Collaborate with others

The fifth step to use your strengths and passions to boost creativity is to collaborate with others. This means working with other people who have different strengths, passions, perspectives, or backgrounds. Collaborating with others can help you exchange ideas, learn from each other, and create something better than you could alone. For example, if you are good at design and passionate about education, you can collaborate with someone who is good at teaching and passionate about technology. If you are good at photography and passionate about travel, you can collaborate with someone who is good at writing and passionate about culture. Collaborating with others can help you broaden your horizons, build your network, and foster your creativity.

6 Celebrate your achievements

The sixth step to use your strengths and passions to boost creativity is to celebrate your achievements. This means recognizing and rewarding yourself for the progress, results, or impact that you have made by using your strengths and passions. Celebrating your achievements can help you appreciate your efforts, acknowledge your value, and inspire yourself to keep going. For example, if you have used your strengths and passions to create a new product, service, or artwork, you can celebrate by sharing it with others, receiving feedback, or displaying it proudly. If you have used your strengths and passions to solve a problem, improve a situation, or make a difference, you can celebrate by celebrating with others, expressing gratitude, or giving back. Celebrating your achievements can help you boost your morale, reinforce your identity, and sustain your creativity.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?