Your Strengths: Discover What Makes You, You
What are you good at? It's a simple question, but it isn't always easy to answer. You might immediately think of a sport you play, a subject you enjoy, or a hobby you've spent years developing. Or maybe you're still trying to figure out what your strengths are.
Everyone has different abilities, interests, and talents. Some strengths are easy to recognize, like being good at drawing, playing an instrument, or solving math problems. Others are less obvious. You might be someone who makes friends easily, comes up with interesting ideas, notices details other people miss, or knows how to bring a group of people together.
Understanding your strengths is an important part of getting to know yourself. It can help you decide what activities to try, what classes to take, and what you might want to do in the future. You don't need to have everything figured out right now. Middle school and high school are good times to explore your interests and discover what you enjoy.
What Counts as a Strength?
When people talk about strengths, they often focus on things someone is especially good at. But strengths aren't limited to talents or accomplishments. They can also be skills you've developed, personal qualities you bring to situations, or ways you approach problems.
Think about someone who is good at making people feel included. They might not receive an award for it, but being able to connect with others is a valuable ability. Someone else might enjoy figuring out how things work, whether that's repairing a bicycle, building something, or learning a new computer program.
Your strengths might include:
Creative skills: Drawing, designing, writing stories, making music, photography, or coming up with new ideas.
People skills: Making friends, listening, helping others, working on a team, or understanding how someone else feels.
Problem-solving: Figuring out how something works, finding solutions, recognizing patterns, or thinking of different ways to approach a situation.
Hands-on skills: Building, repairing, cooking, working with tools, or learning by doing.
Communication: Explaining ideas, telling stories, leading discussions, performing, or speaking in front of others.
Organization and leadership: Planning activities, bringing people together, managing projects, or helping a team reach a goal.
Personal qualities: Curiosity, patience, determination, humor, reliability, or a willingness to try new things.
You probably recognize some of these strengths in yourself. Others might be things you haven't had much opportunity to explore yet.
You also don't have to be the best at something for it to count as a strength. You can enjoy playing soccer without being the top player on your team. You can be interested in art without winning competitions. Sometimes a strength is something you enjoy and want to keep improving.
Dyslexia and Your Strengths
You may have heard people say that individuals with Dyslexia are creative thinkers, strong problem-solvers, or good at seeing the big picture. Some people with Dyslexia do identify with these abilities, but that doesn't mean everyone with Dyslexia has the same strengths.
There isn't one set of talents that comes with Dyslexia. Your interests, personality, experiences, and opportunities all play a role in what you're good at. You might love science, enjoy reading, or be great at math. Maybe you're interested in sports, technology, animals, music, or working with people. You might have several interests that seem completely unrelated. There's no particular type of strength you need to have because you have Dyslexia. What matters is discovering what interests you and recognizing the abilities you already have.
People With Dyslexia and Their Success
Sometimes it helps to learn about people who have pursued their interests and built careers doing something they enjoy. There are individuals with Dyslexia working in nearly every profession, from business and entertainment to science, education, and technology.
Here are five people with Dyslexia who have followed very different paths.
Steven Spielberg: Filmmaking and Storytelling
Steven Spielberg is a film director and producer known for movies such as E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, Jurassic Park, and Indiana Jones. His films have entertained audiences around the world and helped shape modern filmmaking. Spielberg became interested in making movies when he was young. He experimented with cameras, created short films, and developed his storytelling skills long before directing major Hollywood productions.
His career combines several interests and abilities, including visual storytelling, imagination, collaboration, and bringing complicated ideas to life on screen. If you enjoy making videos, telling stories, photography, or creating something from an idea, filmmaking might be an area worth exploring.
Tom Holland: Acting and Performing
Tom Holland is a British actor best known for playing Spider-Man in the Marvel movies, including Spider-Man: Homecoming, Spider-Man: Far From Home, and Spider-Man: No Way Home. He has also appeared in Uncharted and other films. Holland was diagnosed with Dyslexia when he was a child. He began his career in dance and theater, performing in the stage production of Billy Elliot the Musical in London before becoming a movie actor. His career combines several interests and skills, including acting, dancing, gymnastics, and performing. His background in dance and gymnastics has been especially useful in physically demanding roles like Spider-Man. If you enjoy acting, dance, sports, theater, or performing, Holland's career is an example of how different interests and abilities can come together in unexpected ways.
Richard Branson: Business and Entrepreneurship
Richard Branson is an entrepreneur who founded the Virgin Group. His businesses have included music, airlines, telecommunications, and other industries. Branson became interested in business as a teenager and started a student magazine. He later entered the music industry and expanded into other businesses. Entrepreneurship involves many different skills, including developing ideas, understanding customers, working with people, and making decisions. Branson has built a career around identifying business opportunities and bringing people together to develop them. If you enjoy planning projects, selling things, organizing activities, or coming up with business ideas, entrepreneurship might be something you'd like to learn more about.
Jamie Oliver: Cooking and Food Education
Jamie Oliver is a chef, restaurateur, cookbook author, and television personality. He became well known for teaching people how to cook and making recipes more accessible to home cooks. His career has expanded beyond preparing food. He has created cookbooks, developed restaurants, hosted television programs, and led campaigns focused on food education. Cooking brings together many different skills. It can involve creativity, planning, science, working with your hands, and understanding how ingredients work together. Oliver has used his interest in food to build a career that includes teaching, business, and communication. If you enjoy cooking, experimenting with recipes, working in a kitchen, or learning how food is made, there are many careers and activities connected to those interests.
What Do These People Have in Common?
These people have Dyslexia, but their strengths and careers are very different. One became a filmmaker, another a performer, another an entrepreneur, another an actor and author, and another a chef. Their stories aren't meant to suggest that you need to become famous or achieve something extraordinary. They show how different interests can develop into skills and, sometimes, careers.
You may have interests that are completely different from theirs. That's the point. There are many directions you can take, and discovering what you enjoy is part of figuring out which ones might be right for you.
How to Discover Your Own Strengths
Some people know from a young age what they love doing. Others try several different activities before finding something that really interests them. Your strengths can also change as you grow, gain experience, and learn new skills. If you're not sure where to start, think about how you spend your time and what you enjoy.
Pay Attention to What Interests You
What do you like doing when you have free time? Maybe you spend hours playing a sport, learning about cars, creating digital artwork, or watching videos about a particular subject. Think about what keeps your attention and what you want to learn more about.
Your interests can tell you a lot about yourself. Someone who enjoys video games might be interested in technology, storytelling, design, strategy, or competition. Someone who loves animals might enjoy biology, animal care, or spending time outdoors. Try looking beyond the activity itself and thinking about what you enjoy most about it.
Notice What Comes Naturally to You
There may be things you do well without thinking much about them. Maybe you're comfortable meeting new people, good at remembering directions, or quick to figure out how to use new technology. Sometimes these abilities are easy to overlook because they feel normal to you. Pay attention to the things you do with confidence and the situations where you feel comfortable using your skills.
Think About What You've Learned to Do Well
Not all strengths come naturally. Some develop through practice and experience. You might have spent years learning an instrument, improving at a sport, or becoming more confident speaking in front of a group.
Think about something you're better at now than you were a year ago. What did you do to improve? Did you practice regularly, learn from someone else, or try different approaches? The skills you've worked to develop are just as important as the things that come easily.
Ask Other People What They Notice
Friends, family members, teachers, and coaches sometimes recognize abilities that you don't notice in yourself. Try asking someone you trust, "What do you think I'm good at?" or "What's something you think I do really well?" You might hear something unexpected. A friend could tell you that you're good at helping people work through problems. A coach might recognize your leadership skills, while a teacher might notice that you ask thoughtful questions. You don't have to agree with every observation, but hearing another perspective can help you recognize strengths you haven't considered.
Give Yourself Opportunities to Try New Things
You might have an interest or talent you haven't discovered simply because you haven't tried the activity yet.
School clubs, electives, volunteer opportunities, sports, community programs, and hobbies can introduce you to something new. You could try photography, coding, theater, woodworking, cooking, or learning an instrument.
You don't have to be good at something the first time you try it. You might discover that you enjoy it enough to keep practicing, or you might decide it isn't for you. Both experiences help you learn more about your interests.
Take a Few Minutes to Explore Your Strengths
You don't need a formal test to begin identifying your strengths. Start by answering a few questions about yourself. You can write down your answers, type them, talk them through with someone, or use speech-to-text.
What are three activities I really enjoy doing?
What is something I'm good at that other people might not know about?
What do my friends or family members ask me to help them with?
What is something I've learned to do well through practice?
When do I feel most confident in my abilities?
What subjects or topics do I enjoy learning about?
What is something new I'd like to try?
What is one skill I'd like to get better at?
After answering, look for connections. Maybe several of your answers involve working with people, creating things, solving problems, or being active. Those patterns can give you ideas about activities you'd like to explore further. You can also revisit these questions in six months or a year. Your answers may change as you gain new experiences.
Using Your Strengths to Explore Your Future
As you move through middle school and high school, you'll have opportunities to make choices about classes, activities, volunteer experiences, and eventually careers or further education. Knowing your strengths can help you explore those choices.
If you enjoy helping people, you might want to learn more about healthcare, education, counseling, or community services. If you like working with your hands, you might explore construction, automotive technology, engineering, or culinary arts. If you're interested in art and technology, graphic design, animation, or video production might appeal to you.
You can also explore careers through job shadowing, volunteering, internships, career and technical education programs, or conversations with people who work in fields that interest you.
Remember that an interest doesn't have to become a career to be valuable. You might love playing music but decide to pursue a career in science. You could enjoy sports throughout your life without wanting to become a professional athlete. Your hobbies, interests, and personal strengths can remain important parts of your life regardless of what you choose to do for work.
Keep Discovering What You're Good At
You don't need to have one special talent, a perfect career plan, or a clear answer when someone asks what you want to do when you grow up. Your interests may change. You might discover a new skill, develop a hobby into something more serious, or find that an activity you once enjoyed no longer interests you. That's part of learning about yourself.
Start by noticing what you enjoy, recognizing what you do well, and giving yourself opportunities to try new things. Ask questions, explore different activities, and pay attention to what makes you interested in learning more.
Your strengths are part of who you are, and there may be many you haven't discovered yet.
