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Career Compass: Know Yourself & Your Personal Attributes

Do you know that 70% of the Indian workforce is unhappy in 2024? A report on Happiness at Work (Happiest Places to Work) by Happiness Research Academy published in September 2024 says so.

Why do you think this number is so high? There can be many possible reasons such as a mismatch in role or skills, lack of recognition, financial constraints, environmental or workplace challenges, etc. However, the root cause of this entire chaos is often a lack of self-awareness. Many people don’t fully understand themselves including their own personal attributes—their strengths, qualities, talents, values, etc. and how these can align with a meaningful career. Even worse, these terms often get muddled, leaving people unable to identify what truly defines them or what drives them.

For example, someone might confuse a hobby like painting with a strength like creativity. Without clear distinctions, they may end up pursuing paths that feel unfulfilling or at odds with who they really are.

Here’s the good news: understanding these concepts can transform confusion into clarity. This blog is your compass, helping you differentiate these terms, connect them to your unique traits, and build a fulfilling career.

1. Inherent Traits

Talent

Talent is a natural ability or aptitude for something. It’s something they are inherently good at, often without much effort.

For example, some people are naturally good at singing, playing sports, or solving math problems.

Strength

Strength goes beyond talent. Strengths are built by investing in and developing natural talents through practice, effort, and application. Strengths often emerge through experience and challenges. Strength is a broad term that refers to the abilities and qualities that help a person handle challenges and achieve their goals. Strength can be physical, mental, emotional, social, or even spiritual.

Examples: Creativity, resilience, empathy, and analytical thinking.

2. Personal Foundations

Quality

Qualities are personality traits that define how you approach tasks and relationships. They help shape your interactions and provide insight into how you perform under various conditions. A quality is a characteristic or trait that a person has.

Example: Being honest, kind, or patient are qualities. Think of qualities as the attributes that describe someone’s character.

Value

Values are the guiding principles that influence your decisions and behavior. They reflect what you stand for and why you act the way you do. Simon Sinek, an author, and thought leader shared a concept that “values are verbs”. It emphasizes that values are not just abstract concepts but actions that guide how we behave and make decisions.

Example: Follow through on promises (commitment), always keep learning (growth), challenge the status quo (innovation), etc.

3. Learned Abilities

Skill

While talents and strengths come naturally, skills require deliberate effort to develop and refine. Skills are abilities that a person develops through practice and learning. Skills require time, effort, and practice to develop.

Example: For example, learning to play the guitar, coding, or public speaking are skills.

Competence

Competencies are a combination of knowledge, skills, and abilities that enable a person to perform tasks successfully. They are often job-specific and can be developed through training and experience. They focus on what a person needs to do to perform well in specific roles or contexts.

Examples: Effective communication, project management, technical skills, and leadership.

4. Inner Motivators

Interest

Interests are topics or activities that naturally spark your curiosity. They keep you engaged and often lead to exploration. These are subjects which you like deep diving into whether they are related to your work or not.


Example: Exploring different cuisines, reading about technology, or learning about history.

Passion

Passion is deeper than interest. It’s a strong emotional connection to an activity or cause that energizes and motivates you. Passion drives you to pursue something wholeheartedly, often turning it into a career or life purpose.


Example: Advocating for sustainability or working in the education domain because you care deeply about the impact.

5. Refreshing Joys

Hobby

Hobbies are activities you enjoy regularly for personal fulfillment. They may align with your interests or passions but are usually pursued in your free time without external pressure.
Example: Gardening, painting, or music.

Leisure

Leisure activities are casual and low-effort actions you take to relax and pass time. Unlike hobbies, they don’t necessarily involve growth or skill development but are essential occasionally for unwinding.
Example: Watching TV or playing video games.

Summarizing All Personal Attributes

Let’s summarize with a quick recap along with the example of MS Dhoni’s attributes that helped him build a successful career and fulfilling life.

Note: Examples are taken from information that is publicly available about MS Dhoni and his attributes might differ in his personal life.

TermMeaningExample of MS Dhoni
TalentNatural aptitude or flair.Quick reflexes, sports.
StrengthRefined or developed abilities.Physical stamina, Strategic thinking.
QualityPersonality traits that shape your actions.Calmness, approachable, decision making.
ValueGuiding principles that influence decisions.Fairness, Humility.
SkillLearned or practiced abilities.Wicketkeeping expertise, batting (helicopter shot)
CompetenceHolistic capability to fulfill responsibilities.Captaincy, game strategy
InterestTopics or activities that spark curiosity.Farming, collecting and riding motorcycles.
PassionStrong emotional connection to an activity.Cricket, team building, nurturing young talent.
HobbyRegular activities for enjoyment.Playing other sports such as football.
Leisure ActivityRelaxing, casual activities.Watching movies and listening to old hindi songs.

Action Steps to Create Your Career Compass

Understanding how these attributes interact can provide clarity for career planning:

  1. Start with Talents and Strengths
    Identify what comes naturally to you and what you’ve refined through practice. Seek feedback from those who know you well.
  2. Reflect on Qualities and Values
    Recognize the traits that define how you work and the principles that guide your decisions.
  3. Uncover Your Passions
    Find out what excites and motivates you deeply, and explore ways to integrate it into your professional journey.
  4. Build Skills
    Develop abilities that enhance your strengths and align with your core values.
  5. Explore Interests and Hobbies
    Use these as avenues for creativity and personal fulfillment that could influence your career direction.
  6. Balance with Leisure
    Recharge with activities that bring you joy and relaxation, ensuring a well-rounded and sustainable lifestyle.

Understanding yourself is the foundation of a fulfilling career and life. By aligning your personal attributes with purposeful action, you can create a path that truly resonates with who you are.

“Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work.” – Steve Jobs