Be Your Best: ‘First week has really got me thinking’

Michelle Noonan (33), 

Digital Marketing manager

The first week of the course [Cycle 1, module 1] has really got me thinking. After logging all my activities the week before, I was dying to see how my personalised data would pan out. I suppose I had some preconceived beliefs about myself, expecting some characteristics to show up and hoping others wouldn’t. (But I answered all questions honestly I promise!)

The results really surprised me. I was shocked to realise I am only 52 per cent aware of some of my strengths – for example creative writing – and I use them only 41 per cent of the time! Talk about not living up to my potential!

I was a little annoyed with myself for not realising some things that I am actually good at. I didn’t see these as strengths . But now that I have a new bunch of strengths to work with, its actually very refreshing!

Personality test

The personality test was really interesting. I’m not a big fan of answering questions about myself. I was pleasantly surprised by some of my strengths.

Getting good scores for “social interaction and always willing to learn” were good to hear but I was surprised by two of my results, especially “humour” as it’s not exactly something I would consider a strength!

I’ve spent the last week thinking how humour has contributed to my successes in life and discovering how it has in fact got me out of some tricky situations.

What I loved about this week’s module was the fact that I am allowed to concentrate on my strengths and leave my “weaknesses” for the moment. I feel I have spent the last few years being told what I need to improve or work on so that I am programmed now to forget my strengths.

After this week’s module, my thinking has changed and I am adamant that over the next nine months of this course I will work on what I’m good at.

Another strength that came through was “shopping”. I suppose if I could write all day in a shopping centre that would be my perfect job.