First, for an activity to be a strength you must be able to do it consistently. And this implies that it is a predictable part of your performance. . . . The acid test of astrength? The ability is a strength if you can fathom yourself doing it repeatedly, happily, and successfully.

Second, you do not have to have strength in every aspect of your role in order to excel. . . . [No one] isblessed with the “perfect hand,” . . . That excellent performers must be well rounded is one of the most pervasive myths we hope to dispel in this book. When we studied them, excellent performers were rarely well rounded. On the contrary, they were sharp.

Third, you will excel only by maximizing your strengths, never by fixing your weaknesses. . . . [Excellent performers] found ways to manage around their weaknesses, thereby freeing them up to hone their strengths to a sharper point . . .

Buckingham and Clifton then move on to discussing talents: “Your talents, your strongest synaptic connections, are the most important raw materials for strength building. Identify your most powerful talents, hone them with skills and knowledge, and you will be on your way to living the strong life.” They suggest several strategies for identifying your real talents, including these:

• “Monitor your spontaneous, top-of-mind reactions to the situations you encounter. These top-of-mind reactions provide the best trace of your talents. They reveal the location of strong mental connections.”

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