Executing - Achiever 

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My first talent is that of the achiever. The achiever always has to be doing tasks in order to feel good about themselves. When they are not constantly doing many tasks, they do not feel efficient or effective. This applies to me because I am constantly challenging myself and piling more tasks on my plate without ever feeling satisfied that I am doing enough. Feeling productive and challenged makes me feel good about myself, but I need to remember to celebrate my successes instead of immediately moving on to the next thing. Currently, I am a full time student at a top 1 public university, vice president of the Eta Sigma Gamma Alpha Lambda chapter, a research assistant at the Sexual Assault and Substance Abuse Prevention Research (S.A.P.R.) lab, and in the midst of applying to internships and graduate school. My plate is constantly full and if there is ever a small lapse in my hectic schedule, I make sure to fill it up with something else.  I enjoy volunteering myself to take on new tasks but at times find myself getting overwhelmed when I take on too much at once. An example of this can be seen with my involvement with hosting Sex in the Swamp. This is an annual sexual health education event that a UF student organization called Eta Sigma Gamma hosts every year in the Reitz Union. To prepare for this event, I created a research poster surrounding unhealthy versus healthy relationship habits and signs, as well as domestic violence resources. This event is a major collaboration of community partners, including the UF Victim Services and Gator Well. Sexual health is a major topic of importance internationally. Certain cultures may have certain taboos regarding sexuality and sexual health, leading to a lack of education. This can result in increased rates of STls, unwanted pregnancies, and unhealthy/abusive relationships. Although this event is catered to University of Florida students, the hope is to promote open conversations and stigmatization of sexual health everywhere. Although I have participated in this event and yours prior, this will be my first year organizing it as vice president. 

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Influencing - Communication 

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My second talent is that of the communicator. The communicator likes to explain, describe, host, speak in public, and write. This applies to me because I enjoy it when my words capture people's attention and inspire them to take action. I also love to tell anecdotal stories and use examples to get my point across. I often find myself using metaphors and imagery to explain something, which typically is more impactful on others in my experience. I have found this to be especially effective to incorporate in my public speaking. It is also beneficial for describing my feelings and emotions to others in my personal relationships, a skill that can also carry onto communication with peers and supervisors in the workplace. I often enjoy holding some type of leadership position where I can take the initiative to talk, explain, and write often. Overall, I am a people person and I enjoy communication with others. I know that I need to have a job where I am able to be in regular communications with people throughout the day. I would not enjoy a desk job or a remote job where I am largely independent and isolated throughout my work.

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As an intern at the University of Florida College of Medicine Center for Experiential Learning and Simulation (CELS), I witnessed the ever growing potential of health education and learned where the value of communication, collaboration, and continued education intersect in healthcare. At UF CELS, I have witnessed the planning and evaluation process of simulation-based learning for health providers and clinicians. These processes and learning styles are critical to ensure continued comprehension for patients through open communication and role delegation. Health systems can incorporate foundational instruments of health education to ensure a fully competent and integrated medical team. This is of international importance because simulation based training is the way of the future in the healthcare industry. Improving communications between healthcare workers can help to streamline the delivery of health services and make it more efficient overall. 

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Relationship Building - Positivity 

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My next talent is that of positivity. The positive person is generous with praise, quick to smile, and is always attempting to look out for the positive angle in any scenario. This applies to me because I love to celebrate the achievements of others and make them feel special. This especially applies to my loved ones, who I love to uplit and ensure they feel recognised and appreciated. This is an important quality to have in a leader because having a team that feels their work is not going unappreciated will help to keep morale high. The enthusiasm of the positive person is contagious to others, inspiring them to possess the same energy and optimism. I believe this also applies to me because I am passionate about what I talk about, particularly about health education and my special interests within this field such as sexual health. I also like to avoid negative people as they can bring me down and put me into a bad head space. It is easier to build a strong, productive, and professional team when there is a positive and enthusiastic leader. 

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I attended a Global Gators club meeting at the UF international center in the Fall 2023 semester. I wasn't exactly sure what to expect, but this meeting was a really amazing experience where I got to meet a lot of international students here at the University of Florida. we got to participate in some icebreaker activities and learn how we could apply to the mentor/mentee program. I became friends with two girls from Nicaragua and it was really cool to exchange cultural experiences being both Hispanics, but originating from different countries. Attending this meeting was very impactful to me as l had never had an on campus experience with so many international students. Relating to others can help to expand your personal network, which can aid in relationship building. This is a skill that can be applied to both personal and professional relationships. 

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Strategic thinking - Input and Strategic

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My last talents are that of input and strategic thinking. The talent of input means one who can collect things and information. This applies to me because I am inquisitive and always asking questions. I like to read and to learn as much information as possible about the things that interest me. Life is interesting to me, and I like to travel because it allows for me to have experiences in a complex new environment. My friends sometimes call me a hoarder because I don't like throwing things away. This slightly contrasts the talent of the strategic person, who has the ability to  sort through the clutter and find the best route. The strategic mindset is not something you can learn but rather is a way of  thinking. This applies to me because I am mindful of patterns of behavior. This leads me to think of alternative scenarios which allows me to anticipate potential obstacles. This helps me to decide my course of action and form a strategy to make it happen.  

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This skill was applied during the planning process for the World AIDs Day tabling event sponsored by a student organization called Eta Sigma Gamma. As Vice President, my responsibility was to coordinate and plan this tabling event. This event included creating a research presentation that was presented to students walking around campus near the Newell Hall area. I also created a trivia game in which student participants could win a prize for answering a question correctly regarding a fact or fiction trivia game surrounding HIV/AIDs. This was very interesting to me because I was able to see how STI awareness and sexual health education is very lacking in many of the student population. It was interesting to see how this information was perceived differently depending on a variety of cultural backgrounds. For example, many students failed to realize that HIV cannot be spread through saliva. In addition, many students did not realize that the only way to prevent the spread of HIV is through barrier production such as condoms. The HIV/AIDs epidemic affects many individuals across the world, therefore spreading awareness of these conditions through education and breaking' down common misconceptions is incredibly crucial for improving international health. Input and strategic thinking was a major component of planning this event. 

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Application  

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 I can utilize these talents to reach my professional goals. As an achiever, I should apply for a job that allows me to work as hard as I want and to measure my own productivity. It is also important for me to build celebration into my life by celebrating reaching my goals instead of rapidly moving on to the next task. During meetings and classes, I can create objectives and fill them in as notes so my attention is maintained and I do not get bored. I should also attain certifications in my areas of interest so I can continue my education to give me more goals to achieve and continue to push my own boundaries. In addition, I should aspire to work with a team of other hard workers who motivate me. In order to use my talent of communication, I should seek professional roles that require me to capture people's attention such as marketing, sales, or media. I should hone in on my presentation skills and jump at opportunities to present, as well as pay close attention to the face of my audience when public speaking to gauge their reactions to what I say and see how I am being perceived. I should identify what kind of listeners seem to bring up my best communication, especially in the workplace. I should aim to develop my knowledge and expertise in key interest areas so my messages have more substance. In particular, I should start a collection of stories that move me so I can use those stories to inspire others. I should consider publishing and presenting my work, a goal I am actively pursuing through ym work at the SAPR Lab. I should play on my talent for positivity by seeking out a role in which I get paid to highlight the positives. I should show my appreciation for others freely by giving specific compliments of gratitude and appreciation, plan activities for my friends to highlight successes, and avoid negative people who will bring me down and darken my positivity. It is important to remind myself that my positivity is not the same as nativity, and that I do not need to pretend that difficulties do not concern me. It is important to recognise challenges, even if I am approaching it from a positive angle. Coinciding with my talent for communication, I should arm myself with positive sayings and uplifting stories for when people come to me seeking comfort during stressful times. This can allow me to help others to keep their eyes on the positive. I should use my talent of input by looking for jobs where I have to acquire new information every day. I should identify my areas of specialization and actively seek out more information about those things by turning it into knowledge and then action. 

 

Developing Talents Into Strengths  

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Talent multiplied by investment equals strength, meaning that the amount and type of investment dedicated to developing your top (natural) talents will lead to developing your talents into strength. Although we are all born with certain innate talents, we should attempt to push ourselves forward and further develop them into strengths. I already have a stronger than average inclination towards certain tasks, but why would I stay at my baseline performance and stay stagnant in my possibilities? If I turn my natural talents into strengths then I am allowing myself to reach my fullest potential and surpass my own expectations for myself (reach my highest self). 

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A great example of this point can be made through my talent of communication. For my whole life, I have always been told I was a naturally great writer. This is great, as it has always allowed me to quickly write up elaborate papers and assignments that others may struggle with for weeks. If I just used this talent by procrastinating any written assignment until the post possible moment and turned in every paper at 11:58 P.M., I would probably get away with a good to mediocre grade with very minimal effort. However, instead of just skating by and exploiting my talents I decided that I would need to grow and actually improve. Instead, I like to do my assignments in advance and do multiple drafts so I am submitting the highest possible level of writing that I am capable of producing. I have gotten involved with the SAPR lab here at the University of Florida and I am currently assisting one of the PHD students in creating a scoping review of literature surrounding impaired control and alcohol consumption.  She always states how she is impressed by my high level of comprehension of academic and scholarly writing, as well as the writing and editing I have done on her behalf. This is because instead of simply skipping by, I have been actively determined to continue improving my writing abilities. I jump at opportunities to engage in academic level writing in my lab. I have written multiple literature reviews as part of my coursework for other sources, and it has always been something that I have tried to go above and beyond work because I knew that these skills will benefit me for the rest of my life, especially if I decide to pursue a career in academia.  This is one of the most perfect examples that I can provide for my life that most accurately represents this assessment, as well as my personal and professional strengths. Another talent that I have fostered since a young age is that of positivity. Growing up, I have always been known by my friends and family to be positive and optimistic. I can turn this natural talent of positivity into a strength by continuing to encourage people and highlight the achievements of others, particularly in the workplace. Continuing to protect and nature this talent and ensuring it does not get positioned over time with the negativity of others will allow me to continue to develop it into a strength. 

I possess the natural born talent of being a perfectionist and an overachiever, but in order to build this talent into a strength I can continue my education and count my personal achievements. I feel like I am actively doing this process, as I am majoring in health education and behavior with a specialty in community health promotion and a minor in anthropology at the University of florida, a top 1 public university. I have already taken 12 credit hours towards my masters degree in health education. I can continue to grow this talent into a strength by creating a measurable outcome scoring system for myself so I can ensure that I am performing tasks with increased productivity and quality. This keeps me engaged and helps to motivate me further, while also reminding myself to celebrate my accomplishments along the way. 

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Although my talent of input allows me to be inquisitive and store information, I need to devise a system to store and easily locate information in order to turn it into a strength. In addition, turning the collection of information of my interests into long term knowledge can allow me to build large knowledge bases. This will allow me to more easily master my areas of expertise. Similarly, I can turn my talent of strategic thinking into a strength by allowing myself time to fully reflect on a goal I am hoping to achieve until the related patterns and issues emerge for me. Work on trusting my intuition and honing my ability to maintain a vivid vision of my goals as well as anticipating potential issues that may arise. This may feel like it is directly at odds with  my talent of positivity, but my innate awareness of potential dangers is not necessarily negativity but rather using insight to anticipate issues and work around them to approach the best possible outcome. In addition, I need to ensure that my strategic thinking is not an attempt to belittle them or shoot down their ideas. An example of this can be seen many times within my position as vice president of Eta Sigma Gamma (ESG), a health education honorary. In a recent meeting, one of the executive board members suggested that we have a fundraising event on a Saturday, to which I advised I thought we may not get an adequate turn out since students would likely be tailgating for the football game. This was not me trying to be a naysayer, but I am considering that football season in a college town such as the university of florida is an important campus wide event that most students participate in and prioritize over other activities. When working with others I need to consider all the facts and consider everyone's perspective while still keeping the end goal in sight. I have not yet mastered this talent for strategic thinking, but filling in leadership positions has allowed me to practice these skills particularly when in a team dynamic. 

 

Although being aware of our gifts, it is important to also be conscious of any “blind spots” that may arise within each of our talents. As an achiever, I must practice being able to delegate and not just do everything myself. I have a tendency to want to do things myself because I am a “doer” and always believe I can do things the best. However, I must allow for others to shine and grow in order to work efficiently on a team and be an effective leader.  As a communicator, I must make sure that I do not talk too much. Although my strength lies particularly in verbal commutation, sometimes I find myself talking over other people and not listening properly to what they have to say. It is important for me to keep an open line of coomcaution with others on my time so that we can bounce ideas off of each other and problem solve efficiently. With my talent of positivity, I have to make sure I do not dismiss the concerns of others. I do not want my positivity to come across as dismal of important issues and concerts. In addition, I have to make sure I still am allowing myself to express my emotions and concerns. Feeling stressed and overwhelmed does not equate to negativity, and it is alright to sometimes have off days and bad situations. Toxic positivity is not beneficial. For my talents of input and strategy, I must ensure I am not thinking too strategically. This may cause me to miss details and nuance in a situation.  

 

Everyone is born with specific innate natural talents. You will be better off building upon those talents and forming them into strengths. This will allow you to better build your character and you grow more into yourself over time. When you home in on those strengths you allow yourself to become the best version of yourself that you are capable of becoming. by playing to those strengths you can more easily get a job that you both excel at and enjoy. Although you can work on personal and professional weaknesses to improve yourself, it does make sense to force yourself to become someone who you are not because you are not naturally inclined to them for no reason. I am a person who is interested in STEM and my natural talents highlight my suitability for working in patient education and advocacy. I would not be happy being, for example, a litigation attorney. It’s not that you cannot do the things that you are not naturally good at, but you should not be actively working against your natural talents. We are all blessed with certain natural talents and those also help to make us who we are on a personality level. Trying to change that is senseless and will only hinder your successes and happiness in the long run.  

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Conclusion

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In conclusion, my CliftonStrengths Assessment results were not very surprising to me. The talent of being an achiever was not surprising because ever since I was little I have always been a perfectionist, particularly in school. Even now that I am in college, I constantly fill up my schedule with an overload of classes and extracurricular activities. The talent of communication also seemed accurate to me, as I love talking with people and storytelling. I definitely agree that I should be in a profession that allows me to interact with people. The talent of positivity was also not surprising to me, as my friends have always revered me as being a very positive and optimistic person who constantly has a glass half full perspective on life. 

The last two talents of input and strategy were more surprising to me. I never considered either of these to be my strengths, but I suppose upon further inspection they make a bit more sense. Input does apply to me in a way because I love being helpful to others and being a person they can always come to with questions. I do like to seek out information about things that interest me. However, I am not one of those people that absorb lots of random pieces of knowledge and that excel in games like trivia. Strategic was the most surprising talent to me from the assessment because although I am a logical thinker, I find myself often making more gut based decisions. However, I do enjoy making myself known as a resource for consultation. I do at times anticipate lots of possible issues that could arise, but I would say this is more due to anxiety and my “worry wart” nature rather than coming from a place of strategy. That being said, I do like to analyze a situation for all of the possibilities that may happen. Therefore, I do not disagree with these themes, but rather was surprised by them.