People exceptionally talented in the Achiever CliftonStrengths® theme work hard and possess a great deal of stamina. They take immense satisfaction in being busy and productive.
Your Achiever theme helps explain your drive. Achiever describes a constant need for achievement. You feel as if every day starts at zero. By the end of the day you must achieve something tangible in order to feel good about yourself. And by “every day” you mean every single day — workdays, weekends, vacations. No matter how much you may feel you deserve a day of rest, if the day passes without some form of achievement, no matter how small, you will feel dissatisfied.
You have an internal fire burning inside you. It pushes you to do more, to achieve more. After each accomplishment is reached, the fire dwindles for a moment, but very soon it rekindles itself, forcing you toward the next accomplishment.
Your relentless need for achievement might not be logical. It might not even be focused. But it will always be with you. As an Achiever you must learn to live with this whisper of discontent. It does have its benefits. It brings you the energy you need to work long hours without burning out. It is the jolt you can always count on to get you started on new tasks, new challenges. It is the power supply that causes you to set the pace and define the levels of productivity for your work group. It is the theme that keeps you moving.
This is an Executing Talent Theme
Those with dominant themes in the Executing Domain know how to make things happen. When the team needs someone to implement a solution, these are the people who will work tirelessly to get it done. Those with a strength to execute have the ability to “catch” an idea and make it a reality.
Achiever (Short Version)
Theme Thursday
Action Items for This Theme
- Select jobs in which you have the leeway to work as hard as you want, and in which you are encouraged to measure your own productivity. You will feel stretched and alive in these environments.
- You do not require much motivation from your supervisor. Take advantage of your self-motivation by setting challenging goals. Set a more stretching goal every time you finish a project.
- Own the fact that you might work longer hours than most people, and that you might not need as much sleep as many other people do.
- Choose to work with other hard workers. Share your goals with them so they can help you.
- Accept that you might be discontented even when you achieve.
Be ready to:
- Take a moment to appreciate your successes. You can look ahead tomorrow. Today, celebrate.
- Partner with someone with a strong Discipline or Focus theme. This person can help you use your energy as efficiently as possible.
- Count personal achievements in your scoring “system.” This will help you direct your Achiever theme toward family as well as work.
