Entry 19: Strengths and Weaknesses

How do people discover what their strengths and weaknesses are? How would you respond to the idea that each person is an "unknown quantity" until he or she is tested by a challenging situation? What kind of challenges might reveal a person's qualities? What do you think your strengths are? Your weaknesses are? How do you know? Have you ever had your ideas about your strengths or weaknesses challenged by a difficult situation?

• I believe that challenges are good ways to discover one's strengths and weaknesses. I kind of agree with the idea that each person is an "unknown quantity" until he or she is tested by a challenging situation, because without challenges, we wouldn't know what we are capable of. Some examples include knowledge tests (IQ tests and EQ tests), challenges that test your responses (how you response, your reflex, and if you are calm or not), challenges that test your creativity, challenges that test the cooperation between people, and challenges that test your responsibility. I believe that my strengths are that I can put in efforts when they are needed (under the most necessary circumstances). My weaknesses, however, are that I am lazy. I sometimes also don't know when to stop talking (meaning I am sometimes not sensible and am oblivious to certain tense situations). As for the last question, yes, I am challenged many times by hard situations that need a lot of effort. My weakness is challenged here because I am lazy, but I make up for it (most of the time :]) by putting extra effort into the challenge when I really get started. I believe that everyone has been challenged at least once in their life.