Why do I need to know my Character Strengths?

Character Strengths are the positive parts of your personality that impact how you think, feel and behave and are the keys to you being your best self.

When applied effectively, they are beneficial both to you and society as a whole. They are different than your other strengths, such as your unique skills, talents, interests and resources, because character strengths reflect the “real” you — who you are at your core

Knowing your character strengths isn’t just interesting information. When skillfully applied, character strengths can actually have a significant positive impact on your life. Research shows that using your character strengths can help you:

– Buffer against, manage and overcome problems

– Improve your relationships

– Enhance health and overall well-being

Click here to take the VIA Character Strengths Test

Appreciation Of Beauty And Excellence

If Appreciation of Beauty and Excellence is your top strength you notice and appreciate beauty, excellence, and/or skilled performance in all domains of life, from nature to art to mathematics to science to everyday experience.

Appreciation of Beauty and Excellence falls under the virtue category of Transcendence. Transcendence describes strengths that provide a broad sense of connection to something higher in meaning and purpose than ourselves.

Key Concepts

There are three types of goodness for which individuals high in Appreciation of Beauty and Excellence are responsive to:

Physical beauty. This may be visual, auditory, tactile, or abstract. This type of goodness produces awe and wonder in the individual experiencing it.

Skill or talent (excellence). This is often energizing, and makes the individual want to pursue their own goals. It produces admiration.

Virtue or moral goodness (moral beauty). Virtual goodness makes the individual want to be better, more loving, and produces feelings of elevation.