Everyone of us where wonderfully and fearfully made by God, but so few of us take the time to obtain a 20 / 20 look inside ourselves in order to find out exactly what type of amazing creation we are. The purpose of this article is to get you thinking and acting on ways to see the qualities of your inner self first and others second, so that you can promote your personal growth and development.



If I asked most people what their individual gifts, talents, or capabilities are, very few would be able to quickly respond and give me an answer. Most have to really think about it and then answer. And even then, they are not 100 percent sure that they are right. Isn't it kind of weird that people are not sure about themselves and can only give their best guess about their God given talents? Now if I ask them to tell me the faults or even good points about their boss or a co-worker, most can do so very quickly. Weird or not, it is reality that people are more observant about others than themselves.

More often than not, even though we think we can see 20 / 20 into others and know their faults and strengths, we are wrong. We are often mistaken, because we do not understand the complexities within our own lives - much less understanding the complexities in someone else's life. Before we can do understand others, we need to have a 20 / 20 look into ourselves to understand who we are, what our talents are, and what we want to do with our talent in our lives and careers.

Understanding who and what you are will help you to understand that not only are you a unique and special person, but so is everyone else. One of the best ways to see this is to take one of the Myers-Briggs? assessments. "...For more than 50 years, the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator? (MBTI?) instrument has been the world's most trusted and widely used assessment for understanding individual differences and discovering new ways to work and interact with others..." The results of this tool will point out an individual's strengths and unique gifts, while also pointing out vulnerabilities and areas for personal development.

Within groups, the MBTI is helpful to help recognize and value differences among individuals, so that strengths can be combined and some interpersonal difficulties may be more easily overcome.

In addition to the MBTI?, there is also the FIRO-B? (Fundamental Interpersonal Relations Orientation-Behavior), Strong? (Strong Interest Survey), and CPI? (California Psychological Inventory) assessment tools which can be used to better understand yourself and others.

The FIRO-B, a widely used tool, can help anyone not only understand their own behavior, but the behavior of others around them. And as such, the FIRO-B is an invaluable tool not only for discovering who you are, but for team building, management training, or communication workshops.

The Strong? helps individuals discover their personal interests and chart a plan of action regarding their individual careers. The Strong? presents a clear picture of not only your special interest, but your learning, leadership, and risk-taking styles in relation to the various jobs, work settings, and career fields in today's world. The Strong Inventory? has special assessments for adults, college students and even high school students. People need to know that, from a young high school student to late adulthood, it is never too early or too late to discover your personal interest and set yourself upon a path that will lead to your ultimate success in life.

The CPI 260? assessment opens a new dimension into people's strengths and opportunities for personal growth and development, offering an exciting picture of the person as seen through the eyes of others. There are two remarkable CPI assessment reports: The Feedback Report and The Coaching Report For Leaders. The Feedback Report covers five areas: Dealing with Others, Self-Management, Motivations and Thinking Style, Personal Characteristics, and Work-Related Measures. While the Coaching Report For Leaders covers the following five areas: Self-Management, Team Building and Teamwork, Organizational Capabilities, Problem Solving, and Sustaining Your Personal Vision (and the vision of the work place). This is powerful information that can shape what you can do to grow and develop yourself.

So are you ready to see 20 / 20 inside yourself and outside of yourself? Are you ready to act and find out just who you are? Once you know better who you are, you will open yourself up to an assortment of positive things that will promote your personal growth and development.

As I said before, the better you can see the qualities of who you are will indicate how well you can see the qualities of others. Being able to see 20 / 20 inside and out will help move you towards ultimate success in all aspects of your life. There is nothing holding you back except you so don't bury or hide away your individual talents. Improve upon your talents by obtaining a 20 / 20 inner and outer vision now for brighter expectations for your life tomorrow.