24 Character Strengths To Unlock Your Fitness Potential

July 7, 2022

Do you want to unlock your unlimited potential? Understanding these personality traits can help!

In the early 2000’s some sociologists and anthropologists studied the 24 common character strengths that make up the positive parts of our personalities. Gaining knowledge of them can have a profound effect, not just on your training, but on all areas of your life! Each one falls into one of 6 broader ‘Virtue’ Classifications: 

1. Courage

 

Bravery

How do you face up to your difficulties, threats and challenges? This requires appreciating a goal or core value and acting upon it, regardless of popular thought! It demands facing, rather than avoiding, our fears.

Three types of bravery were identified, with us displaying one or a combination of:
i. Physical Bravery (e.g., Emergency Services or Defence Personnel)
ii. Psychological Bravery (e.g., Ability to assess painful aspects of oneself)
iii. Moral Bravery (e.g., Speaking up for what’s right, despite adverse opinions of others)
Bravery helps us allow the vulnerability that is part of growing close to others, permitting the development and preservation of close relationships. 

Honesty

This is about our integrity and sincerity. Presenting ourselves in a genuine and consistent way across all facets of our lives. Honest people are truthful to a fault and act the same with their family as they do in their community. Being true to yourself (honest) means owning your behaviours and feelings.

It requires correctly exhibiting your commitments and intentions, both privately and publicly. This grants us being viewed as trustworthy and affords us positive healthy relationships. Honesty is also linked to improved efficiency in your goals, demonstrating your interests, true values and reaping the benefits by doing so. 

Perseverance

Are you hardworking? Do you stick with things, overcoming obstacles, or barriers and always finish what you start? Those of us with high perseverance find this very important and receive a great deal of pleasure from the successful completion of tasks.

Are you able to dig deep to find the willpower to control negative thoughts that may allow you to give up? Perseverance requires organising oneself (sticking to schedules etc), when all else fails, this strength helps us to push through until the job is done. It builds momentum and confidence for further successes and goal achievements.

Perseverance demands the voluntary commitment to goal-directed action despite the presence of discouragement, difficulties or challenges. Perseverance also improves talents, builds skills and resourcefulness as well as other character strengths. Persistent people follow through on commitments and are therefore trusted as a foundation for good relationships. 

Zest

How we approach situations and tasks in our lives – with energy and excitement? Or half-heartedly? High zest people bounce out of bed in the morning ready to fully experience the adventure that is life! They are purposeful, and find work meaningful and fulfilling. They are dynamic and the strength of zest is indicative of psychological and physical wellbeing. This strength is one of two that directly correlates to our sense of happiness, engagement of life and universal satisfaction.

Keep An Eye Out Next Month When We Look Closer At “Wisdom” Until Then, See You At Fitness Habitat!