Personal strengths and weaknesses analysis

Personal Strengths, Weaknesses

Motherhood brings out the best and worst in most women, rigorously testing qualities like patience and flexibility. There's nothing like a two-year-old's tantrum to evoke such mixed reactions as fear, anger, tolerance, and compassion. Two children at my side, I look at myself in the mirror each day through their eyes, witnessing my glaring faults. For example, I know I work too hard: I overextend myself in household chores and parenting as well as in my professional life. A naturally energetic, resourceful individual, I rarely know when to take a break. My love of hard work is therefore a mixed blessing: my vivaciousness competes with an unacknowledged need to relax and recuperate. One of my greatest weaknesses, ironically, is an unwillingness to feel weak. I need to learn how to step back, let others take charge, relax and let go. On the other hand, high energy and motivation are also some of my strongest, most positive qualities; they allow me to be a responsible mother who has no trouble picking my kids up from school on time; a successful businesswoman who contributed to the growth and success of the companies for which I work; a reliable spouse and friend.

If I end up working too hard, it's only because I relish expending my innate stores of enthusiasm. For instance, I regularly put in too much time on the job, not because I'm trying to impress my supervisors into giving me a promotion or a raise but because I actually enjoy performing the task at hand. Because I don't like unfinished business, I prefer to stay overtime than procrastinate or leave something for the next day. If I reach an impasse, I keep on trying: diligence and tenacity are two of my greatest personal strengths. Like my ability to work hard, these qualities can turn into personal weaknesses like stubbornness. However, as I have witnessed companies I work for undergo traumatic changes in management, structure, and organizational philosophy, I have learned how to more finely hone qualities like adaptability and flexibility. These qualities also carry over into my personal life, as I am able to apply them to my style of parenting.

Because I am currently pursuing an Associate's Degree in Business Administration online, I am learning how to carefully balance school, work, and motherhood. The fact that I seem to be succeeding at all levels is a sign that working hard is a personal strength more than it is a weakness. Pushing my limits and going beyond what I thought I was capable of comes naturally to me. Furthermore, I am willing to continually improve myself and make necessary changes: hence my determination to receive my degree while still working. The willingness to change and better myself is one of my greatest strengths, enabling me to escape from routine and adapt to the changes and challenges in my personal and professional life. I also realize that change takes time, so I can be patient with myself and others.