10x Growth? How Is That Possible?

The answer might sound simple. According to a study by Marcus Buckingham’s team, it’s important to remember that we grow the most in areas where we already have strengths. By focusing your effort on your strengths, you can achieve much more progress compared to someone who isn’t “naturally” gifted in those areas—even if they are motivated.
It’s also important to note that the “StandOut” tool, developed by Marcus Buckingham’s team, does not suggest we should ignore our weaknesses. Instead, it encourages us to improve our performance mainly in the areas where we already have strengths, because this is where we can see spectacular results!
For example, in the book “Soar with your Strengths” by Donald O. Clifton and Paula Nelson, there’s an interesting analysis of reading speed. In the same time period, people who didn’t have a natural strength in reading improved their speed by only 67% (ending up at 150 words per minute). But for those who already had a reading strength, their improvement was an incredible 729%—reaching 2,900 words per minute!
So, the next “natural” question is:
What should I do next? The answer is simple. First, identify your strengths. Then, start focusing your actions on them—starting today!

This powerful example shows us that, when we build on what we’re naturally good at, the results can be truly extraordinary—far beyond what we might expect if we focused only on fixing our weaknesses.

This is why discovering and leveraging your unique strengths is not just important—it can be life-changing. When you put your energy into what makes you naturally strong, you open the door to levels of achievement that may have once seemed impossible.

What strengths are you ready to focus on starting today, and how might your life or work change if you gave yourself permission to truly grow in those areas?

Professional coaching sessions can also be a powerful way to discover your strengths and design actions that help you use them even more!