"I have no weaknesses, my body is as strong as an ox and my mind is that of Einstein's." A mentally ill prisoner told me this while I was transporting him to a correctional facility in San Luis Obispo, California. My impression is that this prisoner is self-righteous, delusional, and down-right crazy. Just like any normal person, I have weaknesses and strengths that I am proud of and others that challenge me. I have evaluated, analyzed, and did some deep soul-searching to determine the strengths and weaknesses of my character. The two positive strengths that I possess which contribute to my personal life, my career, and my learning team are a positive attitude and patience. Whereas, the two areas that I determined that I need more improvements are my public speaking skills and my organization skills.
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Having a positive attitude is a strength of mine that contributes to a happy personal life, a good work environment, and a motivated learning team. A positive attitude is contagious. How can anybody be mad or upset at a person who is always positive and full of compliments? My personal life is great because there is no negativity or bad attitudes. I flood my family with positive, happy thoughts that motivate them to encourage and share their happiness with others. Being positive keeps me and others around me in a good mood. In addition, a positive attitude at work makes tense situations manageable. If a prisoner is breaking the policies, I can either be positive and redirect him to follow the rules or be angry with him and deal with a crazy prisoner in a dangerous confrontational way. Being positive motivates and encourages others to be compliant and respectful. Also, a positive attitude will be beneficial in my learning team because it will promote teamwork and friendships. I think that a happy, friendly team will be more productive than a team that argues and disagrees.
