Character Strengths: What are They and How to Use Them

When you meet someone new, how do you introduce yourself? Do you mention your job, your family, or your hobbies? What do you usually share? Many of us often highlight the concrete aspects of our lives, like our professions. This is especially true for doctors, who dedicate a lot of time, effort, and money to their careers.

Consequently, being a doctor becomes a significant part of their identity. This is wonderful because you have every reason to be proud of your work. You’ve worked hard, and helping people is a noble pursuit. But imagine how your life might change if you focused on the qualities that helped you become a doctor rather than just the title itself. In other words, what if you emphasized the unique traits that contribute to your success? These are known as character strengths.

What are character strengths?

Character strengths are positive personality traits that reflect our core identity, produce positive outcomes for ourselves and others, and contribute to the greater good. The VIA (Values in Action) classification identifies 24 universal character strengths, providing a common language to describe what’s best in people. These strengths are ubiquitous, present in all people, and are valued in all cultures.

For physicians, understanding and leveraging character strengths can be particularly impactful. Research shows that character strengths are strongly connected to well-being and resilience. Utlizing character strengths allows individuals to thrive and navigate adversity. Physicians can boost engagement, productivity, and overall job satisfaction by identifying and intentionally using their top strengths in new ways. This practice has been shown to enhance well-being, lower depression, and increase flourishing. Moreover, when physicians are empowered to express their signature strengths in their practice, it can help manage burnout and create a more positive work environment. Ultimately, integrating character strengths into daily life and work can lead to a more fulfilling career and personal life for physicians, improving their well-being and the quality of care they provide to patients.

With that in mind, here’s a list of the 24 character strengths defined by the VIA Institute, their definitions, and one way to leverage each strength. Please refer to this list whenever you need a boost and are looking for a new way to engage at work or in life.

Appreciation of Beauty & Excellence

• Definition: Recognizing and emotionally experiencing the beauty around you and the skill of others.
• Leverage: Take time each day to notice and savor beautiful moments or skillful performances in your medical practice.

Bravery

• Definition: Acting on convictions and facing threats, challenges, difficulties, and pains despite doubts and fears.
• Leverage: Speak up about ethical concerns or patient safety issues, even when difficult.

Creativity

• Definition: Developing new and productive ways to conceptualize and do things.
• Leverage: Brainstorm innovative solutions to improve patient care or hospital processes.

Curiosity

• Definition: Taking an interest in ongoing experiences and exploring and discovering new things.
• Leverage: Regularly read medical journals or attend conferences to stay updated on the latest research and treatments.

Fairness

• Definition: Treating everyone equally and giving everyone the same chance by applying the same rules.
• Leverage: Ensure equitable treatment for all patients, regardless of their background or social status.

Forgiveness

• Definition: Forgiving those who have done wrong and using that information in future relations with them.
• Leverage: Practice forgiveness towards colleagues or patients who may have been difficult, focusing on moving forward positively.

Gratitude

• Definition: Being aware of and thankful for the good things that happen and expressing thanks.
• Leverage: Keep a gratitude journal, noting positive experiences or outcomes in your medical practice.

Honesty

• Definition: Speaking the truth and genuinely presenting oneself.
• Leverage: Maintain transparency with patients about their conditions and treatment options.

Hope

• Definition: Expecting the best in the future and working to achieve it.
• Leverage: Set optimistic yet realistic goals for patient outcomes and work towards them.

Humility

• Definition: Letting one’s accomplishments speak for themselves without seeking the spotlight.
• Leverage: Acknowledge the contributions of your medical team and share credit for successes.

Humor

• Definition: Liking to laugh and tease; bringing others smiles.
• Leverage: Use appropriate humor to lighten the mood in stressful situations or to put patients at ease.

Judgment

• Definition: Thinking things through and examining them from all sides.
• Leverage: Carefully consider all aspects of a patient’s case before making treatment decisions.

Kindness

• Definition: Doing favors and good deeds for others.
• Leverage: Go out of your way to comfort anxious patients or support stressed colleagues.

Leadership

• Definition: Organizing group activities and seeing that they happen.
• Leverage: Take initiative in leading quality improvement projects or mentoring junior staff.

Love

• Definition: Valuing close relations with others.
• Leverage: Foster solid and supportive relationships with your medical team and show compassion to patients.

Love of Learning

• Definition: Mastering new skills, topics, and bodies of knowledge.
• Leverage: Continuously seek opportunities for professional development and learning new medical techniques.

Perseverance

• Definition: Finishing what one starts and persisting in a course of action despite obstacles
• Leverage: Stay committed to long-term treatment plans for chronic patients, even when progress is slow.

Perspective

• Definition: Being able to provide wise counsel to others.
• Leverage: Offer guidance to patients on lifestyle changes that can improve their overall health.

As a physician,  you dedicate your life to caring for others, but it’s crucial to prioritize your well-being, too. The Developing Doctor offers strength-based coaching tailored specifically for medical professionals like you. By leveraging your unique character strengths, you can enhance your personal fulfillment and fortify yourself against burnout – a pervasive challenge in our field. Don’t wait for burnout to set in or worsen. Take proactive steps towards a more rewarding and sustainable career. Contact The Developing Doctor today to discover how character strength coaching can transform your professional life.

Whether you want to reignite your passion for medicine, improve your work-life balance, or simply explore your untapped potential, I am here to guide you. Reach out now for a consultation and start your journey towards a more resilient, satisfied, and empowered version of yourself. Your patients, colleagues, and, most importantly, you deserve nothing less.