Our ability to learn and grow may be a defining characteristic of being human. Yet while this intrinsic motivation towards growth and development might characterise all human beings, how it manifests itself in each individual is in part a reflection of the strengths dynamics operating for that person.

For some, learning is the end in itself. When Growth and Curiosity are paired, this is often the case. People with this strengths dynamic want to know purely for the intrinsic pleasure of knowing. Their learning and advancement is not about being better than others, not about achieving a goal, not about self-improvement. It is simply what they do and love to do - their own intrinsic reward through interest and enjoyment.

Combine Growth with Action, and you find the person who will always be likely to get started and to get stuck in - often just to see what they can learn from the experience. The Growth-Action dynamic is self-starting, proactive and experiential. These people learn by doing, not by pondering. Rather than wonder about what might be, they act and find out what will be.

While some people learn for the sake of learning through their Growth strength, others will orient and focus their learning towards a specific objective. When Growth combines with Mission, the person's focus is on what they want to know, to learn, to achieve. Their Growth strength gives them the impetus to set off on the journey; the integration with Mission provides the focus of a known destination. "I'm learning law to become a human rights lawyer." "I'm reading up on English Literature because I'd like to be a writer." These are examples of the end-goal that directs the learning path that is taken.

Depending on the nature and direction of your learning goals, you may need to combine Growth with Persistence. When medical students start their learning journeys, they know they are signing up for years of study, dedication and learning - and that not everything will be sweetness and roses. Instead, they'll need to call on their Persistence from time to time to get them through, or their Mission to provide the end-focus that drives them on.

Finally, if reading this you realise that Growth maybe isn't one of the strengths that defines you, don't despair! As human beings, all of us are naturally oriented to our own growth and development - a concept that Carl Rogers called the 'actualizing tendency'. The challenge is that for some of us, this tendency can get bent out of shape or distorted by our environment, but it is always there, whispering in the background.

To re-awaken your Growth strength, strive to hear the whisper of your inner voice and re-connect with your desire to grow in the direction that is right for you. When you do so, you'll find that you are living life in glorious technicolour again!

With best wishes,

Alex Linley