Recognizing one's strengths and weaknesses is a critical step necessary for optimizing one's career performance. Through a variety of self-assessment tools, including MBTI, an individual can better assess his current characteristics, and use those characteristics to determine appropriate career and life choices. While many people pursue careers without this assessment, becoming more self-aware is one way in which individuals can enhance the quality of their life choices. Of course, those who embark on this endeavor should be aware from the outset that there is negative information contained with the positive, and that the assessment process is one that is iterative and which requires the participant to be willing to undertake it at several intervals over his life.
Several factors affect a person's strengths and weaknesses at any point in time. One of the most significant factors is that of age. A 20-year old has a very different set of goals than a 40-year old, for example, just as a 40-year old has different goals than a 60-year old. A 20-year old is interested in building a career and a family, and in attaining some success in both. The 40-year old is likely to be settled both personally and professionally, and willing to take fewer risks with regard to both than the 20-year old. The 60-year old is contemplating retirement and has different goals and approaches to life, and is also contemplating his own mortality.
However, age is not the only significant factor determining a person's viewpoint. Life experience also enters into the question, and can be a key part of how the person views their current situation and their future goals.
As an example of this, many college students begin attending college full-time directly after they graduate from high school. Other students attend school part-time and work part-time, while still other students return to college after taking time off to pursue other goals. The life ex...