Too many of us have been there: the headaches, insomnia, anxiety, loss of motivation, stress-related illnesses. We know we need to make a change, but the most obvious changes we can think of, like finding a new job, feel overwhelming. We just feel stuck.

If you are feeling stuck or a bit lost, let me remind you that you deserve a career that feels energizing and meaningful. While you can’t singlehandedly change all of the things that contribute to burnout, there are things you can control. You have tools at your fingertips that can help you regain momentum: your strengths.

There are many ways to talk about your strengths, but my favorite tool is the CliftonStrengths assessment. It is rooted in the science of positive psychology, and it focuses on using what you naturally do best to achieve the results you want.

Here are three strategies to help you use your CliftonStrengths to get un-stuck and avoid burnout.

Assess Which Talents You Need to Feed

You have a unique combination of talents. According to the philosophy of CliftonStrengths, a talent is a naturally occurring pattern of thought, feeling, or behavior that can be productively applied. Intentionally applying our talents leads to greater satisfaction and success. On the other hand, if we ignore a talent for too long, we feel increasingly drained.

Take a minute to look at your Top 5 CliftonStrengths:

1. Identify the talent that you are using the least right now.

2. Choose one small thing you could do to put that talent into action this week.

3. Prioritize completing this action

For example, if one of your top strengths is Learner®, you thrive on gaining new knowledge. To reenergize yourself, pick a topic that interests you and make time to dive in. It doesn’t have to be a time-consuming course. You could take ten minutes a day to read about a new topic or volunteer to research a solution for a challenge your team is facing.

Similarly, if you have Relator® as a top strength, you find deep satisfaction in close relationships. Feeding this talent could look like picking one person you want to connect with over coffee this week or meeting one-on-one with a trusted coworker to discuss your thoughts on a project.

By consciously integrating activities that align with your strengths, you’ll notice a boost to your energy levels. That energy can then be applied to the other changes you hope to make.

Identify One Goal for Yourself and Use Your Strengths to Achieve It

Setting a specific goal and leveraging your strengths to achieve it can be a powerful way to regain momentum. Begin by identifying a small goal that excites and motivates you.

Once you have your goal, break it down into smaller, manageable steps. Then, think about which of your top CliftonStrengths would be most helpful at each point along your journey.  

By aligning your strengths with your goals, you not only increase the likelihood of success but also ensure that the journey towards achieving your goal is energizing and fulfilling, rather than draining.

Avoid Your Potholes                          

Every strength has a potential blind spot or “pothole.” These are the ways that we overuse or misapply our strengths and, therefore, slow our momentum.

For example, someone with Responsibility® might struggle with delegation, leading to an overwhelming workload. Or someone with Ideation® might have a long list of ideas that have never been put into action.

We can manage these tendencies. Notice when you’re relying too much on one strength, and create your own strategy to rebalance. You may lean into another one of your top strengths, ask someone to keep you accountable, or ask someone with a complementary strength to help you move forward.

Overcoming burnout is about more than just managing stress. It’s about learning to operate in a way that is more you so that you can regain your momentum. By applying these strategies, you’ll be able to quickly pinpoint the changes you can make so that working towards your goals sounds energizing instead of overwhelming.