Tools

Talents & Personality

God created us as unique individuals, each with our own distinct personalities and talents.  Our personal strengths can guide us in discerning how we are called to serve God, whether in our primary occupation or in other ways.  Our personal attributes can also be strengths or weaknesses, depending on how we use them.  Understanding what makes us unique can help us live out our lives as disciples more effectively.

Key Insights

Personality Attributes
Personality type models give insights into general personality attributes.  The Enneagram and Myers Briggs are examples, which can help us understand how we tend to relate to others and daily life.
Danger of Typecasting
Inventories/models should not be used to pigeon-hole ourselves or others, but for growth.  Because someone is identified as a "type" does not mean they are "stuck" in that type or cannot change.
Talent
Strength or "spiritual gift" inventories give insights into talents.  These are particularly helpful in discerning specific ways we may be called to service.
Charisms and the Spirit
"Spiritual gifts" or "charisms" come from the Holy Spirit.  Paul discusses them in the New Testament epistles (Romans 12:3-8; 1 Corinthians 12:4-11; 1 Corinthians 12:27-31; Ephesians 4:7-16).

Quotations

For the exercise of this apostolate, the Holy Spirit Who sanctifies the people of God through ministry and the sacraments gives the faithful special gifts also (cf. 1 Cor. 12:7), "allotting them to everyone according as He wills" (1 Cor. 12:11) in order that individuals, administering grace to others just as they have received it, may also be "good stewards of the manifold grace of God" (1 Peter 4:10), to build up the whole body in charity (cf. Eph. 4:16). From the acceptance of these charisms, including those which are more elementary, there arise for each believer the right and duty to use them in the Church and in the world for the good of men and the building up of the Church, in the freedom of the Holy Spirit who "breathes where He wills" (John 3:8). This should be done by the laity in communion with their brothers in Christ, especially with their pastors who must make a judgment about the true nature and proper use of these gifts not to extinguish the Spirit but to test all things and hold for what is good (cf. 1 Thess. 5:12,19,21).
Decree on the Apostolate of the Laity, 3
(Apostolicam Actuositatem)
Second Vatican Council
[The laity] should not cease to develop earnestly the qualities and talents bestowed on them in accord with these conditions of life, and they should make use of the gifts which they have received from the Holy Spirit.
Decree on the Apostolate of the Laity, 4
(Apostolicam Actuositatem)
Second Vatican Council

Talent Models

Clifton StrengthsFinder

This model, developed by Gallop and backed up by its research, identifies your top five talent themes from a list 34.  It is used in workplaces settings and by individuals, and Living Your Strengths is targeted at Christians (including a separate Catholic edition).  Purchase of a book includes a code to fill in a single inventory online.

Called and Gifted Workshop

The Catherine of Siena Institute, sponsored by the Dominican Order, holds workshops that explain the role of the laity and the theology of spiritual gifts.  Participants complete a spiritual gifts inventory as part of the workshop, and the Institute provides numerous pamphlets/books to understand your gifts and how to apply them in your life.  See the Called and Gifted page on their website.

New Beginnings

This curriculum by Paul Wilkes includes a spiritual gifts inventory.  See the New Beginnings website.

Free Online Spiritual Gift Inventories

The following sites offer free spiritual gift inventories online: BuildingChurch.net and Kodachrome.org.

Others

There are many other strength, talent, and spiritual gift inventories available, including Discovering Your Spiritual Gifts (Kenneth Kinghorn), Discover Your God-Given Gifts (Don and Katie Fortune), and Discover Your Spiritual Gifts (C. Peter Wagner).

Personality Models

Enneagram

This model includes nine related personality types.  Franciscan Richard Rohr has written numerous books looking at it from a Catholic/Christian perspective.

Myers Briggs

This model ranks a person on four continuums, resulting in a four letter personality type (e.g. INFJ).

Articles

Personality Models
Spiritual Gifts


Insights on our uniqueness are major inputs into our discernment.
Talent and personality are key insights to discerning one's personal call and vocation.