Looking for Yourself

I'm not much on "self-actualization" and other pop-psychology trends, but there's probably more than a kernel of truth in the latest trend toward identifying our unique talents.

Years ago I bought the best-seller from Gallup Now, Discover Your Strengths: that "fully describes 34 positive personality themes ... (such as Achiever, Developer, Learner, and Maximizer) and explains how to build a 'strengths-based organization' by capitalizing on the fact that such traits are already present among those within it." I confess to never having read it (though I did read and enjoy the prequel First, Break All the Rules).

Then today at the bookstore I saw Stephen Covey's latest book, The 8th Habit: From Effectiveness to Greatness with a similar theme, namely developing " an eighth habit to achieve personal and organizational excellence: 'Find your voice and inspire others to find theirs.'"

I haven't read Rick Warren's Purpose Driven Life but it, too, seems to be along the same vein (though more overtly scriptural than the first two).

But I think the story of Akiba excerpted from Dick Staub's
Staublog : sums up the essence of the issue quite well...

"The Talmud, the body of Jewish law, tells an illustrative story of Akiba, who on his deathbed worried aloud to his rabbi that he was a failure. His rabbi moved closer and asked why and Akiba confessed that he had not lived a life like Moses. The poor man began to cry, admitting he feared God’s judgment. At this, his rabbi leaned into his ear and whispered gently, 'God will not judge Akiba for not being Moses. God will judge Akiba for not being Akiba.”