Wellsprings and quicksand: How to identify your areas of performance

Let’s be honest. You dread certain tasks. Really dread them. You might even wake up in the morning and experience a sinking “ugghhh” feeling when you remember it.

Here’s the kicker: not only do you dislike this type of task, and feel exhausted just thinking about it, but these types of tasks position you as a merely average performer.

It gets worse — these types of assignments could damage your reputation, because they put you at a serious disadvantage.

How to spot your quicksand areas, before the even begin? It all comes down to your results from your Fascinate® Test.

Why certain tasks feel like quicksand

Let’s say you’re right–handed. You could, theoretically, write with your left hand. But it would feel awkward, exhausting, and discouraging. This same principle applies to your performance at work.

Kristin has a primary Mystique Advantage. Her manager expects her to sparkle with gregarious banter while schmoozing clients. However, with primary Mystique, Kristin dreads these networking events because she feels uncomfortably thrust into the limelight. These situations suck her energy, dragging her down like quicksand.

Quicksand tasks exhaust your time and energy, and distract you from the critical areas that will lead to results. In quicksand mode, you’re less likely to impress and influence people.

Why other tasks give you confidence and energy

Wellspring tasks give you energy, rather than requiring energy. They make you feel focused, confident, and in the flow. Coworkers and clients seek you out in your wellspring areas, because it’s so clear that this is where you shine.

For a quick tip on immediately applying these concepts to improving productivity — Ask yourself two simple questions:

  1. What are your WELLSPRINGS? (Do more of these, because they showcase your natural Advantages.) Your wellsprings come directly from your top
  2. What types of projects are your QUICKSAND? (Watch out for these! They can damage people’s perception of you.)

Here’s my answer to these questions:

“My wellsprings include activities such as idea development, writing notes to you, and playing fetch with my French Bulldog puppy, Bacon. My quicksand? Spreadsheets (ugh!) and proofreading (uggghhh!).”

How about you? What are you WELLSPRING moments, when you feel energized and focused? On the other hand, what are your dreaded areas of QUICKSAND begin?


LET US KNOW IN THE COMMENTS!

Don’t miss a single fascinating tip!

Sign up to receive updates on our latest blog posts, offers, and more.

Blog post email and popup form

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

About the author

Sally Hogshead

Sally skyrocketed to the top of the advertising world in her early 20s, fascinating millions of consumers for clients such as MINI Cooper and Coca-Cola. Since then, she’s published two New York Times bestsellers on the science of fascination, and is one of only 172 living members in the Speaker Hall of Fame. Over a million professionals have taken the Fascination Advantage® personality test to discover how others perceive their communication.

Recent Posts
What’s your Halloween personality? Are you devilish or angelic? Ghoulish or glamorous? Normally, we show you how to be more authentic. But Halloween is different. For one night, you can unleash your secret streak of...
A quick story from the archives… Oliver is a consultant for the food industry. He advises business owners on ways to make their brand more profitable. In this excerpt of a coaching session with Sally,...
You only have seconds to make a meaningful first impression in-person or on the phone. How much time do you have in the virtual world to make your introduction? Your Personal Brand is your key...
Related Posts
What’s your Halloween personality? Are you devilish or angelic? Ghoulish or glamorous? Normally, we show you how to be more authentic. But Halloween is different. For one night, you can unleash your secret streak of...
Your level of influence as a professional will be measured by your ability to get others to listen and take action. Your level of influence can be measured. And, it can be improved. If you’re...
Why do some teams get extraordinary results, while others struggle just to finish mundane tasks? Why do certain teams glide to victory, while others can’t even cross the finish line?  What’s the difference? Here you...
Send this to a friend