*Disclaimer: Please note that parts of this blog have been automatically translated.*

Behaviour change is hard. Quitting smoking, drinking less, exercising more, eating healthier, it all involves ups and downs and long-term change is a big challenge.

When we want to change something ourselves, or when we guide others to do so, we usually focus on what is not going well and how to improve it. We want to get rid of smoking, drinking or unhealthy eating, often by addressing our weaknesses. For example, we think we should stop impulsively eating unhealthy snacks while watching TV. The downside of this approach is that focusing on and getting rid of negative things does not automatically result in positive outcomes. Improving weak points does not motivate in the long run. An alternative is to focus on what you are good at. Focusing on your strengths creates more intrinsic motivation and can therefore contribute to behavioral change. For example, if you are good with numbers, you could focus on monitoring the number of calories you eat and your weight when losing weight. Focusing on strengths has been shown to be related to higher well-being and self-confidence. Underlying this is the so-called ‘self-determination theory’ which assumes that perceived competence, autonomy and connectedness are needed to function optimally. Emphasizing strengths results in more perceived competence and autonomy and can thus facilitate behavioral change.

If you want to focus more on your strengths, or those of others, it is important to both find out what your strengths are and to explore how you can use these strengths.

You can do this based on the following steps:

• Ask a few people who know you well to describe your strengths.
• Complete the free online VIA character strength test.
• Think about how you have used your strengths in the past to overcome something difficult. How can you apply that in the future?
• Describe how you want to use your strengths to achieve your goals.

Are you ready to focus on strengths?

This blog was written by Maartje Luijten, Radboud University, for RAD-blog, the blog about smoking, alcohol, drugs, and diet.