About The Authors
Dr. Ryan Niemiec is a leading psychologist in positive psychology and Education Director at the VIA Institute on Character. A pioneer in character strengths, mindfulness, and positive interventions, he created the evidence-based Mindfulness-Based Strengths Practice (MBSP), the first manualized program to apply mindfulness to building character strengths. He has authored nine books and 80+ scientific articles and delivered 700+ keynotes and trainings worldwide. Dr. Niemiec is a Fellow of the International Positive Psychology Association (2017) and received a Distinguished Early Career Award from the American Psychological Association (2011). His work spans health and wellness, disability, parenting, counseling/coaching, and spirituality.
Dr. Robert McGrath is a Senior Scientist and Professor of Psychology at Fairleigh Dickinson University. A clinical psychologist (Ph.D., Auburn), he directs Integrated Care for the Underserved of Northeastern New Jersey, delivering free brief behavioural interventions in primary care. His research spans methodology, measurement, and professional issues. He has produced 250+ publications and presentations, authored books on research methods, and contributed to APA’s multi-volume Handbook of Research Methods in Psychology.
About The Book
“You are a person of character. In fact, each of us is. Each of us has in us, to varying degrees, certain traits that are admired and respected by others. These traits are called “character strengths.” For you, some may have already fully flowered, and you are expressing them strongly in your life; some of these strengths may be dormant, waiting for you to refocus your attention on them; and some may have never gotten any deliberate attention from you over the years. Wherever you stand on each of the traits of character, they are already there in you.
This is a book for people who want to learn more about character in general, and their character in particular, with the goal of making their lives better. It is about learning more about what defines you as a person worthy of respect, love, and appreciation, and how you can use those positive elements of who you are to improve your sense of well-being, your relationships, and even your community.”
Character strengths research is one of the cornerstones of Positive Psychology. Get this: back in the early 2000s, over 50 scientists – led by Christopher Peterson and Martin Seligman – decided to gain a better understanding of the character strengths that help people flourish. The result? The VIA Classification of 24 Character Strengths and the free VIA Survey that’s been taken by millions around the world.
When I was studying Positive Psychology, this research was everywhere: in Seligman’s Flourish, the Pawelskis’ Happy Together, Lea Waters’ The Strength Switch… you name it. I’d done my own VIA test ages ago but, honestly, never used it much. It was one of those “I’ll do it someday” things.
Then I found The Power of Character Strengths by Ryan Niemiec and Robert McGrath – the leading VIA Institute researchers who helped build the whole framework and the survey. And this book is a practical guide to actually using what’s best in you – your character – to make life better, richer, and a way more meaningful.
The book is packed with insights and here I’ll cover just a few of them. But if you’re serious about becoming the strongest version of yourself – definitely grab the book.
Let’s dive in.
Key Insights
24 Character Strengths
“Modern research sponsored by the VIA Institute on Character has discovered that there are 24 central character strengths in human beings, each falling under larger categories called virtues. These character strengths are the positive parts of our personality, qualities like kindness, curiosity, and perseverance that are a vital part of who we are, and that are considered valuable by other people and by society as a whole. At the front of this book, you can review the full list of 24 character strengths and the virtues they fall under. This system is called the VIA Classification of Character Strengths and Virtues.”
Over three years, more than 55 scientists set out to answer a deceptively simple question: What’s best in us as human beings?
Not what’s broken. Not what needs fixing. But what makes us worth admiring, across every culture, language, and religion. They didn’t just run surveys in Western labs. They went everywhere – from cities to remote villages – speaking with the Maasai in Kenya, the Inuit in Greenland, and people across continents. They asked: Which human qualities do you value most? Which ones make life worth living?
And guess what? The answers were surprisingly consistent. No matter where people lived or what they believed, the same core traits kept coming up – the stuff that makes us deeply, universally human.
That’s how the scientists identified six universal virtues – Wisdom, Courage, Humanity, Justice, Temperance, and Transcendence – and 24 specific character strengths that live under them. It’s basically a scientific map of human goodness.
You can check out the full model on the VIA Institute on Character website, but here is a super quick look at the classification of character strengths:
Wisdom: Creativity, Curiosity, Judgment/Critical Thinking, Love of Learning, Perspective
Courage: Bravery, Perseverance, Honesty, Zest
Humanity: Love, Kindness, Social Intelligence
Justice: Teamwork, Fairness, Leadership
Temperance: Forgiveness, Humility, Prudence, Self-Regulation
Transcendence: Appreciation of Beauty and Excellence, Gratitude, Hope, Humor, Spirituality
The Top 5 virtues? Hope, Zest, Love, Curiosity, Gratitude.
And if you want a dose of inspiration, watch Ryan Niemiec’s TED Talk on Character Strengths:
Your Signature Strengths
“Nowhere is your uniqueness clearer than with your signature strengths. The concept of signature strengths is an important part of the VIA Classification. These are the strengths that are strongest or most prominent in your own strengths profile. With over 5.1 million possible combinations in your top five strengths, these are the elements of your character that warrant your closest attention. They hold great potential. Ultimately, they are likely to be the strengths that matter most to you, that are most central to your personal identity. At the VIA Institute, we find three key features are common in signature strengths, explained as ‘the 3 E’s:
Essential — They feel essential to who you are as a person. The person for whom appreciation of beauty and excellence is a signature strength doesn’t just like beauty: seeking out experiences of beauty is part of what makes them who they are.
Effortless — When you enact the strength, it feels natural and effortless. Being curious or kind isn’t work; it just flows. Recent research suggests this sense of flow when using a character strength is the best single identifier of a signature strength.
Energizing — Using the strength energizes and uplifts you. It leaves you feeling happy, in balance, and ready to take on more.Research suggest that people who take the VIA Survey consider about five of the 24 strengths to be signature strengths on average. Explore these top strengths within yourself. Find new ways to express them at home, work, in relationships, and in your community. If you do, that is part of what is referred to as ‘being authentic.’”
Your signature strengths are basically your personal “superpowers” – the five strengths that show up most naturally, define who you are, and make you feel most alive when you use them.
The easiest way to find them? Take the free VIA Survey. It takes about 15 minutes, and at the end, you’ll get your 24 strengths ranked from strongest to weakest.
Your top five are the ones to focus on! Because research shows that when you use them intentionally, you feel happier, more engaged, and more you. (And yes, they can shift over time as your life evolves.)
Here’s the real magic: when you start using your signature strengths more often, life feels less like you’re pushing uphill. You stop trying to “fix” yourself and start leaning into what’s already strong.
So, here’s a question for you: What are your top five strengths? And how can you use them more – with your kids, your partner, or at work?
Mine are Love of Learning, Perspective, Appreciation of Beauty and Excellence, Hope, and Judgment.
If your child is old enough, they can take the VIA Youth Survey too – we did it with my older son, and it sparked such a great conversation about what makes him unique.And if you want to go deeper into how to use strengths in parenting, check out Lea Waters’ The Strength Switch – it’s one of the best books that focuses on raising kids through their strengths, not their flaws.
Big & Little Strengths
“It is easy to take your strengths for granted. It is commonplace to overlook them. The reality is, though, that we use these strengths in many small ways that are important for our life. Many researchers have discussed how strengths can present as “Big” and “little.” For example, “Big C” Creativity is something that has an enormous impact, such as Vincent van Gogh’s Starry Night, while “little c” creativity is shown in your thinking of a new way to drive home that avoids bad traffic. Similarly, “Big L” Leadership can be seen in an influential and inspiring president or city mayor, while “small l” leadership is shown in your organizing an evening of fun for a group of four friends. […] By the way, don’t interpret “little” as meaning insignificant or too small to be relevant; quite the contrary, we believe these uses of character strengths can build and amount to substantial benefits for yourself, for others, and for the larger community.”
I love this idea: yes, go BIG with your strengths when life calls for it, but you don’t have to wait for a spotlight moment. Little counts. Use your strengths in tiny, everyday ways and let the compounding do its work.
James Clear nails the mindset in Atomic Habits:
“It is so easy to overestimate the importance of one defining moment and underestimate the value of making small improvements on a daily basis. Too often, we convince ourselves that massive success requires massive action. Whether it is losing weight, building a business, writing a book, winning a championship, or achieving any other goal, we put pressure on ourselves to make some earth-shattering improvement that everyone will talk about.
Meanwhile, improving 1 percent isn’t particularly notable—sometimes it isn’t even noticeable—but it can be far more meaningful, especially in the long run. The difference a tiny improvement can make over time is astounding. Here’s how the math works out: if you can get 1 percent better each day for one year, you’ll end up thirty-seven times better by the time you’re done. Conversely, if you get 1 percent worse each day for one year, you’ll decline nearly down to zero. What starts as a small win or a minor setback accumulates into something much more.”
Task for you:
Write your top 5 strengths.
- For each, list one “little” use you’ll do daily this week.
- Pick one “big” project for the month that leans on those same strengths.
Quick check in: What’s one little way you’ll use a top strength today?
The Golden Mean
“When you express your character strengths in your actions, that is not a guarantee that what you do will be successful, well-received by others, or the best choice for the situation. You can overuse a strength by coming across too intensely for the situation or by negatively impacting another person unintentionally. You are even more vulnerable to regularly underusing your strengths, such as by not putting your best foot forward, not challenging yourself, not paying attention, or not being authentic. […] Learning to become mindful of such underuse or overuse will help you go a long way toward improving your character strengths use and creating positive outcomes for yourself and others. […]
In addition to describing how overuse and underuse might play out with each character strength, we suggest an additional way to find balance with character strength use, a way that has for thousands of years been called ‘the golden mean’ or ‘the middle way’: to consider what optimal use, the sweet spot between overuse and underuse, might look like for each character strength. […] There is no exact way to make sure you use the perfect amount of a character strength, or avoid its underuse or overuse. There are only concepts, ideas, examples, and ways of thinking about our lives through these lenses. With a thoughtful approach, you can become more comfortable, confident, and competent with your character strengths use.”
Here’s the truth: too much of a good thing stops being good. Even your strengths can backfire if you overplay or underplay them.
Take kindness. Use it too little, and you come off cold. Use it too much, and you end up saying “yes” to everything and everyone. The goal isn’t to use your strengths more, it’s to use them wisely.
The authors call this the golden mean – the sweet spot between too much and too little. That’s where your strengths actually become strengths instead of blind spots.
In the book, Niemiec and McGrath walk through all 24 character strengths and show what overuse, underuse, and optimal use look like in real life. It’s fascinating (and a bit humbling) to see how something as good as “honesty” or “humour” can go off the rails when misapplied.
So pay attention to how your strengths show up. When a strength feels forced, draining, or misunderstood – you might be overdoing it. When life feels flat or you’re not fully showing up – you might be holding it back.
The magic is in mindful, balanced use.
Strength Builder Program
“Strengths Builder draws on the latest science concerning how to grow and nourish your character strengths. It will help you put the character strengths, concepts, practices, and research from Parts I and Il into a daily, sustainable practice. What you’ve read to this point is more descriptive and informal; you can pick and choose what you use. Strengths Builder is a more structured approach to appreciating and developing your character strengths. The goal is to apply the strengths to create a more thriving life. To thrive is to function at our best, making the most of opportunities and learning from and managing adversities. It means you are creating opportunities and positive experiences while handling difficulties with resilience. This four-step program will help you make the most of your best innermost qualities: your strengths of character.”
Now comes the fun part – putting your strengths into action.
After walking us through all 24 strengths, Niemiec and McGrath offer a simple, science-backed four-week Strengths Builder program designed to help you live what you’ve learned.
Think of it as a month-long experiment in discovering what’s best in you and using it daily.
Here’s how it works:
Week 1: Recognize and Appreciate Strengths in Others
Start “strengths spotting.” Notice the positive traits people show through their actions and words – in movies, at work, in your family.
Give strength-based feedback: instead of saying “You’re so nice,” say “I love how your kindness showed up when you helped your brother.”
This rewires your brain to focus on what’s strong, not what’s wrong – in others and in yourself.
Week 2: Explore and Use Your Signature Strengths
Take the VIA Survey and reflect on your top 5 strengths – your “3E strengths” (Essential, Effortless, Energizing).
Ask: How do these show up in my daily life?
Then, use one strength in a new way every day this week. Get creative. For example, if your top strength is Curiosity, ask deeper questions in family conversations or explore a new hobby with your child.
Week 3: Apply Strengths to Life Challenges
Think of a recent challenge – something that tested your patience, courage, or hope. How did your strengths help you get through it?
Then flip it: pick a current challenge and plan how you’ll use one or two strengths to face it better. You can even help your kids do the same – “Which strength could help you solve this problem?”
Week 4: Make Strengths a Habit
Reflection time. What changed this month? Which strengths felt most alive? Now, turn that insight into action.
Write down 2-3 specific goals for using your strengths more intentionally.
Then apply Gabriele Oettingen’s implementation intentions technique (from Rethinking Positive Thinking):
If [situation], then [strength-based action].
Example: If I feel frustrated during bedtime, then I’ll use my humour strength to lighten the mood.
That’s my self-care plan for the next month – exploring and exercising what’s best in me. Want to join?
Action Steps For You:
- Discover Your Strengths: Take the free VIA Character Strengths Survey to uncover your top five “signature strengths.” These are your natural superpowers — the traits that make you feel most alive when you use them.
- Spot Strengths in Others: Make “strength-noticing” a daily habit. Look for the virtues in the people around you – your kids, partner, colleagues. Naming the character strengths rewires how you see others and yourself.
- Build Strengths into Your Life: Go through the 4-week Strengths Builder Program from the book. One week at a time, practice using your strengths intentionally – until living from your best qualities becomes second nature.
Quotes From The Book
“Character is the part of your personality that other people tend to admire, respect, and cherish. It is the sum total of those aspects of who you are as a person that leads others to see you as a person with integrity, a person who contributes, a person who can be trusted.”
“Character strengths are basic elements of our identity. When we express these character strengths through our thoughts and actions, research says we tend to feel happier, more connected, and more productive.”
‘See yourself using all 24 of your character strengths, including but not limited to gratitude, hope, zest, love, and kindness, and how using all your strengths can help you to contribute to greater goodness in the world.”
“Character strengths can be developed. The last decade of research in personality psychology has resulted in the exciting finding that our personality, including our character, can change.”
“By labeling the strengths, thinking of them as objective elements of who you are as a person, you become more aware of your strengths. In subsequent steps, you can then use those strengths in the process of creating a more flourishing life.”
“You are a person of strength. You have a wealth of character strength potential you can ignite. You can appreciate and celebrate that in yourself. You can positively impact the important people in your life. You can use those strengths to reach the goals you have set for yourself.”
