Talent DNA Decoded

Sequencing your unique pattern of strengths AND values to thrive in an AI-transformed world

🌸 ikigai 生き甲斐 is a reason for being, your purpose in life - from the Japanese iki 生き meaning life and gai 甲斐 meaning worth 🌸

You know how ikigai and hatarakigai (work worth doing) buzz around my brain during quiet moments? The absolute joy of having this side project... it's that luck surfacer I wrote about before, creating connections when you least expect them.

Two key elements of hatarakigai are identifying what you LOVE and what you are GOOD AT.

This week's serendipity; stumbling upon a CliftonStrengths Leading With Strengths podcast with Simon Sinek that reminded me how much I too LOVED that skills test, I often reflect on my results in a bullet journal SKILLS spread. Then, as if by magic, the algorithmic overlords next served me Mark Manson’s new podcast Solved, with the first episode being all about VALUES, another topic I've spent ages exploring in my BuJo!

Having these two themes smoosh together sent me down a rabbit hole of more journalling, AIing, and ultimately this ramble *grin*.

My CliftonStrengths results still fascinate me, they claim "the chance two people share the same top 5 in the same order is one in 33 million!" Mine are Input, Learner, Intellection, Connectedness, and Ideation - explaining my overflowing bookshelves, constant learning quest, and love of spotting connections!

The values podcast led me to the Schwartz Values Wheel, further identifying what really matters to me; universalism, benevolence, achievement and self-direction. Making my life choices make more sense and why some things feel brilliant while others make me want to hide under a duvet with chocolate.

And then I wondered what if I combined these two, what unique "genetic talent code" might each of us have? A specific sequence of strengths and values creating a built-in navigation system for work worth doing? Not just what you're good at OR what you care about, but the magical chemistry when they bind together?

Even more fascinating... what if this unique human code becomes even MORE valuable as AI reshapes everything around us?

The human advantage paradox

I believe that the more powerful AI gets, the MORE valuable your uniquely human strengths become. Making it all the more important you can confidently articulate them, they are a part of your niche.

Does that seem backwards against a backdrop of worry that AI is coming for our jobs or making our skills obsolete?

Well yes and no. AI is absolutely going to change how we work.

Those really repetitive, formulaic bits of our jobs? The tasks that drain our energy and make us feel like zombies? I’ll be chuffed to bits when AI is good enough to take those on and let me do more value adding stuff!

The parts of you that are uniquely YOU, your natural pattern of strengths combined with your deepest values is something no AI can replicate.

AI may be able to help us by supporting our learning, sparking our creativity or boosting our confidence, but it doesn't know what it feels like to have a broken heart.

Humans need human connection.

That uniquely human perspective, where talent meets values, where skill meets meaning... that's the gold hiding in your DNA. When you know what that pattern is, you can navigate career changes, job disruptions, and technological shifts with confidence. Because you understand the core of what makes you valuable isn't the specific tasks you perform, but HOW you perform them and WHY.

The values foundation

I’ve written about finding your values before because I know it to be such a foundational aspect of your reason for being. Your values tell you WHY some activities feel worth your time and energy while others leave you cold. They're the foundation of your talent DNA.

Having just learned about the Schwartz Values Wheel which groups values into 10 categories and 8 dimensions. I wanted to go back to previous brainstorms and value lists and map them to the relevant quadrants. I also found a free human values test which gives you a ranked score.

For me, the clusters that lit up were universalism (equality, wisdom), benevolence (helpfulness, honesty), achievement (capability, perseverance) and self-direction (creative freedom, independence). Especially though the social growth and transcendence quadrant, which makes me wonder how well this ranking would correlate with people’s positions on the political compass, mine being typically Libertarian Left?

Anyway, this remap and reflection on the tradeoffs I would make explains SO much about me, and why the idea of not working somewhere where I can help others or be creative feels so soul-crushing. I can’t see me ever caring too much about power in a role and I’ve never been financially motivated beyond being able to give my children a reasonable standard of living.

Decoding your strength sequence

While values tell you WHY, your strengths tell you HOW you naturally operate. The next layer of your talent DNA is understanding your natural strength pattern.

I used Gallup CliftonStrengths which analyses and maps you against 34 talents. I love the inventor’s ethos of not focussing on weaknesses, instead to understand and harness your strengths.

It isn’t free, I paid for the version that gave me the full report (it’s cool, it looks like a DNA strand!) which is currently about £45 - I was especially happy to invest in myself after going sober curious and saving a FORTUNE! .. go on, forgo a few bottles of wine and treat yourself to something that could repay you in spades! … or there is a cut down top 5 only report you can get for the bargainous price of £18.83 at todays USD - GBP conversion rate!

If you really don’t want to take that step just yet, then there are free resources out there, the VIA Character Strengths Survey is interesting but doesn’t do that next step that Gallup does of helping you understand what your results mean in a work context.

Anyway, looking specifically at your top 5-10 as connected patterns, not isolated abilities, is where the magic happens.

My top 5 are:

• Input - a need to collect and archive

• Learner - a passion for the process of learning

• Intellection - characterised by intellectual activity

• Connectedness - faith in the links among all things

• Ideation - fascinated by ideas and finding connections

Looking at these together tells a story. I'm wired to gather information ideas and people, enjoy learning, process intellectually, find unusual connections, and create new ideas. That's my strength sequence.

What's yours? It might be completely different. Maybe you're brilliant at executing plans, winning people over, thinking strategically, activating others, and maintaining focus on outcomes. Or perhaps you excel at building relationships, creating harmony, developing others, being adaptable, and fostering responsibility in teams.

The point isn't which strengths you have, but how your particular combination creates a unique approach to the world.

Where values meet strengths, a magic intersection

When your natural strengths align with your core values, you create an unstoppable force.

This is perhaps the key to getting into a flow state more often than not.

I uploaded my values map and my Strengths report into Claude and here are the mappings it highlighted;

1. Universalism (understanding, appreciation, tolerance)

   • Aligns with: Connectedness, Intellection, Empathy

   • Expressed in your essays through: Gender equity concerns, inclusive approaches, broad perspective-taking

2. Benevolence (helpfulness, honesty, forgiveness)

   • Aligns with: Connectedness, Developer, Empathy

   • Expressed in your essays through: Desire to help others navigate change, authentic sharing of struggles

3. Self-Direction (independence, creativity, freedom)

   • Aligns with: Ideation, Input, Learner

   • Expressed in your essays through: Autonomy in work, creative approaches to problems, continuous learning

4. Achievement (success, capability, ambition)

   • Aligns with: Learner, Achiever, Positivity

   • Expressed in your essays through: Consistent writing practice, personal development focus

This is practical stuff that helps you navigate real career decisions. When faced with options, you can ask "Which choice lets me use my strength sequence in service of my core values?"

Finding your purpose phenotype

In genetics, your phenotype is how your DNA expresses itself in observable characteristics. Similarly, your purpose phenotype is how your talent DNA expresses itself in the world.

This matters because it helps you recognise when work is "genetically compatible" with who you are. Instead of forcing yourself to fit roles that clash with your natural wiring, you can seek environments where your unique pattern thrives.

I recommend you track your activities that feel energising versus draining. The pattern is clear for me. When I'm using my strengths in service of my values, I'm in flow. When I'm stuck doing tasks that go against this pattern, it is SO much harder.

The brilliant thing about understanding your purpose phenotype is it's transferable across different roles and career changes. The specific job might change, but your unique way of contributing value remains constant.

This is why purpose emerges naturally when strengths and values align. You're recognising the conditions under which your unique talents naturally express themselves in meaningful ways.

AI as Talent DNA Amplifier

I mostly use AI tools to help me with the parts of tasks that drain my energy, allowing me to focus more on my strength zones. AI also helps me spot patterns in my journaling that I might miss, uploading mind maps to Claude brings up points that weren't obvious to me alone.

AI partnership creates greater impact, handling what drains me, amplifying what energises me, and together we create something better than either could alone.

And fascinatingly, the combination of YOUR unique talent DNA with AI will be different from MINE. Maybe AI helps you execute plans more efficiently or communicate your ideas more clearly.

The point is that when you understand your talent DNA, you can be strategic about how you partner with new tools. You're not competing with technology. You're using it to become even more distinctively yourself.

The beauty of this approach is that it's iterative. Your understanding of your talent DNA will deepen over time. You'll notice new connections, refine your maps, and develop a clearer sense of your unique contribution. And most importantly, you'll develop confidence in the parts of you that can't be automated or replaced. The uniquely human intersection of what you're naturally good at and what you deeply care about.

That's the real competitive advantage in an AI world. Not competing with technology at its game, but playing your own game masterfully. Using your talent DNA to create impact and meaning in ways only you can.

I'd love to hear about your own experiences decoding your talent DNA. What strength patterns have you discovered? Which values light you up? How might AI amplify rather than replace your unique contributions?

Sarah, seeking ikigai xxx

PS - Ready to decode your own talent DNA? Here are some steps I'd suggest:

1. Get assessment tools for strength-spotting - While self-reflection is valuable, outside perspectives often spot patterns we miss. CliftonStrengths, VIA Character Strengths, or Sparketype all offer insights into your natural talents.

2. Create a values mind map - Brainstorm ALL the things you think are important in life, then look for patterns. The Schwartz Values Wheel is brilliant for categorising these into meaningful groups.

3. Map strength-value connections - Which strengths seem energised by which values? Create a visual map showing these connections.

4. Experiment with AI partnerships - Try using AI tools to handle tasks that drain you while you focus on your strength zones. Notice which activities feel complementary rather than competitive.

5. Create decision filters - Next time you face a career choice, run it through your talent DNA filter. Does it allow your strengths to express your values? If not, can it be redesigned to fit better?

PPS - Journal on your best days - When have you been in flow? What were you doing? Who were you with? What values were you expressing? These peak experiences reveal your talent DNA in action.

Some prompts to explore your talent DNA;

• "When have I felt most fulfilled at work? What values were being honoured?"

• "Which of my strengths seem to naturally work together? What pattern emerges?"

• "If I could design work that perfectly fits my talent DNA, what would it include?"

PPPS - Today’s soundtrack is "Weird" by Hanson - an anthem about standing out in a cookie-cutter world where uniqueness can be seen as a flaw. Just like your talent DNA makes you brilliantly different in old fashioned workplaces that used to reward only conformity. I think what makes you "weird" is exactly what makes you wonderful.