24 Character Strengths Valued Worldwide

Martin Seligman and Christopher Peterson, leaders in positive psychology research, assembled a study group of philosophers, historians, and religious leaders of all faiths to determine if there were any values held in common all over the earth and throughout history. They started with literate cultures.

They found 24 that were ubiquitous. In other words, although there were minor exceptions here and there, all these 24 were found nearly everywhere. They then looked at two cultures without written language, the Inuit and the Massai, and confirmed that they, too, valued these 24.

These are the 24 valued the world over:

Seligman and Peterson then asked people to nominate paragons of each of these strengths, people who excelled in each of these virtues. A test was constructed that correctly identified these paragons. The test, called the VIA Strengths Test, was refined until it was both valid (agreed with other measures of the same thing) and reliable (the same person taking it twice will get very similar results both times.) Each person will test higher in some of these strengths than in others. These are your signature strengths, qualities that probably showed up in you by the age of five.

Using your top strengths every day is one of the keys to happiness. Positive psychologists have found that learning to use your greatest strengths more is more useful than working to increase your lesser strengths.

The Pathways phone seminar Finding Passion and Purpose will teach you how to use your signature strengths to clarify your sense of Purpose and increase your experience of Passion. These two, along with Presence, and Pleasurable Emotion are the four proven pathways for increasing happiness and life satisfaction. Please let Nancy know if you are interested in this course.  She will offer it every time a few people express interest.  nancy@pathwaystohappiness.com

Some strengths are more highly correlated with happiness than others, and these can be increased. The seminar Loving Relationships can strengthen your ability to "love and be loved." Disarming the Inner Critic increases "Optimism" with techniques that have been shown to prevent depression and anxiety disorders! Maximizing Joy! will raise your "zest," "appreciation of beauty," and "gratitude." "Gratitude," one of the easiest to develop with practice, can be further enhanced in a course by that name. And, finally, your "curiosity" about how to give and get the most out of life will be stimulated and satisfied by all of the Pathways to Happiness classes!