How do I answer “I feel most strong when…” without sounding arrogant?

Aim for grounded strength, not grandstanding. Focus on what you do, not who you are. Try: (1) Action + Value: “I feel most strong when I act with patience under pressure,” (2) Evidence: “Like when I listened fully in a tense meeting,” (3) Impact: “It helped the team cool down.” Keep it concrete and modest. If you use the Stoic app, write 3 short sentences: the moment, the virtue (courage, temperance, justice, wisdom), and the effect. End with a gratitude line—“I’m grateful I could respond, not react.” That keeps your strength anchored in values and service, not ego.

What if I can’t think of any time I felt strong? I’m drawing a blank.

Zoom in. Strength shows up in micro-moments. Try one of these quick passes: (1) Domains scan—physical (took a walk), emotional (said no kindly), mental (finished a task despite anxiety), social (asked for help), moral (told the truth). (2) Borrowed lens—imagine a friend describing when you seemed strong. What would they name? (3) Future-cast—“I would feel most strong when…” and describe a near-future scenario in detail; imagined strength still reveals your values. In Stoic, set a 3-minute timer in your mind and list five tiny wins from the last week—no win is too small. Pick one and expand with what you controlled, how you acted, and what mattered.

How can I use this prompt to handle my fear of failure at work?

Turn the prompt into a plan. Write: (1) Sentence: “I feel most strong when I focus on what I can control.” (2) Apply the control test to your work fear—controllable: prep, clarity, effort, follow-up; uncontrollable: others’ opinions, market swings. (3) Pre-commit one behavior that expresses your strength, e.g., “When I start overthinking, I’ll take one concrete step: draft the first slide.” (4) Reframe outcomes as feedback: end your entry with, “If it goes poorly, I’ll extract one lesson and one next step.” Using the Stoic app, keep this as a short daily check-in: one controllable, one action, one lesson. This builds a track record of strength that quiets fear.

Journaling Idea - On Strengths.

Finish this sentence: “I feel most strong when…”

What kind of strength comes to mind as you complete that thought? What kinds of situations do you remember or imagine?

Journal in Stoic

Written by

Zach Beauvais

Published on

Jun 13, 2022

Journal in Stoic

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Zach Beauvais

Writing & User Experience

Zach helps stoic design experiences for mental and emotional wellness, creating guided meditations, mindful walks, and journaling prompts rooted in Stoic philosophy. He also serves as Marketing Director at Cornell’s ILR School, where he helps leaders clarify their purpose and turn ideas into content that engages students, faculty, and collaborators. With over 15 years of experience in storytelling, community building, and content strategy, Zach brings both creativity and clarity to his work. Outside of writing and strategy, he enjoys photography, making coffee, and carving spoons, bowls, and cups from green wood.

Finish this sentence: “I feel most strong when…”

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