Know Thyself: A Holistic Approach to Self-Awareness Using VIPS & SOAR

In a fast-changing world, clarity about who you are and where you're going is more important than ever. Whether you're a student planning your future, a professional navigating a career pivot, or someone simply seeking deeper alignment in life, one timeless principle remains true: know thyself.

But self-awareness isn’t just about knowing what you’re good at. It’s about understanding what energizes you, what you value, what drives you, and how you respond to the world. To make that understanding more structured and actionable, we can combine two powerful tools: VIPS and SOAR.

What is VIPS?

VIPS stands for:

• Values – What principles guide your decisions and behaviors?

• Interests – What activities, topics or causes naturally attract your attention?

• Personality – What are your natural tendencies in how you think, feel, and interact?

• Strengths/Skills – What are you naturally good at or have developed proficiency in?

Together, these form the foundation of your self-profile—an internal compass that points you toward work, relationships, and goals that are truly fulfilling.

What is SOAR?

SOAR is a forward-looking, appreciative inquiry tool that stands for:

• Strengths – What are your core capabilities that bring out your best performance?

• Opportunities – What external possibilities or environments can you tap into?

• Aspirations – What kind of person do you want to become? What dreams do you hold?

• Results – What are the measurable outcomes or impact you want to create?

SOAR helps you build upon your positive core to chart actionable steps toward a meaningful future.

Bringing Them Together: The Power of VIPS + SOAR

When combined, VIPS and SOAR provide a 360-degree view of self. VIPS gives you a grounded understanding of who you are now, while SOAR guides your future direction.

Here's how they intersect:

VIPS	SOAR	How They Work Together
Strengths/Skills	Strengths	Identify your unique capabilities and how they translate to impact
Values	Aspirations	Align what matters most to you with what you want to become
Interests	Opportunities	Leverage your curiosity to spot paths that energize you
Personality	Results	Understand how your traits influence how you achieve goals

This dual profiling approach is not just reflective—it’s strategic and empowering. It helps you empathize with yourself, make confident decisions, and set intentional goals.

An Example: Meet Maya

Let’s say Maya is a fresh graduate unsure about her next steps.

VIPS Profiling

• Values: Creativity, authenticity, service

• Interests: Storytelling, youth mentoring, social media

• Personality: Introverted, empathetic, reflective

• Strengths/Skills: Writing, design, active listening

SOAR Analysis

• Strengths: Communicating ideas with clarity, connecting with young people

• Opportunities: Rising need for digital content in education, community youth programs

• Aspirations: Create safe spaces for youth to grow emotionally and intellectually

• Results: Launch a digital mentoring platform with 100 active users in one year

With these insights, Maya might choose to start freelancing in educational content creation while volunteering in youth outreach—prototyping her way into a life that is both authentic and impactful.

Why This Matters

When you use VIPS + SOAR:

• You clarify who you are and what you want

• You make decisions based on alignment, not anxiety

• You take small, informed steps toward a life that is joyful and well-lived

This is not just about career planning. It’s about designing your life with empathy and vision.

References:

1. Cameron, K. S., Dutton, J. E., & Quinn, R. E. (2003). Positive organizational scholarship: Foundations of a new discipline. Berrett-Koehler Publishers.

2. Cooperrider, D. L., & Whitney, D. (2005). Appreciative inquiry: A positive revolution in change. Berrett-Koehler.

3. Gallup. (2021). CliftonStrengths for students. Gallup Press.

4. Robbins, S. P., & Judge, T. A. (2023). Organizational behavior (19th ed.). Pearson.

5. Seligman, M. E. P. (2011). Flourish: A visionary new understanding of happiness and well-being. Free Press.

6. Super, D. E. (1990). A life-span, life-space approach to career development. In D. Brown & L. Brooks (Eds.), Career choice and development (2nd ed., pp. 197–261). Jossey-Bass.