I was talking to a friend a while back and the subject of weakness came up. My friend was frustrated with an aspect of his personality that he felt was a weakness. At one point in the discussion my friend said “I hate that weakness and just want it to go away” at which point I chuckled. It wasn’t that I didn’t sympathize with my friend, but what my friend saw as one of his weaknesses I saw as one his biggest strengths. Many times the things that we consider our own weakness are really an integral part of the whole fabric of who we are. Do you look at your weaknesses as strengths? Here are some things to consider:
1) Embrace yourself – The first thing to consider when seeing your weakness as strength is to embrace yourself. You are a whole person with things that are great and things that need work. You will never be perfect, so stop trying. Embracing who you are…ALL of who you are…is a great first step to embracing that your weaknesses are just as important as your strengths.
2) Be Honest – We all have things we need to work on. If you don’t believe me ask my wife who would be happy to give you a list of the things I could improve on. By being honest with yourself about who you are you can then make a plan to change the things that you feel need to be changed.
3) Make a list – Make a list of your strengths and weaknesses. Look at that list closely and ponder the fact that each aspect of your strengths and weaknesses has an upside and a downside. For instance one of your strengths may be you’re a hard worker. That is an upside. The downside may be that working so hard takes away time from your family. You may list being too emotional as a weakness. That may be true but the upside may be that you have the wonderful gift of empathy when someone is hurting. Take some time and think about the upside and downside of your strengths and weaknesses.
For my friend the weakness that he named made him think that people saw him as weak and ineffectual. The reality is that in his particular career he is able to listen to people from a special place and help them. And that is because he has a unique perspective about people’s pain. We all have things in our personality that we think are weaknesses. Today I want to challenge you to think about your weakness as a strength. You are a uniquely created person. Embrace who you are. ALL of you.
If you need help, a Communication coach can help you identify your strengths and create a plan to move forward. Whether you are local or on the other side of the world I am here to help. If you need a life coach, please do not hesitate to contact me at StephenLifeCoach@gmail.com. Have a great day and don’t forget: Life is a journey, not a destination!
Stephen Halpin - Communication Coach 