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Work on your weaknesses first
Monday, 24 October 2005
We all know somebody who's excellent in some parts of their lives, but performs poorly at others. You might be such a person yourself.
It's so much easier to spend time improving what we're already good at, than to concentrate on our weaknesses. Yet it's usually our weaknesses that let us down most.
They are also the lowest-hanging fruit on the self-improvement tree . To develop basic skills in some area usually has a much bigger payoff than to improve in an area where we are already skilled. It's often the first few lessons in any endeavor where we learn and improve the most.
The advice is simple - step out of what you're most comfortable with and concentrate on improving those things that directly affect you and that you're really bad at.
Perhaps you have poor social skills, or maybe your financial literacy isn't that good. Maybe your fitness level needs some work, or your self-discipline is poor. Have you always been terrible at managing money, or is your numeracy not as good as it could be? Perhaps your personal appearance and hygiene could do with some work, or your education level is much below what you'd like it to be.
Whatever your greatest weakness is, you probably already know all about it. But instead of fixing what's clearly broken, you may instead prefer to tinker with what you've got that works.
Don't make the mistake of only working on what you're good at.
Decide today what the greatest weakness you have that needs improving is. And make a plan to improve yourself in that area. You may want to write your plan down, or merely work it out in your head. It doesn't matter so long as you take active steps to address it.
Your ultimate goal should be to turn your weakness into a strength. Surprise those who know you by filling in the gaps in your character and excelling in something that they always thought you were terrible at.
And surprise yourself by improving the area of your character you have always secretly been ashamed of.
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