Focusing on a Potential Weakness Instead of a Potential Strength
There are things you’re flat out terrible at doing and don’t enjoy spending time working to improve. Those are non-talents that are potential weaknesses. You also have things you are pretty good at doing and enjoy spending time working on, but you’re just not ready for prime time yet. Those are talents that have the potential to become strengths.
Which of these two “potentials” will you focus on? Will you focus on preventing a non-talent from becoming a weakness or will you focus on maximizing a talent so that it becomes a strength? The choice you make defines your mindset.
If you focus on potential weaknesses, then you are orienting your mindset towards preventing failure. The mindset of trying to prevent failure is one that focuses on threats. It causes you to constantly analyze your weaknesses and find ways to manage your weaknesses so they don’t cause you to fail.
If you focus on potential strengths, then you are orienting your mindset towards pursuing success. The mindset of trying to pursue success is one that focuses on opportunities. It causes you to constantly work on maximizing your strengths and find ways to use your strengths as the foundation of your success.
If you find yourself constantly thinking about your weaknesses, ask yourself this. What life do you want to live? Will preventing a failure get you to that life? Or does that life require you to pursue an opportunity with enthusiasm and persistence?
For most people, the latter is true. Therefore, it’s best to stop overthinking your weaknesses. Instead, focus on creating a plan to invest in your strengths, and then learn how to use your strengths to manage any potential weaknesses.