Nobody cares about your weaknesses (except you).
By Tom on Jan 1, 2009 in Personal Development
I just finished a discussion with some local young entrepreneurs in my community. One recurring statement was ‘I am not good at this” or ‘really, I don’t understand that” . These statements were blocking these young entrepreneurs from moving forward – ‘I have to be perfect before I start”
While being asked for my guidance, all I could think of was the theme song to Scrubs …. Just watch the below video, I will continue my post below:
In my mind, I know I am not strong at everything, maybe I am average at most things in life, but its my strengths that have made me very successful in life. I am very aware that it is my strengths that separate me from everyone else. Additionally, I will continue to hone my strengths and grow them as much as I can.
Here is what happens when you try to upgrade on your weaknesses: You will try to cope via learning niche skills (ex. HTML coding or bookkeeping). All this will accomplish is a feeling of normality or maybe a warm fuzzy, but it will not better your chances of success. It will force you into being a generalist or even worse, average at all things. All this is at what cost – missed opportunities, a diminished expected value of the venture.
Back to my conversation with these youths, I added the following point to counter their fears of not knowing all. An HTML coder out of the Philippines will cost 7$ per hour and a local bookkeeper (with 30 years of experience) will cost 40$ per hour – both of which will hit the ground running, no required ramp up time, and years of experience you will not attain in time to capture the opportunity in front of you. Why waste time trying to learn ‘throw-away’ skills?
So what are you waiting for… you don’t need to be superman, you don’t need to know everything… instead – carpe articulus, find your stride and more forward.
Let’s try for some examples of how yourself, or entrepreneurs you know, have exploited their strengths through leveraging others. Lets help others avoid getting lost in the paralysis of analysis.
18 Comment(s)
By Michell Epperly on Jan 1, 2009 | Reply
Great post and so true, so many people think that it is more important to work on their weaknesses than their strengths and then they fail. I embrace the idea to strengthen my strengths and let others pick up what I am not good at. Thank you for that. With that said I do think it is important to constantly challenge yourself too.
By David Weisman on Jan 1, 2009 | Reply
If these entrepreneurs were earning enough that it didn’t pay for them to save money by doing the job of a forty dollar an hour bookkeeper, it seems they’re already doing pretty well.
By Albert on Jan 1, 2009 | Reply
I completely agree, I have plenty of friends who are the same way. They are insecure about little things and look at magazines and look at all the celebrities and say to them selves I wish I was as perfect as them. I think everyone comes to this stage in life that they wish they have something, but you have to accept your self and realize the celebrities in those magazines are not perfect also.(i.e. Photoshop brush ups)
By Rohit on Jan 1, 2009 | Reply
Tom,I agree to some extent but not to the extent of ‘don’t care weaknesses’!.
Today’s world is pointing fingers at your weaknesses.While it is the most important thing to improve your strengths,it is also as much important to convert your weaknesses into strengths.
Take an example of any professional sports player like a tennis player(say X).Suppose an opponent(Y) found out a weakness of X.This Y will always look to take advantage of the weakness and win.In his practice sessions,Y will try to master the weakness(practice some shots at which X is weak at)in addition to honing his strengths.
There can be instances of daily life too where you could face troubles because of your weaknesses.How great you may be or you are,a weakness is still a weakness and you others pointing their fingers at you…
So,I firmly believe it is equally important to nullify your weaknesses as it is to improve your strengths.
Yes,you need to know what is best for you and then put in your efforts to be best at it i.e., weakness-free.This is possible only when you take care of your weaknesses at that job!!.
By flyingbeagle on Jan 2, 2009 | Reply
Agree with you, I read an article not too long ago, interesting facts about millionaires in general. The average rate of them experienced bankruptcy are 2-3 times before they became rich.
Moral of the story, everyone has weaknesses. The difference is whether they want to do nothing, or learn from their failures and become better.
By lvs on Jan 2, 2009 | Reply
You are very right. One has to be really good at one thing and be confident about it. Recently I went to interview candidates. It turns out I ended up hiring the ones that were most confident, ofcourse in addition to technical skills this was the most important criteria.
By janelle on Jan 2, 2009 | Reply
ditto on that.
everyone has a weakness so why be ashamed of having one? also, i find weaknesses as chances for us to be better than what we are now. because these weaknesses mirror that we still lack something – that there is still something that we need to improve on ourselves. and as we continue to hone our skills and try to get over our weaknesses, we’ll be better than who are then.
By Carrie on Jan 2, 2009 | Reply
I have to agree with Janelle above. I am very aware of my weaknesses, too aware, but I also am very proud of my strengths, and that is what have carried me through my life.
I think, though, that the media is in part to blame for this concentration on weakness, as so many articles and features are relating to how to “fix” those weaknesses.
By Kasumi on Jan 2, 2009 | Reply
Interesting post Tom I think the importance of overcoming any weakness is that it can help build inner personal strength of a person, and from a young entrepreneurs point of view it can help them become a high flyer next to their peers…
You only have to read some of the biographies from multi-millionaires to learn about the their only personal stories to success
By Marc Scibelli on Jan 2, 2009 | Reply
Great insight. Loved the use of the scrubs theme analogy by the way.
Being a renaissance man or woman is more important than ever – global competition and marginalization of what used to be considered great skills to have.
Put down the CSS book and figure out how to drive traffic and build community (at the very least).
By yanjiaren on Jan 4, 2009 | Reply
I so much believe in concentrating on your strengths can actually help to eliminate weaknesses as the more we concentrate on those the more amplified they become and so as our thoughts are poised on the negative then metaphysically we are sending out messages which bring us more negativity back as like attracts like. I thought I was incapable of learning any technical skills but from the moment I assigned the name Seo Virgin to myself well things changed and today I even cracked some html code, now that’s a miracle!
So from a div I became a ..haha
By yanjiaren on Jan 4, 2009 | Reply
Oh the html didn’t come up when I posted it after the div bit! Never mind, it’s in your html lol.
By drjon on Mar 5, 2009 | Reply
Great stuff. Love perusing the comments and thinking about the pros and cons expressed.
Take it one more level and ask – “why do I have weaknesses?” Could be something blocking the thinking, some wrong idea or emotion. Use the weakness to discover what can change to improve overall whether you decide to do the bookkeeping yourself (for example) or not. May be as simple as not wanting to ask for help.
By Amol wagh on Mar 9, 2009 | Reply
Hey Tom,
You have truly presented the problems of the aspiring entrepreneurs. And yes as you said, nobody can be prefect before the thing starts
By Sharie on Mar 14, 2009 | Reply
Focusing on weaknesses is not productive. It causes inertia. But awareness is helpful.
Focusing only on strengths is not productive in the long run. It makes you self-centered and repels others.
A balance between the two is best in my experience. Focus on strengths to help yourself, family, and others so that your strong points bring you to success. And in the meantime, awareness of your weaknesses makes you always strive to improve, which in turn lends to your strengths and success.
By Anne Howard on Mar 25, 2009 | Reply
The key is to delegate, and to build a solid team. This way when you make a presentation the team per say has no weaknesses. This being said, know your niche.
cheers,
Ane
http://www.rushprnews.com
By Tellie on Apr 13, 2009 | Reply
I kind of disagree, I think it really depends on your weakness. I think my biggest weakness is the fact that I’m a quiet individual. I think if I were to overcome this introvertedness my strengths would shine even more.
By inaneiriurses on Apr 22, 2009 | Reply
Did you see Simons arrive on Brtiatn got flair when Susan Boyle stareted to chirp? That was a bowl overer for everyone! I v seen it hundred times already! lol