Emphasize Your Strengths

You don’t need to fix all of your weaknesses.

May 10, 2017

This is one major thing a lot of people get wrong when they try to become a better version of themselves.

They think that they need to become better at the things they are bad at. This is only true for fundamental human behavior, not skills and talents.

So if you can’t properly hold a conversation with a human being, you should probably work on that. But if you are terrible at art, and really good at math, don’t try to become an artist.

You don’t need to be a perfect, complete human being to be able to do something amazing with your life. You only need to take what you are good at, and amplify it on a scale that is well above the average person.

Often times, other people can help you with your shortcomings and weaknesses. Ask someone to help you with it. They’ll probably be more than willing.

For instance, I’m terrible at cooking. (Is this a basic life skill? Maybe) Regardless, my wife Hannah does most of the cooking around here. That’s well understood and communicated with each other.

On the other hand, I’m good at math and spreadsheets, so I manage the finances.

If Hannah were to try and force me to become better at cooking, it would be a lost cause. Vice versa for the spreadsheets.

When you’re naturally good at something, that’s an advantage you have that many people do not. Hone in on it. Use it. Grow it. Multiply it.

When you become the best at that thing, success will follow.

I like to think I am good at coding. I am not so good at design. So when I start a website, I start with a pre-made template that pushes me in the right direction.

It would be a waste of time for me to spend days, even months figuring out how to develop a great design, when someone else is already naturally good at it and does it better than I ever would.

I pay them for that talent. I’d pay you as well, if you had a talent that met my shortcomings.

This is the fundamental framework for how a business works.

Your talents are valuable. Don’t let them go to waste. Find out what you are good at and run with it. Make everyone say, “You make it look so easy,” because it is easy for you.