We hear a lot about finding and strengthening your strengths.
Sure, you should figure out what you are really good at, as it is also usually the thing you like doing as well, and then yes, strengthen it to give you further leverage on that strength.
That’s a good idea. But…
Do not neglect, you must also find
and strengthen your weaknesses—those attributes or skills that you are not good in, but are critical for you to accomplish your important goals and aspirations.
You must also ATTACK your weaknesses!
I remember a time, many years ago, while working out at a Gold’s Gym in South Beach Miami, I complimented this bodybuilder guy on his calves. I know, weird, but you should have seen them! My calves were something I struggled with. I had all the typical calve exercises in my own routine but they never seemed to grow like my other muscle groups. I just figured they were like your jaw muscles, no matter how much you work them out they aren’t really going to change much—you either have great calve muscles or you don’t.
So I asked this guy what he did to have calves like that. He explained he had lost many body-building competitions in the past because his calves were his weak spot. All the work he had put into developing the rest of his body was eliminated because of this one glaring weakness.
He said, “Then I decided I would just attack them. I wouldn’t work them out like the rest of my body, I would double, triple or quadruple the focus, intensity and emphasis I put on them in my weekly training cycle.”
He proceeded by saying, “And guess what? My weakness has now become one of my greatest strengths. But even if it was just no longer a weakness and only matched the rest of my growth it would have been a great victory. However, in order to accomplish that it required me to multiply my intensity in that one area just to bring it up to even.”
I learned a very valuable lesson that day in the gym. Not just about building my calves but about building my life.
If I have a weakness, one that is essential to the achievement of my goals, I can’t just work on it, I have to ATTACK IT.
If it’s truly a weakness, then it needs MORE attention than other aspects of your development that comes easier or faster.
About the author:
Darren Hardy is the visionary force behind SUCCESS magazine as its Publisher and Founding Editor.
As the central leader in the personal development industry, Darren gets the unique privilege of sitting down with the leading experts on human performance and achievement, as well as many of today’s top CEOs, revolutionary entrepreneurs, superstar athletes, entertainers and Olympic champions, to learn their unique secrets to their extraordinary success.
Darren is also an accomplished entrepreneur, author, keynote speaker, private equity investor, corporate advisor and high-performance mentor.
My favorite comments from the readers of this articles:
"I appreciate your aspect on how to work on yourself to better yourself for success. It is amazing that just changing one word can change the aspect of how you approach something. I have been "working" on my weaknesses ~ now I will ATTACK them because they are thieves that try to rob my success. I will not let my weakness take over! Thank you for this insight." Carolina Gutiérrez Sarceño
"I like the word attack. I am a fierce proponent of strengths. Using - building strengths - is a great tool in ones' personal armamentarium. I always tell clients that you can never convert a weakness into a strength. one must use ones strengths to manage one's weaknesses. To me - strengths are what gives us energy - the energy to build or in your words attack our weaknesses. Weaknesses sap energy - strengths create energgy. So what I love about the "attack model" is that it creates a new paradigm for me (and my clients) that use your strengths to attack your weaknesses to build them to a point which minimizes their effect on your energy - your success - on you. Just my two cents." Susan Carson
"Darren, I enjoy reading your post, as an avid person who likes to work out this analogy helped me recognize a couple of things. One, I fear going the distance when its a weakness mostly impart to the unknown. To attack my writing, spelling and speed reading I plan to make it a goal for lifelong learning. Two, working out my mind muscle is equally important...returning to school as an adult student has made a big change in my world. Three, to attack learning and recognize the value in oneself is truly a gift. Thank you." Geraldine M. Healy
"I so needed this - YES thsi is what I am doing - attacking my weakness, I am not say well that was close, or what an effort, my new motto - do it until it is done - and keep doing it until I can perfect it! " Nose Knows
