Many of us have weaknesses, and they can become a struggle to deal with. That doesn’t mean that you have to settle for them, and there are ways to overcome them. This article will go over the manners in which you can turn weaknesses into strengths and start conquering life. We will go over how to identify your weaknesses, how to be comfortable with your mistakes, and how to turn them into strengths.
Step 1: Recognize your weakness
Start by examining what you think your shortcomings are. Ask yourself why you cannot fulfill your potential, and what is holding you back. Whenever you struggle to do something… what is your mind telling you at that moment? Write down your thoughts, and then identify the negative ones.
After you have taken note, go over each one and determine whether the thought is accurate or based on perception. For example, if you cannot finish a degree because the material is hard, think about whether it is actually hard, or if it is just your self-fulfilling prophecy discouraging you from trying your hardest. Identifying the thoughts that are holding you back helps you gain confidence and reexamine what actually is possible.
Identifying and writing down your negative thoughts is a great way to turn weakness into strength
Step 2: There’s room for growth
Once you have identified your weaknesses, change your habits to overcome them. Think about what you can do at this second to turn the tide and not let your negative thinking rule over you. If you want to get more involved in an organization, but can’t because you are too shy and awkward, try to socialize more. One of the things that are holding us back is the label that we put on ourselves. Do everything to disprove that label and to get rid of your weakness.
Step 3: Turn your list on its head
If you have identified your weaknesses earlier and have them all listed out, treat it as a to-do list of things to conquer. The Art of Learning: A journey in the pursuit of excellence is a great read on how to do this. Josh Waizkin goes over how to invest in your loss and use it to keep growing as a person. Instead of saying I’m awkward at conversations, say something like “I will be graceful at conversations” Having that challenge will help motivate you to become an awesome person and increase your self-esteem.
Step 4: Do not go at it alone
Tell a loved one what you are trying to accomplish. Tell them of the weakness that you have, and how you plan to tackle it. Get their advice, and if they have had a similar experience as you. Once you start a conversation, you will have more ideas on how to tackle your weakness and get an opinion on what works best.
Step 5: Coaching
Sometimes, it takes professional help to get out of a rut. Coaches are specifically trained to help clients be their best version of themselves. If you are a coach reading this, then helping your clients using these steps may be a great way to get your client to turn their weakness into a strength. Furthermore, if you want to start your own business and establish your brand, we at coach.today offer mentoring and take care of the necessary steps to establish your brand and help you stand out from the competition. Schedule a consultation with us.
Step 6: Don't Overthink it
The next thing to do is to just get started. Stepping out of the comfort zone can be tough for all of us, but it is one of the ways that can motivate you even further. It does not have to be a huge leap all at once. You can go little by little until you improve on your weakness. If you, for example, fear interpersonal communication, then start by talking to someone to ask the time, for example. If you fear starting a business, then start by investigating the cost to get one. No matter how prepared you are, nothing beats taking action.
Step 7: Delegate
Conquering your weakness can be great, but if it takes you time to overcome it, then outsource the skills needed to succeed. For example, if you are an entrepreneur but are struggling with math, hire or ask someone to help you with accounting. While some skills are important to overcome, like public speaking, some can be outsourced while you improve your skills. It’s the fundamental reason why teams are formed. Apart from more stuff getting done, each member contributes their skills so that if one person has a shortcoming, the other person can make up for it. Albert Einstein once said: “Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.”
Keep at it, the fight is not over
No matter what, there will always be potential for you to grow. Taking on the challenge to turn your weakness into a strength is no easy feat, but your persistence will be rewarded. Many times our weakness stems from negative thoughts and self-fulfilling prophecies that hold us back. Knowing how to identify them and overcome them will go a long way into creating a better version of yourself. If you enjoyed this article and want to read about more life coaching topics, then visit our blog at coach.today/blog.
