All through life we are taught to work on our weaknesses. We could be great in math and failing in spelling so we are encouraged to spend more time working on our spelling and less on the math. It seems to me that turning your focus on the things that you aren’t good at and paying less attention to the things you are good at can make you just mediocre at about everything you do. I don’t like mediocre and I don’t think it is something for which you should be striving.
A couple of years ago I had the great honor of hearing John C. Maxwell speak. What a great honor to be front row with someone so successful and wise. Of all of the nuggets of wisdom he shared, this message of focusing on our weaknesses hit home.
Even more recently, I was listening to some audio from Zig Zigler. I will personally seek this man out when I make it to Heaven. His love of life, faith and fulfillment is something for which we should all strive. But part of Ziglar’s message also pointed out this tendency to focus on our inabilities rather than our abilities.
I had to reflect on my own life as a wife, mother and entrepreneur. Was my focus in the right place? In many ways, it was not. I have a gift as a communicator a motivator and a peace maker- well, in most cases. I am sure there are a handful of people I have ticked off in the past who may have a different story to tell – But generally speaking. Though I am a good communicator, I don’t do well in large settings. If I am in an intimate group of people I thrive- bring in the party and I get anxious and my mouth filter somehow gets jammed.
I am a pretty good writer but I can’t stand being on webinars and being the sole speaker. So if I am already pretty good at writing, why would I waste valuable time trying to perfect the skill of live webinars or video making to communicate a point if I can so clearly and concisely form that point through the written word?
With my kids- I don’t like baking. I am not good at it and it totally stresses me out to have them in the kitchen trying to help. By the time the cookies are done, the kitchen is a mess, I need a glass of wine and I have probably yelled at the kid, kicking them out of the kitchen… Just keeping it real 😀
But there are other things I CAN and do with them that still create those bonds and teaching moments. My kids won’t have memoires of me making crafts and cookies with them. That’s just not a gift of mine. But they will remember trips to the ice cream shop and fun workouts together with the mom who tries to do handstands on pumpkins.
I encourage you to make a list of the things you are really good at-whether it be as a mom, spouse, employee or employer. Be awesome at those things! There are plenty of people who are good at what you stink at- let them have those jobs.
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