CAPITALIZING STRENGTHS and

RECOGNIZING your WEAKNESSES

We all have weaknesses, and we tend to try to work on eliminating them - on changing ourselves in order to become better. But change is difficult- very difficult. What if instead of trying to eliminate our weaknesses, we embraced them for what they were?

How far would you go in knowing the real you? What risks are you willing to take to successfully overcome the hurdles of life?

“Try to look at your weakness and convert it

into your strength. That's success.”

Have you ever felt like you were inadequate around people who seemed to know more about a subject than you or  could physically do something better than you?  Have you ever felt like what you have to offer does not matter compared to what other people are offering? 

Well, we can relate.  We have encountered people over the years that were a lot better at certain things.  As a result, we retreated into a negative place of insecurity and intimidation.  What we had to realize is that when it comes to gifts, talents and abilities we are not all created equal.  You may be stronger at solving algebraic formulas- but I may be stronger at finding historical facts.  You should not look down on yourself or feel insecure because someone is better at something than you are.

How to Approach your Weaknesses

• Identify your weaknesses.  It’s hard to identify your own weakness but other people will be glad to point them out.  If you are on a job, look at past evaluations to see what supervisors have said about you.  This is a good way to get started.  Close friends and family may also be able to identify areas of weakness.

• Turn your weaknesses into strengths.  Work to improve the areas you are lacking in by investing in yourself.  Take courses, tutorials, or training classes to improve in those areas.

• Use your strengths to outweigh the weak areas. We believe that there will be areas in your life that you just will not be good in and that’s okay.  So use your strengths and overcompensate in those areas so the weaknesses you have will not seem so prevalent.

• Capitalize on your strengths.  It’s good to work on improving areas that you are weak in but it may be best just to focus on your biggest strengths.  Two great examples of people who have overcome their weaknesses and focused on their strengths are Richard Branson (owner of Virgin Mobile) and Steve Jobs (Founder of Apple).  Both had to overcome weaknesses in their lives but they overcompensated in the areas they were good in and became multi-millionaires.

Be confident in what you know.  Identify your weaknesses but don’t let them make you feel inadequate.  Take what you know and build on it; then your weaknesses are small compared to your strong areas.  Demonstrate your strengths on your job by letting those gifts, talents and abilities (your strong areas) you have shine through.  Don’t get caught up or intimidated by what others are doing.  Focus on what you do and do it to the best of your ability.

Know that even in your weakest moments and times in your life that God’s grace is sufficient.  He will give you just what you need in any situation that my come up in your life.

Be encouraged and know that your weaknesses may be the key to helping you develop into what God is calling you to be.

To implement it in your own life, you’re going to need to build your awareness of your strengths.  Try starting with a list of 5-6 strengths and 1-3 weaknesses.  Write them down in 2 columns, and then draws some arrows from the strengths to the weaknesses where you think you could potentially apply a strength to a weakness.  You don't need to be 100% sure how you're going to do it just yet. Go with your gut of what you think might be applicable.  

For the weaknesses, you should focus on things that are actually getting in your way and that you have some motivation to change.  For example, they could be related to negotiating, finances, relationships, or health behaviors.

Identifying your Strengths and Weaknesses.

Implementation Tips

• Don't worry if it's hard to think of your strengths at first.  Write down as many as you can think of and then add to your list over the next couple of weeks.  Just notice tasks you do competently and ask yourself what strengths you’re utilizing to do that.

• You can also ask others what they see your strengths as. If you explain what you're doing, it will make it easier to ask people without it seeming like you're just fishing for compliments.

Forget Your Weaknesses. Develop Your Strengths.

The idea that we should turn our weaknesses into our strengths is a common theme in the self-help community. There are countless books and blogs that tell us to focus on the areas in our life where we could do better and work to systematically improve upon these weaknesses so that they become our strengths.

Determine what you’re good at, and get better at it.

If you focus on turning your weaknesses into strengths, you’ll achieve a level of competency, maybe even become above average, but odds are you’ll never be the best.  Being the best requires both talent and hard work. If you’re missing one of those ingredients, above average is as far as you’re going to get. If you know you don’t have talent in a certain area, stop pushing yourself in the hopes that you can manufacture it through sheer effort. Instead, focus on the areas where you do have talent, and work to develop them.  If you develop your strengths first, your weaknesses will have a tendency to take care of themselves.

Hidden in your weaknesses are your strengths.

Every weakness has a corresponding strength.

The idea here is simple: Instead of trying to change your weaknesses, accept them. Don't try to fix them - it's too difficult. Instead, be sure to leverage your associated strengths. You can look to colleagues, direct reports, and even supervisors to fill in the gaps where you are weakest. Don't be afraid to ask people for help - they can add value where you are weaker. But be sure to embrace your strengths, and build upon them. After all, your strengths will get you far in your career, and in life.

“Our problem is never that we have no strengths; the problem comes

when we do not recognize our strengths and build upon them.”

- Bishop Gérald Caussé of the Presiding Bishopric

Presented by:Jozel Marae R.

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and Recognizing your Weaknesses