David’s WOD*: The Importance Of Recognizing Our Own Weaknesses

It takes a strong person to admit areas where they may need some work.

We, as a human race, do not like to think about our weaknesses. Instead, we choose to focus on our own strengths and ignore our weaknesses because they are just that: weakness. But we need to understand that knowing and embracing our weaknesses openly makes us more capable with our strengths, and also lets those around us know our limitations. Showing your weaknesses, in fact, takes a very brave person and could be seen as an actual strength. Anyone can be brave enough to talk openly about something they are good at, but it takes a truly strong person to admit areas where they may need some work.

Know Thy Weaknesses

I believe one of the first problems we have as a society is ignoring our weaknesses. Pretend they don’t exist and work AROUND them. But in no way is avoidance a healthy way to live a life. That is a form of accepted denial, and I have never been able to figure out why many think it is okay. No one is perfect, and the idea of perfection is silly, so why do we still pretend?

I can tell you why…

Insecurity

We have been led to believe that weaknesses push us out of the herd. Make us less worthy and that is not the case. Every single human has weaknesses. Even if you look into the animal kingdom, every animal has weaknesses. Can a small fish fight off a shark? Can a gazelle outrun a cheetah? No, yet neither is considered a weakness – just part of each creature’s world, and it balances it out in other survival strengths those creatures have (a tiny fish can hide in a crevice, and a gazelle can zig-zag until the chasing cheetah tires out).

So why do we not realize our weaknesses are balanced out with our strengths?

Flaws Make Us Who We Are

Let me tell you from personal experience, if I was to meet someone tomorrow who seemed flawless (i.e., knew everything and seemed to have no weaknesses at all), I would think they were a robot. Why? Because no such person exists. That is the beauty of how we are as humans. We each work together like a system of cogs. One person’s strength makes up for another’s weakness, while that person’s weakness can show itself as strength when presented in other situations.

In simpler terms, if we were all good at everything, why would we need each other?

A Perfect Life Would Be Lonely

You see, if you could do everything for yourself and do it all perfectly, why would you even need anyone else for anything? You could live a self-contained life where you took care of everything you needed, but don’t you see how lonesome and boring and unsatisfying that would be? Some of us need strengths where others have none, for that is what makes society so beautiful. The flow of one giant machine towards the end result of a greater world.

We have professions and passions for a reason, and if you look around, you quickly see we are all balanced out pretty well.

Work on Weakness

Another great thing about weaknesses that no one will observe is they give us a mountain to climb. An adversity to face and to overcome. When I am not good at something or feel like it is completely foreign to me, I take that as a challenge. Well, I am not versed in this, so how do I change that?

You work on it. That is the other great thing about a weakness. It can be made into a strength if you focus enough of your energy on it. All it takes is reading a few books on the subject and talking to a few people and you will realize you weakness was NEVER a weakness. It was a lack of education about that subject. Nothing more.

Grow Through Your Weakness And Evolve Them Into Strengths

Most importantly, do not beat yourself up about a weakness because you need to know you have strengths that make up for it. But if your weakness bothers you that much, educate yourself and turn it into a strength.

Yes, it is that easy to do once you recognize it.

*“Word-out Of The Day” by Pazoo Founder & CEO David Cunic