I know – I know. You want to be positive and focus on your strengths. But ignoring your weak spots is one fast way to sabotage your efforts. To avoid that, here’s what to do:
1 – Think about what you do well. Make a list.
2 – Now think about what you don’t do well.
Are you terrible at details? Do you have trouble standing up for yourself? Are you uncomfortable telling others about your accomplishments? Do you need more education? Are you short on money?
3 – Make another list and study it. How can you those challenges?
Can someone help you with the detail work? Is there a night school course in assertiveness training – and can your friends practice with you? Is there a class or a mentor who can teach you what you don’t know?
Facing and eliminating or mitigating the challenges that you already know can easily get in your way will free you up to (1) focus on what you do best and (2) enable you to have the energy to handle the unknown challenges that will come up along the way.
Think of it this way: When there’s a pile of stuff mucking up your victory path, pretending it doesn’t exist will only make it stink more with each passing day. You have to find a way to clean it up, clear the path and keep moving forward.
If victory, and its resulting success, was easy, more people would be doing it – and they aren’t. Don’t be like them. Instead, embrace the victory process.
Victory is about stretching out of your comfort zones. It isn’t easy, but once out, you never go back.
