Setting ourselves up for success starts with recognizing that we all have strengths and weaknesses. Our strengths tend to be things that we are naturally good at and maybe don’t recognize right off the bat because it’s second nature to us. Instead of downplaying them, I’m sharing how you can leverage not just your strengths but your weaknesses, too, for success. My three-step process I swear by involves dropping the shame you carry for your shortcomings, eliminating tasks that don’t serve you by delegating when possible, and understanding what you truly need to excel. Keep reading to learn the power of strategic planning with my three-step process and self-awareness.
The balance between strengths and weaknesses
Before we get into my three-step process, it’s important to recognize that each of us have skills that we’re naturally good at, almost like it’s wired in our brains. But believe it or not, these things that might seem easy for you or me, are likely to be tough for someone else. And the opposite is true, too, where we look to others and find that certain skills come effortlessly to them in areas and skill sets we may struggle with.
What I typically see happen when I work with clients on identifying their strengths, is that they take whatever strengths they have and they discount them. They think, “I’m outgoing and can talk in front of people easily but I wish I was more organized or had better attention to detail”. We are so prone to discount what we do well and then focus solely on our weaknesses, only to spiral into how we could never get what we want because of them. And what happens is, instead of figuring out how to work around our weaknesses or what to do to change them, we spend too much time beating ourselves up. But the truth is, everyone has strengths and weaknesses. They are literally two sides to the same coin. If you tend to be strong in one area, you’re naturally going to be weak in whatever is opposite to that area. For instance, if you’re naturally a visionary and tend to see big picture, you’re likely not great with paying attention to detail. This isn’t a “problem”. It’s simply how your brain operates. And the sooner you learn how to use that to your advantage, the easier you will set yourself up for success.
Step One: Drop the shame around your weaknesses
Our self-criticism can get so loud once we start spiraling on our weaknesses that we believe having any weaknesses is totally unacceptable. For so many of us, the first step is to stop beating ourselves up and simply recognize how you work. Admitting what you’re not good at without feeling ashamed is important.
In my own experience, I’ve learned to identify and work around my weaknesses. It’s okay to say, “This is what I’m good at, and this is what I struggle with.” The key is to drop the shame and self-loathing about your weaknesses. This is the first step because you can’t set yourself up for success if you’re not willing to look at what you’re not good at or what you’re not doing well. Once you can do that and get out of your own way, you can figure out how to succeed despite your weaknesses.
Step Two: Eliminate tasks in two parts
Step two involves finding solutions to fix the things you’ve identified as weaknesses. By “fix,” I don’t mean changing yourself entirely; but addressing aspects of things you struggle with that are in your power to change. For instance, with work, I assess if I can eliminate tasks that don’t fit my strengths altogether.
Of course there are things that I’m naturally better at in my business and other things that I’m not. If there’s a task that is going to be really difficult for me to do because it’s not in my wheelhouse, I just don’t do it. If there’s stuff that is integral to my business, I ask myself “Do I have to have to do this or is it just going to make things more complicated? Do I need it for my business right now? And is it something that I can even handle?” I always start here to work around my weaknesses because this approach has saved me the most time and energy. If something falls outside my strengths and feels overly complicated, I simply skip it.
If eliminating the task isn’t an option, I look to delegate. If a task is crucial but not within my skill set, I consider hiring someone or collaborating with colleagues who excel in that area.
For you in your career, it might be more of, “If I have to do part of this job that is not really in my skillset, is there someone else in the company that can do that part? Can I team up with people?” Let’s say you do sales and are a great salesperson, great at talking to customers, and great at building your pipeline and nurturing leads, but you’re not great at tracking it. Maybe you know the data is important but you can’t help procrastinate tracking and documenting your leads as they develop. Can you team up with your support staff or talk to your boss about hiring a VA to help? Consider how you can set yourself up for success here. Delegating ensures the job is done well, even if it’s not your forte.
If elimination and delegation aren’t feasible, there’s acceptance. Some tasks may be unavoidable, and in those cases, I focus on managing them efficiently. In the next step, I assess what I actually need to do to overcome my weaknesses and set myself up for success with a task that doesn’t come naturally to me. This practical approach has helped me navigate my weaknesses without overwhelming myself.
Step Three: Be honest about the obstacles on your path
Once you’ve passed through the initial filters of eliminating tasks where possible, the third step involves understanding what you specifically require to accomplish your goals. It’s not just about honesty; it’s about comprehending how your unique brain operates. This is crucial for setting yourself up for success.
For instance, I discovered that waiting until the last minute works for me. I realize, for better or worse, I like to wait until the last minute and, historically, I always get the work done. So I considered, “What if I just let go of all the stress and beating myself up about waiting till the last minute? What if I just know I’m not going to work on the project today or this week because I’m going to work on it the day before it’s due and that’s fine?” Instead of having all of this mental drama that took up all of my time, I accepted that I actually work best when it comes to the day before. And now that I know that’s the way my brain works, I work with it.
How do I do this to successfully work around my weakness of procrastination? I block out my work day the day before my deadline to hyperfocus on the task or project. No added self-loathing, just curated execution.
As another example, I know I can overcome my procrastination by having accountability. Once I realized that knowing someone else was waiting on me was the biggest form of motivation to get me to do work, I simply made sure that was present for important tasks. I’ve hired trainers and coaches or simply set up accountability groups with friends, in order to create the environment where I know I’ll show up and thrive.
When you are going after any goal in your life and considering how you’re going to reach it with success (especially in respect to your business or your career), I want you to ask yourself, “How can I set myself up for success? If I know I struggle with X, Y, Z, how can I set myself up to reach my goals when these obstacles come up?”
When you can be honest with yourself and anticipate the obstacles of your weaknesses, you can develop strategies to overcome them. Whether it’s finding an accountability partner to help you work through your goals because you don’t follow through when no one’s watching or strategically networking if you’re shy but ready to build community to support a career shift, tailor your approach to your needs. I promise you can stop wasting time on self-loathing and start finding solutions to support yourself in achieving your goals.
Forget the “it’s not possible” mindset
Now that you have my three-step process here handy, I want you to forget the “it’s not possible” mindset. Instead, focus on how it’s possible with your unique strengths. What support would make it happen? And if you want help setting yourself up for success with an online business, I want you to join me in my Beginner Business Bootcamp that starts January 2024. You’ll get the know-how, support, and accountability to build your business faster in three months than on your own all of next year, I promise you. I hope to see you there.
