This entire series of Optimizing Strengths and Improving Weaknesses has been focused on helping you embrace your strengths and your weaknesses. We’ve learned that everyone has things they are great at and things they struggle with.
We’ve focused on the psychology of how our strengths and weaknesses affect us. We’ve learned how we can optimize our strengths and improve our weaknesses when it makes sense. We also learned that sometimes it’s best to compensate for a weakness rather than overcome it.
Now that you’ve been exposed to thirty posts on the subject, you are likely benefitting from all of this wonderful information. I’m sure you’re doing everything from cashing in on your strengths with a side hustle to tackling your weaknesses once and for all. Good for you!
In the same way I have encouraged you to celebrate your strengths and improve your weaknesses, it’s equally important for you to pay things forward and support others while they try to improve their weaknesses too. I’ve got some reminders for you to consider when you see people struggle or try to overcome their weaknesses.
Consider this: They may be unaware of their impact. We learned that people don’t always know they have a weakness. Try to avoid pointing it out unless it is in their best interest or they ask. Remember when we learned how asking trusted friends is a great way to see ourselves through someone else’s eyes? Be patient and wait for people to become curious about why they struggle, and they may come to you for your thoughts.
Remember this: Hiding weaknesses amplifies them and makes them hard to overcome. Someone you know or care about may be hiding a weakness because they don’t realize everyone has them. They feel like they are the only one and they may feel shame, fear, or embarrassment. You can support them by opening up about your own weaknesses and reducing the stigma or intensity that they feel.
Ultimately, you can be a great support to anyone who is trying to improve their weaknesses. You can be a mentor, teacher, cheerleader, or accountability buddy. Whatever it takes to help them and support their desire to change will make a difference. They may succeed or they may fail, but in the end trying is a step in the right direction.
