How To Maximize Your Strengths and Minimize Your Weaknesses

Is it true that in order to maximize our strengths, we must minimize or completely eliminate our weaknesses?

Do we have to become well-rounded to be successful, or have we got this all wrong?

There is a better way to maximize strengths and it goes completely against the grain of conventional wisdom. In this post, I’m going to break down what that looks like so you can try it for yourself.

How to Understand Your Strengths and Weaknesses

First, let me pose a potentially arrogant question. Why am I, Jeff Shore, successful?

I ask because if you look at all of the areas that define success, you’ll see that I am, as it turns out, a weirdly shaped person.

Think about what a wheel looks like when it’s well balanced. It’s round, there are no lumps, there are no dips.

But then when I think about what I look like, what my life wheel looks like, it is way out of whack.

The fact is that I am really good at some things, and I’m really bad at other things.

You might be completely different. You may be a very well-rounded person.

But as it turns out, well-rounded people are hard to come by.

Most people are really good at some things and not very good at other things.

What does that look like for you? What are you good at? What are you not so good at?

How to Recognize What You’re Good At and Bad At

I believe the things I am good at include taking complex ideas and making them simple, encouraging, and pushing people around me to be the very best version of themselves.

Presentations and persuasiveness. Creative energy, lead conversion. All of those things fall on the good side.

On the bad side, I am horrible with details — just ask anybody in my organization.

I’m not good at running a business. I stink at follow-through. I’m a starter, not a finisher. I’m lousy at proactive communication.

I don’t like networking. Lead generation is not my thing.

Now stop and think about the list that I just shared as the deficiencies in my own presentation.

As a business owner, those things are really bad.

I mean, I just suggested to you that I’m not good at running a business, for crying out loud!

So, how is my business so successful? It should be failing in spectacular fashion.

Now look, I’ve made this conversation about me, but I would really rather talk about you.

You see, it pays to know what you’re good at. It might be even more important to know what you stink at.

Why?

Because all change begins with telling the truth. And you have to be honest about both your strengths and weaknesses.

Suppose you were really passionate about opening a restaurant. But further suppose that you are just not good at communicating your values and holding people accountable.

I’m going to tell you right now, your restaurant will not be good. At best, it will survive as something other than what you want it to be.

The same holds true for your sales career.

You’re good at this, you’re lousy at this.

So, what do you do?

Do you work harder on strengthening your weaknesses, or on maximizing your strengths?

Maximizing Your Strengths vs. Minimizing Your Weaknesses

I believe the answer is both. Do both.

The question is: in what order?

Suppose that you were to rate both your strengths and your weaknesses. On a scale of 1-10, suppose the average score for your strengths was an 8. And the average score of your weaknesses was a 4.

If you really work hard on the weak areas, you might get to a 5.

Here’s my question: Would you rather move from an 8 – 4 on strengths versus weaknesses to an 8 – 5… Or would you rather move from an 8 – 4 on strengths versus weaknesses to a 9 – 4?

Which will give you greater success? Which will you enjoy more?

The fact of the matter is that we will be more successful when we maximize our strengths than when we spend the time minimizing our weaknesses.

It might be time to be honest with yourself about the areas that you’re weak at and ask what you can do just to get those out of the way.

But I wouldn’t do that first. I would look first at how you can maximize your strengths.

Here’s another idea: Maximize your strengths and outsource your weaknesses.

The Secret to My Success

If I was going back into a sales role today, I would absolutely have a part-time employee doing the things that I suck at.

Now sure, it would cost me $30,000 a year for a 20-hour a week employee. But all of that time spent on things that I suck at could be spent on things that generate far more than $30,000 and year.

And I would have a much better time doing it.

Seriously, where would you get more net value? In maximizing your strengths, or in marginally improving your weaknesses?

The amount of effort it would take to eliminate my weaknesses is mind-boggling.

Wrapping Up

And there you have the secret to my own success. I outsource all the stuff that I’m not good at. And it’s a long list.

I try to only focus on the things that allow me to excel and to bring me the most value. I’m happier and more fulfilled this way. I’m more productive and I’m more successful.

I want to challenge you to find 1 thing you can outsource today — 1 thing you’re not so good at that would be better off in someone else’s hands so you can focus on the things you are good at.

It might be difficult to do at first, but once you practice doing this more and more, you too will become more productive, successful, and fulfilled.

Until next time, learn more to earn more.