It’s not uncommon for us to compare ourselves with others around us – and to feel superior or inferior towards them based on their strengths and their weaknesses. This is a dangerous path, as each of us is individual and we all operate differently according to our personalities.
Determining Your Strengths and Weaknesses
Are you wanting to experience (fewer negative and) more positive situations in your life? If so, improving your emotional intelligence will increase your influence in this regard because you will have the confidence of knowing precisely what you are capable of, and an inner awareness of your limitations.
💪 Strengths
Your strengths are characteristics you can leverage on, things you can use to push yourself further.
Weaknesses 🤦♂️
Your weaknesses are not your downfall, but areas you need to improve on. These are characteristics you need to develop and build.
What an Awareness of Your Strengths and Weaknesses Is Not ❌
Knowing your limitations does not mean that it is okay for you to stay in your comfort zone, afraid of outside influence or change.
What an Awareness of Your Strengths and Weaknesses Is ✅
“Comfort is the enemy of progress.”
The Greatest Showman
As an emotionally intelligent entrepreneur, you have a better understanding of yourself and how you function through being aware of your strengths and weaknesses.
Acknowledging your weaknesses gives you better insight about what may be holding you back, allowing you to find ways to work around them and not let your weaknesses keep you back.
Knowing your strengths keeps you ahead and helps you to grow more. You can aim higher and achieve much more when you know what you excel at. You will be comfortable with new opportunities and therefore actively place yourself in situations where you can add value and benefit for yourself and others.
Can You Realistically List Your Strengths and Weaknesses?
In order to leverage your strengths and improve on your weaknesses, you first need to know them. Depending on your level of self-assessment, you may find it:
- Hard to admit to weaknesses and limits, especially if you are in a competitive and fast-moving environment. This can result in problem areas which are completely invisible to you, known as blind spots which lead to setting unrealistic goals, having unrealistic ideas about how quickly or easily tasks can be completed, the need to be right all the time, risk of burnout. Blind spots can make you reluctant to accepting feedback which makes it that much harder to address the problem.
- Challenging to think of even a single thing that you like about yourself if you have poor self-esteem. This can result in blind spots which lead to a cycle of anxiety, missed opportunities, lack of boundaries. Blind spots can make you resistant to feedback which adds to the negative impact.
- Quick and easy to do.
➡️ Next
In order to leverage your strengths and improve on your weaknesses, you first need to know them. To help you get started, ✏️ complete the quiz below: