Discover Your Strengths
Myths to Success
I've dedicated my life to understanding success and coach people from all over the world, from young kids in high school to executives. One thing I can tell you is that work can be great.
There are some days when when you go home on high, knowing that you contributed in way that had a real impact. Perhaps that important project finish one time and under budget, perhaps you moved an audience in a way that they will never forget, perhaps you solved a problem that no one thought was possible, perhaps you originated an idea so powerful that people were left stunned by its brilliance, perhaps you consoled someone in way that you just know made all the difference.
I've been there. You drive home thinking "I wish that activity could be your whole job." Wouldn't it be great if you could be at your best and play to your strengths most of the time.
Gallup, a famous polling and workforce analytics company does a study every year. One of the questions to their Workforce engagement study is this: "How often do you get to be at your best?" The answer is that 17 out of 100 people respond that they are at their best most days. So the question for you and for me is how can you become one of those 17 people?
I know what you thinking. It probably goes something like, "Being at my best would mean that I wouldn't have [insert challenge here]". Yes, the real world is full of challenges. But what if what is holding you back is something you know to be true, but just isn't so.
Here are 3 myths to prevent people from playing to their strengths
The first myth is that as you grow you change. This trap is easy to fall into.
Caleb story...As you grow you become more of who you naturally are
The second myth is that the key to success is "to be well rounded"....another way this may show up is a need to be good at everything. In some ways there is a sound strategy behind this way of thinking. Alas, the strategy is based on a false premise....
Our culture, schools and even our parents were in on this mindset.
Gallup did a study of parents.
A much better use of your time and effort is focus on your strengths, or narrow your area of operation.
I know what you're thinking..."aren't their times when you simply have to do things you don't want to do?" My teams needs me to do it, or my family needs me to do it.
You know if you want to become one out of the 2 of 10, then above everything else try to remember this…when it comes to how you spend your time you may have a lot more control than you think. Maybe the only thing that is stopping you from being one of the 2 is what you believe. To become one out of the 2 out of 10 doesn’t necessarily mean you need a new life, or job. If you can take those 3 myths and explode them and put in their place those 3 truths.
- As you grow you don’t become somebody else, you become who you really are.
- You are going to grow the most in your areas of strength
- What you team/family needs is for you to bring those strengths deliberately.
Don’t expect change overnight. You’ll wake up tomorrow and it’s going to be the same people, same children, same needs, same expectations... but so what. Don’t get discouraged. Start anyway. Start taking control how you spend your time. Start putting your minutes around your Strengths, rather than your weakness. Don’t wait for life to become perfect. Start today. Start thinking how you can focus more of your minutes this week, than last week. Start taking control today. Start playing to your strengths.
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