If you have discovered that even though you have put in the time to get the knowledge or skills required to complete certain tasks and still you are unable to reach an acceptable proficiency, you may have discovered a talent weakness. So when this happens, what your choices? Should you just keep at it? It is highly unlikely once you have reached this stage that further study or practice will produce any worthwhile or noteworthy improvements.
You are most likely going to have to sneak up on this one with a different approach.
Here are four possible solutions to overcoming this specific weakness.
- Aim low, but keep firing
It would be great if you could just set your sights on excellence and put all you have into hitting that target. However, other areas of your life and work are likely to suffer from the lack of attention and use.
Shoot for small increases instead of big ones. IF this is a required ability, you have little chice but to keep at it and accept that change and growth are going to come slowly, but if you are determined and keep after it, you will get better. Set your goals in smaller, more reasonable increments, and keep working and adjusting the goals, and you will get there eventually. Not as much fun, but it is very reliable.
- Can’t dunk? Develop your hook shot
Sometimes you may find that another path will lead you to the same destination. If you really lack the talent to do something one way, lean on a strength or a developable weakness to overcome it. While dunking draws the ooh’s and ahs from the spectators, a layup or hook shot is still 2 points. Search out other means to score your 2 points. Let you mind be open to finding another strength you already possess that may server you in the stead of the weakness.
- Opposites make great teams
If everyone in your organization possess the same skills at the same levels, you would have a lot of redundancy and the likelihood of what could very well become an unhealthy competition or even jealousy. Team up with someone who has the strengths you need but compliments your strengths as well. Perhaps you are happy tweaking or perfecting but get stuck too often in the creation stage of projects. Some people lack the talent to follow through and jump from unfinished project to another. Together, one starting and one refining/finishing, you will be able to accomplish more than you ever would alone, and often times more than 2 people who both start and finish projects.
- Throw your hands in the air – Give up, and celebrate
Sometimes, painful as it may seem, you come to the realization that you just are not going to reach a high or high enough proficiency at something. Or perhaps the time and energy investment is not justified when considering the lost productivity. It may be time to throw your hands up in the air in surrender. Why do people surrender? They do it because they realize fighting on is fruitless or not worth the cost. While it may sting at first, there is also a certain freedom and new energy that comes from the acceptance. Give up on this one and throw yourself into something more suited to your skills and talents.
Not all of these methods will work for every situation, but you will find, if considered carefully, that it is likely that at least one of these will fit each of the weaknesses you may be facing. So, don’t beat yourself up about those weaknesses. Take action by either taking small steps, developing other strengths, finding a partner or team mate, or even the action of giving up so you can focus on more productive things, and you will soon forget about those weaknesses. You may also discover some more of your strengths.
Copyright 2011 Allen Williams
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