Greatest Strength

Previously, I wrote briefly:

"One of the greatest strengths in every aspect of life someone can possess is being able to identify weaknesses, whether that be your own or in others. It allows you to take advantage of your strengths when you (or your team) need to accomplish a goal. But maybe even importantly, acknowledging your weaknesses allows you to work on improving in those areas."

Recently, I realized that knowing your weaknesses goes much beyond what I wrote before. Being aware of your vulnerabilities can often help you improve your life; this can often include avoiding triggers that may result in bad habits. For me, I know I have an addictive personality mixed with fierce competitiveness, so I have avoided playing Pokemon Go and, more recently, abstained from gambling at a casino where a friend's bachelor's party was held. The temptation for both was definitely present.

Not knowing your weaknesses (or even worse, ignoring them) can dramatically affect your life. Every individual has them and one should be wary of them. You don't have to admit your weaknesses to everyone, but there are some situations where other people may be able to help you improve if they know about them. It is also a display of humility.

In today's climate, publicly stating that you have any signs of weakness can negatively affect you. Similarly to how we should tolerate politicians being wrong at times, we should accept that politicians (and people in general) have weaknesses. We need to change the perception that we need to elect politicians that have the least amount of weaknesses; I particular like Ben Horowitz' phrase, "Hire for strength, not lack of weakness" in The Hard Thing About Hard Things.

Self-awareness is crucial as it can often be advantageous to go about doing things using your strengths rather than your weaknesses. This can apply to your professional and personal life.