Advance by Following the There's-Nothing-Wrong-With-You Rule

We have a life-long history, don't we, of being told that we should shore up our weaknesses in order to become stronger. "Work on that," we are told in reviews. "Let's see if you can't do better at that," they tell us.

"Your kid is terrible at math and wonderful at English, so we're going to focus on the math."

"You're going to grow and develop more where you're weakest, so let's focus there."

I remember being introduced to a series of videos by Marcus Buckingham who is closely aligned with Strengthsfinders. I have put two of them below. When I was first shown the videos my entire inner world changed. 180 degrees. My focus on "fixing" me was substantially weakened and I now was freed to start looking at what I'm great at. These days, while I may have to apply myself to doing some things that are not in my natural wheelhouse, that is not where I put my day-to-day focus.

I no longer put so much emphasis on "wrongness"; I focus now on what I am already so naturally gifted at doing and being, and then. I just. keep. deepening it!

What a rush!

My massive creativity, my love of and gifts around communication with people and the written language, my love of practical spirituality and of teaching and of performing and drawing and public speaking...ALL of that! That is my core. And nothing will change that because I do not wish to change that! The forward movement of that energy when I am in those pursuits - well, it's delicious! Why would anyone want to do away with "delicious"?

Is it selfish to focus on your own strengths?

Here is why this is the opposite of selfish!

Marcus - in the first video below - talks how people have been "banging on for ever" about how "there's no 'I' in team"! So, is it actually deleterious to offer our strengths to a team effort?

I recently took part in a group trying to save a Cincinnati landmark from destruction by greedy people wanting to literally pave our paradise and put up a parking lot.

The greedy eventually won, which is just devastating. But I was actually devastated before that happened when I realized that this team was not going to be organized and internally positioned in such a way as to make the most of everyone's strengths. Granted, the opposition made sure that we had no time to bring our best to the table, but we also lost a lot of power by failing to tap individual strengths, together.

I am a visionary strategist, an organizer and a leader, but in that group my efforts to offer my strengths were not recognized as important. These are good people who I respect and admire for their passion and their expertise in the many areas they inhabit - pediatrician, librarian, teacher, attorney... But they have not been entrepreneurs, they have had no exposure to systems beyond the traditional and those systems they were not at all interested in. As a result, my voice and the opportunities could not take hold.

I could have said to myself, "What's wrong with me?" But I know better. I know the beauty and deep value of strengths-based project planning and execution, so when I could not bring my skills as much to the fore as I wished, I chose to do what I have done for the past 20 years - and I recommend this to you as well - which was to look for the strengths and insights I had gained: emotionally, professionally, skills-based, etc.

As a result, my inner stance as a visionary strategist, an organizer and a leader was clarified and strengthened to the point where I now can see myself starting a non-profit or finding someone to create a non-profit around the needs in my City that are now left unmet. That place of leadership, that place of powerful passion and enthusiasm - that is now something that I both embody and know about me, which is a far cry, vibrationally speaking, from thinking that I am.

Once you know...you know. And once you know, you can feel the joyous, uplifting impetus to turn the majority of your attention to increasing and deepening your enjoyment of your true self - allowing yourself to be inspired to greater immersion in who you are at your best!

What team would be less for having you at your best?

Not one.

Not that that is acceptable in all teams. Sometimes you will be in a team - as I was - that doesn't know this concept. But now that you do, now that you know...you know.

Remember to always be walking in small steps as you change this focus, as that will always be the way to step onto the sudden appearance of the moving walkways of increase just waiting for your footfall.

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Work with Lori to identify and apply your strengths - [email protected] . Schedule a time to explore - it's a complimentary consultation: https://calendly.com/thegoodbyegoodgirlproject/30-minute-consult