Weaknesses: Work on yours

When you work on yourself, what do you work on? Your strengths or your weaknesses? If you said strengths, you are in the majority.

But consider the opposite.

In a fascinating story from World War II, a statistician was asked his opinion on aircraft returning from the battlefield. The aircraft had been hit repeatedly by bullets.

The logical action would be to strengthen the parts of the aircraft that had been hit by bullets. After all, those were the areas that were taking a beating.

The statistician, counterintuitively, asked for the opposite. His argument was that the plane seemed to take the hit and survive the bullets.

The planes that did not come back were the ones they should be concerned about.

They had been hit in the rest of the areas and did not make it.

Human nature is the same.

To do more wherever we have comfort, capacity and ability.

Don’t mistake my argument for talent. You must do more with your talent. But we work on our strengths. They are easier and more enjoyable.

But the best way to get better is to strengthen the portions that break. Just like the aircraft.

Let me give you an analogy. When I started exercising, I hated an exercise called step up. If you have not done it, you take weight and you jump up on a bench or table. It was my weakest area. I still hate it.

So the most logical action would be avoidance.

But the most sensible thing would be to do a very small amount, even one. Slowly build capacity. You will get better, I promise. As you do, the exercise will become more enjoyable. Soon you will be proficient.

So, work on what you are talented at. But work on your weaknesses and shorcomings. It is often what holds you back.

Reach out to me on twitter @rbawri Instagram @riteshbawriofficial and YouTube at www.youtube.com/breatheagain