This week’s question comes from Love+Work by Marcus Buckingham. Typically, weaknesses are defined by activities or skills that you either aren’t good at, aren’t as good at or struggle to learn. Marcus Buckingham encourages people to look at a weakness as something that depletes (or weakens) your energy when you’re involved in it, regardless of whether you’re good at it or not.
Yes, often we enjoy things we tend to be good at, but not all the time. I had a math teacher in high school who said that even though she loved math, she was terrible at it. She believed this actually made her an amazing teacher, because she was better able to relate to students who struggle with math and she found creative ways to explain it.
Do you know what weakens or zaps your energy? Of course, it can depend on the day…Some days writing really takes the life out of me as I seem to lack inspiring ideas of what to put down on paper, most other days though, it’s very different. Cooking. A couple of week’s ago I was meal prepping on Sunday in the kitchen. When I finished I told my boyfriend I needed to relax. He thought that was bizarre-“Weren’t you just relaxing in the kitchen?” “Ummm….no.“ lol Meal prep and activities in the kitchen are not relaxing for me. Doesn’t matter how good the food comes out, I am drained after. He’s the opposite-it seems like he often starts his chores or the day with meal prepping and then bounds off with great energy to do whatever else needs doing.
When it comes to work, I HATE reporting. I know the value and I love GETTING reports but it is torture to create the reports. Tracking my views, likes, comments, expenses, etc. drains the life right out of me. I even enjoy creating the spreadsheet or setting up the process, but when it comes to filling it in, I can be the worst. I have to really work at it or find an automated solution
What comes up for you? If you look at a weakness in this way, is there something that other people might consider a “strength” because you’re good at it, but completely drains you?
