part0258

Overcoming deficits is an essential part of the fabric of our culture. Our books, movies, and folklore are filled with stories of the underdog who beats one-in-a-million odds. And this leads us to celebrate those who triumph over their lack of natural ability even more than we recognize those who capitalize on their innate talents. As a result, millions of people see these heroes as being the epitome of the American Dream and set their sights on conquering major challenges. Unfortunately, this is taking the path of most resistance.

Beware of applying your self-discipline where it’s least likely to make a positive impact. If something is your weakness and it’s not a matter of life or death (like healthy nutritional habits or regular physical activity are), it might make more sense to give up than to try to conquer something in which ultimately you’ll never be good.

For example, I’m a natural introvert. I don’t use it as an excuse not to socialize or have poor communication skills, but I’ve accepted that I don’t recharge when I’m in a large group of people.

Consequently, I don’t strive to become the life of the party because it clashes with my personality. Instead of forcing myself to socialize as much as it’s possible against my nature, I decided to focus on a different aspect of my communication skills: better communication in one-on-one conversations .

This way, I can still improve myself, but in a way that will bring better results than trying to triumph over something that isn’t (and never will be) my natural ability.

In the case of working on your strengths or weaknesses, taking the path of most resistance is the wrong choice. Focus on your strengths, and become as good as you can in what naturally comes to you, as that’s where you’ll benefit most from increased self-discipline.