The quotes below are to get us thinking about comparing and contrasting strengths and weaknesses. As you read through them think about what they mean to you.
“We can conquer our weaknesses by building on our strengths.”
“Weaknesses are an essential ingredient for knowing yourself.”
“In time what once was a weakness can be turned into a strength”
“We would not be so complex and individual without strengths and weaknesses alike.”
When developing both strengths and weaknesses at the same time the research suggests there are not any benefits beyond solely focusing on strengths. However there were some participants in the study, particularly women, who found focusing on both strengths and weaknesses at the same time to be as effective as only focusing on strengths (Quinlan et al, 2012).
Whilst the positive psychology approach would recommend focusing on building strengths rather than ‘correcting’ weaknesses, being able to consider and acknowledge the broader spectrum of our abilities may result in a more integrated view of our human experience (Linley et al, 2006) and so it is important to consider when thinking about strengths.
Consider More:
u003colu003ern tu003cliu003eDo you think knowing your weaknesses can be helpful?u003c/liu003ern tu003cliu003eCan you think of a time when you worked at turning a weakness into a strength?u003c/liu003ernu003c/olu003e
You might want to make notes at this point. These may help you remember things, work out what you want or see how much you’ve changed if you read them in a few years’ time.