The flip side of weakness is strength #simpletonpsychology

Take a sheet of paper, draw a line in the middle, write «weaknesses» in the first column. List all drawbacks of yours that come to mind. Draw arrows from them to the second column. Write the opposites. These are your fortes in disguise. The «strengths» column.

Now think how to turn these lacks into hacks.

I have a cousin, who was a sickly, asthmatic kid, isolated from many activities and chores. At ten he enrolled in a wrestling class that turned him into a healthy athlete. If it wasn’t for asthma, he wouldn’t be fond of sports and achieve results in it.

When I get complimented on my skin, I’d say: «if it wasn’t for acne, I’d never bother to learn about skin and what effects it». If it wasn’t for my eating disorders and binge loops I’d never bother to study nutrition and healthy habits.

What breaks us makes us.

What breaks us shapes us.

As a kid I was labeled a «potato sack» — someone unfit for sports. My friends, classmates, parents — everyone around was good at sports and athletics, just not me. In physical training class I scored the last. At that time one of the most popular girls’ outdoor games was a jump rope — jumping from 10 to 1, then 20 to 2, 30 to 3 and on in ten different styles: normal, running, on one food, in circle, double jumps in the air, backwards. I sucked at that, just like I did in other games. However, one day I got my jump rope and trained in an empty apartment next to ours for hours and days. At some point I got so good at it that I could jump non-stop 3–4 rounds easily. Needless to say, how shocked my friends were watching me jump 30 min.> in a row without panting.

That was my first victory. A good lesson that if you invest yourself enough in something, you can get pro at it. Even if you sucked initially. As one reels video said: «if someone tells you can’t do it, do it twice and film it».

Our pain from lack or loss is a guiding arrow to our potential. That thing that bothers and hurts you is the very thing that can make you most expert at and most fulfilled about.

Befriend your weaknesses and traumas. They are unique and custom-made for you. To make you stronger, to nail them, and share your mastery with others.

I’ve got plenty ahead to work on. Plenty to scrutinize and study. They ain’t that easy and quick to flip and turn into strengths, but it’s the process that’s exciting. Like getting to know another version of you, a better and accomplished one, a useful one, a humble and generous one, brave and victorious.

Discover what’s on the flip side of your weaknesses. What version of you waits to be unveiled.