Success is Achieved By Developing Our Strengths, Not By Eliminating Our Weaknesses

I am on a constant self-improvement plan and happy to be. I can thank many people for this. I’ve been blessed to have fantastic family, teachers, professors, managers, and friends who believe in the value of teaching. Mostly, I have to thank my parents. I am blessed to have grown up with loving parents who constantly motivated me to be the best “me” I can be. I don’t have children, nor do I plan on making any booger breathers any time soon, but I have to imagine that it’s damn near impossible to find that perfect – balance if you will– of praise, motivation and encouragement to improve.

Knowing where to improve is always important. But – there’s a catch. It’s also so important (maybe even more so) to know your strengths. Knowing your strengths enables you to have confidence. You need confidence to WANT to be better – a better person, better at your job, a better spouse… just… better.

Last summer, with a few other WS+B colleagues and with the help of a great book called Now, Discover Your Strengths by Marcus Buckingham, I helped coordinate a marketing workshop focused on discovering your strengths. This lesson I have brought with me and I do my best to apply it in all areas appropriate… which just so happens to be all areas.

It’s a shame but as a result of too many managers, teachers and society being fascinated with negativity, most people become all too familiar and fixated on flaws and spend their lives trying to repair them – while their strengths lie ignored. Ask someone what their strengths are – I bet they won’t be able to answer OR they will become uncomfortable or embarrassed. When did we decide it was embarrassing to be aware of what we’re good at?

There are so many areas to check if you’re unable to Iist your strengths. Are you getting proper praise at work? At home?  Do you love what you’re doing? Do you know what you love?!

I enjoy teaching Zumba classes and can honestly and without embarrassment state that I am becoming aware that I don’t totally suck. My classes are growing, I am getting recruitment phone calls from other fitness centers, my pay is increasing, my students are losing weight and I am making friends. I am aware of these variables and it is making me feel good. I am aware that this is a strength of mine. I am aware that when I feel happy and healthy, I am productive and strategic. When I am productive and strategic, it benefits all other areas of my life.

This subject has also been brought to my attention because we are nearing “self-evaluation” and review time. I know it is important for me to list areas I need help in, areas I need to improve on and areas that I feel need attention. But – you better believe your Zumba toned ass that I am going to let you know where I feel I am a rock star.

On another note:

Sorry for the delay in posting – I spent all last week in Atlantic City with colleagues attending the Atlantic Builders’ Convention on behalf of WithumSmith+Brown. It was a slightly different show than the “Association of Governmental Accountants” show I am used to. Although a smaller show than past years, the value was still there. I spent all of my energy networking with various construction professionals. There was no time to catch up either because my best friend (who lives the farthest away) was in NJ and I had to meet her! (Even if I looked and felt like the crypt keeper.)

There is a lot to catch up on this week. I was so excited to get in this morning to see a few fresh copies of the “Healthcare Financial Management Association” newsletter the Garden State Focus sitting on my desk. They published an article by me on “wellness in the workplace” .. a subject I am quite passionate on.  It’s not posted online yet, but it will be. Oh - and I added another class to my line-up... check it out in the right border.

I will be sure to share it when they do! Because I wrote it. And because I think it’s cool.