Why We Fixate on Our Weaknesses [Video]

There are many reasons we tend to think more about our weaknesses than our strengths:

1) We live in a “fixing” society. From a very young age, many of us are conditioned to focus on our development areas over our achievements — by our parents, teachers, and society in general.

2) We experience negativity bias. Researchers argue that as a species we give more weight to negative data than to positive data. This tendency probably benefited us evolutionarily, but now it can cause us to discount positive information.

3) We devalue what comes most naturally to us. While we tend to have a general sense of what we’re good at (our general strengths) — we often overlook our true talents (our innate strengths) because they’re more instinctual.

The good news is you can overcome these ways of thinking. Here’s one tip that can help you more easily recognize your innate strengths:

The next time someone doesn’t perform according to your expectations, pause, and take a moment to reflect. Ask yourself:

– What’s driving my expectations around this other person’s performance?

– Do I feel they lack a certain skill or strength?

– Do I feel this way because it’s a skill or strength that comes more easily to me?

If somebody takes longer to complete a project than you think they should, for example, is that because they’re not good at managing their time — or is it because you’re innately strong at the work they’re doing? Reflecting in this way can help you lift up the shade, and see personal strengths that you may be overlooking.

Read the full article: https://s.hbr.org/3YZIlxt