The Villain Within
a list of things you will be doing instead. Will you meditate, cook yourself some healthy meals, and hit the gym? Create the business plan for your new idea or expand your current one? Will you read the rest of this book without delay? Will you hang out with your kids, your spouse, or your parents? What- ever it is, my guess is that a sabbatical from the news, while engaging in alternate activities, will function like a cognitive “cleanse.” It will allow you to escape the drag of negativity and move forward in a positive direction. WORK ON STRENGTHS, NOT WEAKNESSES Your inner villain also thrives when you focus your time and effort on things at which you’re not good. No doubt, throughout your life you were taught to work on your weaknesses, to try to improve your skills and abilities in areas where you did not thrive. Hands down, that may be the biggest lie we’ve ever been told. At the end of the day, all this does is rob you of your confi- dence. This belief may sound crazy when you first read it, since from a young age onward, you’ve probably been told, “You’re not good at calculus, so go do more calculus. You’re not good at history, go study more history.” By focusing on your weakness- es, though, you end up feeling inferior subconsciously. Just as troubling, this focus encourages you to ignore your exceptional capabilities and strengths. So though you may not agree with me yet, I hope you’ll soon say, “The heck with my weaknesses. I’m going to get amaz- ing at what I’m already good at!” This misconception about improving weaknesses is prac- ticed by many people, including educators, parents, managers, and other authority figures. It’s a well-intentioned but misplaced idea that almost held me back from going after the life that I al- ways dreamed of. I was in serious danger of living a complacent life I loathed.
41
Made with FlippingBook Online newsletter maker