Am reading Marcus Buckingham's excellent book, GO PUT YOUR STRENGTHS TO WORK.
Here's what he says in the intro.
"Faced with the world's indifference, you've got two options: either resign yourself to a life in which your strengths are largely irrelevant, or...learn how to make them relevant. Learn how to put them to work. It's your choice."
MB discusses 3 corporate myths.
1. As you grow, your personality changes.
2. You will grow the most in your areas of greatest weakness.
3. A good team member does whatever it takes to help the team.
Sound familiar?
#2 resonates the most for me. I'm so used to being told, even as a child, to work on my weaknesses and bad habits. Surely it makes sense to spend energy fixing what doesn't work, the way you spend more time on your weaker subjects at school or, in learning the piano, on those tricky notes in the score that your fingers keep tripping over?
But MB says we would grow so much more if we worked on expanding and using and applying our natural strengths. He does not say ignore your weaknesses. He says we will learn the most, grow the most, and develop the most in our areas of greater strength. Our strengths multiply and magnify us.
Isn't that amazing?
During practice for Sunday worship this week, I made an effort to focus on what I do best. That means playing sensitively and intuitively, playing "in the gaps", allowing others to be in the spotlight if that is their style, and doing this without feeling that I was somehow a lesser musician for not being the loudest "voice".
It's hard work. Part of me is driven by the need to excel and to shine. That part feels I am somehow a failure when my music is eclipsed by the many other instruments that are willing to lead.
I was therefore surprised when, after Sunday service, more than one person came up to express appreciation for my playing.
What I've learnt is that when I channel my energies towards my natural strengths, I am being authentic and being me, and it makes a difference to people.
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