Forget the Weak Spots, Find the Sweet Spots

Anyone who knows me well knows I don’t read many books cover to cover. Instead I listen to a lot of them via my iPod or CDs. Last year, I read just two books in their entirety and looking back over a decade I can say with no shame the number could be counted on two hands. Meanwhile I’ve probably listened to something like 100 books in that same time period. I do read bits and pieces of some books, but it just doesn’t work for me to sit and read from beginning to end. It’s not my style and something I’ve never tried to change.

Coincidentally those two books I did read last year taught me this lesson: make the best of your strengths, instead of focusing on your weaknesses. The key here is ensuring you neutralize weakness and that it doe not knock you out of the game. I can see a lot of people’s faces reading this right now thinking “Rob, do you hear what you’re saying?” Yes, I do. Let me give you another example of why this concept works.

In 2008 I ran two marathons. Craziest thing a human can ever do. When I crossed the finish line in NY with tears in my eyes, my legs fed a message to me of “do this again and we won’t let you ski on us.” In the training for both those races I found out something important. I do really well committing to a training program if I have a specific goal and running gets me to a place where I can focus. I also learned I hate running marathons.

I applied this to my 2009 running goals. I ran about a half dozen races last year and two were with a time goal in mind. Up first was the Camp Pendleton Mud Run which I finished in an hour flat, cutting 8 minutes off my previous personal best and a finish in the top 5%. The other race was the Seattle Rock ‘N’ Roll half marathon where my goal for the race was simple: sub 8 minute miles for 13.2 miles. In achieving that goal I got something more. I found that sweet spot where I zoned out the last two miles for the first time in a year and a half. Imagine your body enduring a full gauntlet of painful activity, but instead to feel completely relaxed without an ounce of pain.

I know finishing one marathon, let alone two is a great accomplishment and something I should make me proud. It does and it gave me some great things to blog about. However, it just was not fun for me. I could also try to read more books, but I don’t like that either.

When you look at your development plan or how you spend your time at work are you focused on your strengths or are you consumed by your flaws? Do you find yourself wrapped up with things you’ve failed doing in the past or leveraging successful moments that remind you of what you do best?