Can you name your three most damaging weaknesses and explain what you are doing to combat them?

Pride

Frank Sinatra has nothing on me for I constantly wanted to do it my way. Pride can be defined as a feeling or deep pleasure or satisfaction derived from one's own achievements, the achievements of those with whom one is closely associated, or from qualities or possessions that are widely admired. Sounds fabulous doesn't it? Unfortunately that's not a weakness and doesn't fit with the question. Pride is the haughty self-appointed attitude of being all that and a bag of chips. Plainly stated, it's being unteachable for you feel superior to everyone. I have felt this way and still struggle with that. I don't claim to be an intellect or scholar for many could run circles around me logically in the knowledge game; it's in the emotional world that I have studied. That unfortunately put me at a perceived advantage for many people refuse to excel emotionally. That is a very dangerous mindset. What I have done to combat that is to stay teachable by realizing that all people can be teachers. Every person has the ability to show me something that I didn't know.

Doubt

If you are a person who studies biblical text you have heard of Doubting Thomas. Thomas was a man that needed to physically stick his fingers into the wounds of Jesus to believe he had risen. Don't need the wounds thanks, but I too had doubts. I felt bi-polar with my doubt experience. On one hand, I embraced and approached relationships much like a puzzle box; a gift buried under a convoluted problem that needed solving. My friends thought I was NUTS because my choices were fearless yet questionable in their minds. When asked if they would take such a risk, they flatly refused and stated they would rather live vicariously through me. Despite this strength, I would turn into a puddle of goo when presented with a stressful situation involving finances. It's not because I didn't have miracles happen, for I did. I would stress myself out severely to have the problem work out anyways. Just like with my recent period of unemployment. The day after my unemployment benefits ran out I got a job that I am perfect for. How have I combatted the doubt? The only course of action that has worked is the dissection of the belief behind the emotional response. Do those thoughts revolving around my panic with finances have any truth in them? Are they my fears or are they from someone else? The last and biggest contributor to overcoming this crippling fear is the understanding that I create my reality. If I think about financial ruin then I will create financial ruin; self fulfilling prophecy and who wants that.

Listening

We have two ears and one mouth and they should be used proportionately. When I heard Kevin Trudeau say that on his CD's my eyes glazed over. Blah Blah Blah... I was getting sick and tired of hearing about listening. Did you notice that I wasn't listening? Did you also notice that my first weakness of pride and not being teachable was also present? I am a poor listener and struggle with this. I hear people but I listen to respond with little intention to understand. I have been working on this but old habits can die hard. Even today, when I was in a meeting, my mind raced to remembering what my response was instead of truly listening to the speaker. It frustrates me. What I have done to combat this is to admit that I have a problem. I see this lack of listening as a stumbling block to my dream. If I am SO wrapped up in my responses I can't possibly be 100% open to hearing what needs to be said. I need ALL the facts in order to be truly present and helpful. I equate listening to a muscle that has atrophied and needs physical therapy to regain its strength. Slowly but surely with USE it can become stronger and useful.

These are my three most damaging weakness and ones I keep a mental check on daily. I do see a light at the end of the tunnel with overcoming these three but it is still a work in progress. Share with me your weaknesses and what your strategies are to combat them; together we can help each other overcome them.

Did this response resonate with you? I would love to hear your take on the question and how it impacted you. Please post your thoughts below.

On January first, I posted our first article in this series explaining a new way to approach New Year's resolutions. Each day we will explore a different question that challenges us to understand ourselves better. The format will be as follows: I will post the previous day's question with my answer followed by the next day's question for contemplation.

Tomorrow's question: What habits in others annoy you the most?

Response posted tomorrow.

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