I am privileged to belong to a very special group of people. It is not a secret society, but rather a gathering of like minded individuals working towards a common aim.
Every now and then something crops up within the group which will spark an off-topic discussion. This week we’ve had one of those every-now-and-then times.
The subject? Strengths. Prompted by Rich Schefren’s release of the ‘Missing Chapter.’
Some in the group doubted whether they had any usable strengths, some of us realised we had lost sight of our strengths whilst spending so much time trying to improve on our weaknesses.
It was after the discussion that thoughts and memories came flooding back to me. Things I had packed into a dusty corner of my mind; memories so long forgotten, I had forgotten I had even forgotten them.
If you pause for a moment and in the stillness look back, can you recall the things you were good at as a child? Have you taken those things with you into adulthood or were they packed away never to see the light of day again?
For me it was music. I used to play musical instruments as a child but then life got serious. I went to the grammar school, don’t you know, and grammar school girls didn’t waste time on music (at least not in my day!)
I think perhaps these early skills we show are better described as talents. They are things on which we can build, if given the opportunity, and then they become strengths.
Instead of doing that we are so often directed to strengthen areas in which we have no talent. Poor at maths at school? You get extra tuition! Why is not OK to be poor at math when you excel at something else?
Will you take a moment to remember what it is you’ve forgotten you’ve forgotten? Will you share it with us if you remember?
{ 1 comment… read it below or add one }
As one who was a small part of the discussion you mention, I have to say I was amazed by how many of us immediately focused on our weaknesses rather than our strengths, myself included.
What your post in this blog did was make me remember that I had forgotten what is was like to be able to play serious, more difficult music. In my younger days I was a concert pianist. Now that I have arthritis in my hands, I have only been able to play easy, slow pieces on an electronic keyboard. My absolute favorite composer of all time is Frederick Chopin.
So …..
….. After reading this today, I went to my music cabinet and pulled out a book of Chopin Nocturnes that I hadn’t touched for years. I opened to the first one in the book, Opus 9, No 1 and gave it a try. Some of the left-hand reaches were tough — and those fast runs in the right-hand went a lot slower than they should, but it was fun to see what was still possible.
Although it was disappointing in some ways, the fun of playing parts of this piece again was well worth it.
Thanks for the boot in the butt to get me to try again.
Peace ….