“Work your weakness.” That’s what some “experts” love to say. “Focus all your energy on the things you need to improve upon, or you’ll never get better.” There’s a piece of truth to that but there’s also some missing wisdom here. OWN YOUR STRENGTHS.
I’m a strong closer in a race. I used to call it a slow-starter but something as simple as reframing the way I thought about myself, helped me make a major change. I realized that it took me a little longer to “warm up,” sometimes even 60 miles (100 milers run a VERY LONG TIME) but for me, that was going to be my secret weapon. I started really training to maximize it. I would force myself to kick and get faster the further into a run or race. Why? Because I knew I could. Was I going to charge hard when the gun goes off and lead from the front? Nope. That’s not my style. But I love to hunt and will patiently wait a race out. To go from 12th, to 10th, to 6th, to 1st or 2nd. My strength is a slow grind that can take hours.
So here’s my pro-tip to you: Sharpen your strengths.
I’m not saying skip the stuff you struggle with. Not at all. But for God sake, let’s stop taking the fun out of the health and fitness space. Love to climb? Charge it. A daredevil on the descents? Bomb those downhills and don’t hold back. I have a little saying I use, “Do what you do and do it the best. And then fill in the cracks and edges with the rest.” What’s your secret weapon? What makes it truly yours? This week, instead of fixing failures, let’s focus on your special strengths. What are you known for? And if you don’t know, it’s time to figure it out. Find it. Own it. And then sharpen it like a tool. Once you can do that, you’ll find the very best…you.
