When we overuse our strengths

Any strength, overused, can become a liability.


A couple of my personal strengths are learning and achieving.

I can have an unquenchable thirst for knowledge, especially on topics I find particularly fascinating.

I also love the rush that comes with a new challenge, and the feeling of satisfaction that comes with achieving something I set out to do.

When harnessed in pursuit of a broader vision and in alignment with my values, these strengths are my superpowers.

I have them to thank for so much of my success.

And when I let them go untethered, they can lead to my complete unravelling.

For me, this manifests as taking on way too much and losing my ability to stay in the moment.

It leads to me feeling completely outside my body and “in my head”. It robs me of my sense of vitality.

I’ve spent so much of my life in this state. While I’ve gained the awareness to bring myself back to presence, I still find myself there at times.

I used to view my strengths and weaknesses as binary. I thought qualities I possessed were either good or bad.

Enhancing my self-awareness has allowed me to see so much more complexity. Everything emerges on a spectrum.

My tendencies can work for or against me, depending how I choose to leverage them.

Awareness and discernment are everything.

How do you cultivate the discernment to know when your tendencies are serving you, and when they aren't?