If you’re chasing after success and a happier life, but you’re coming up short, I have one piece of advice for you: Play to your strengths.
Let me say it one more time.
Play to your strengths.
Whether you realize it or not, conventional wisdom and experts are wrong at best and lying to you at worst.
Conventional wisdom and the so-called experts tell you to focus on your weaknesses.
And you listen.
Good for you.
But are you happy, and as important, are you getting meaningful results?
Ignoring your strengths is one of the biggest success myths and dream killers around. Read more about success myths here.
Success. Prosperity. Happiness.
It’s the holy trinity for an epic life that eludes most people.
Until now.
In this article, I reveal why you should play to your strengths and how to do it.
Along the way, you’ll learn how to find your strengths and where to focus your time so you can get results.
Let’s start our journey with a story.
Download my Cheat Sheet Play To Your Strengths If You Want To Be Successful (And Happy)
A Story Of What Happens When You Don’t Play To Your Strengths
Once upon a time, there was a young man named Elliot who was born into a family of entrepreneurs.
Elliot loved business and aced all courses related to business in school.
Elliot surprised everyone by announcing he would become a dentist. Why did Elliot want to become a dentist?
Elliot believed he would become rich and improve his weaker subjects.
Sure enough, Elliot enrolled in a pre-medicine university program.
For the first time in his academic career, Elliot didn’t make the Dean’s list. In fact, Elliot was on the brink of failing his chemistry, physics, and calculus courses.
To the delight of his professors, Elliot was the hardest working student in his classes.
Every test Elliot told himself that his hard work would pay off. And every test Elliot either failed or barely passed.
Because of Elliot’s hard work, his professors had a soft spot for him and ensured he didn’t receive a failing mark.
At the end of his first year, all Elliot had to show for it was suffering, misery, and lackluster grades.
Did Elliot improve in his weak subjects? If Elliot did, his marks still weren’t high enough to get him into a dentistry program.
You Kill Your Dreams (And Success) When You Don’t Play To Your Strengths
I have a confession. The young man in the story is me (my middle name is Elliot).
Remember me? I was that kid that launched his EdTech business with no money, experience, or team.
Despite the odds, I built an eight-figure business that later morphed into a half unicorn.
So what happened from failing in pre-dentistry program to a profitable EdTech company?
A lot.
Let me clear about one thing. I deserved getting my butt kicked in my first year of university.
Greed and ego had me choose money over passion.
[tweet_box design=”default” url=”http://jef.tips/pts16″ float=”none”]When you ignore your passion you don’t play to your strengths, you play to fail[/tweet_box].
Read about transforming your passion into success here. If you’re curious how I went from zero to hero, read this article and this article.
At the end of my first year, I made a decision that changed my trajectory and destiny.
I decided to play to my strengths and enrolled in a business program.
While my program was hard, I loved every moment of it. My happiness shot through the roof as did my grades.
Little did I know that when I chose to play to my strengths, I set myself up for success, happiness, and prosperity.
How do you play to your strengths, you ask?
Find out in the next section.
Use This Criteria To Find And Play To Your Strengths
[tweet_box design=”default” url=”http://jef.tips/pts16″ float=”none”]When you play to your strengths you set yourself up for a life of happiness, success, and prosperity[/tweet_box].
Marcus Buckingham agrees.
If you don’t know who Buckingham is, you should.
Polly Labarre writes a great article on Buckingham and his research. You can read the article here.
How do you know when you play to your strengths?
Buckingham researched and developed specific criteria to help you play to your strengths.
And it’s Thomas Oppong who does a marvelous article to summarize Buckingham’s criteria. You can read Oppong’s article here.
Oppong shares that for Buckingham, you find your strengths when:
- Tasks energize you and make you stronger. Being good at something doesn’t make it a strength unless it energizes you.
- Thinking about the task excites you
- You lose track of time when doing the task
- When you finish the task, you have more energy
Conventional wisdom and the experts, as usual, are wrong.
When you don’t play to your strengths, and instead, focus on your weakness you zap your energy and success.
Stop wasting precious time and energy trying to improve yourself in your weak areas. Instead, go for the gold and focus on your strengths,
What are your strengths and how do you find them?
A great question and one I reveal in the next section.
3 Questions To Help You Find And Play To Your Strengths
Want happiness, success, and prosperity? Play to your strengths.
Is it that simple?
Y.E.S.
[tweet_box design=”default” url=”http://jef.tips/pts16″ float=”none”]Unlock the gateway of success and happiness when you play to your strengths[/tweet_box].
But first, you need to know what your strengths are. Three easy questions will help you identify your strengths:
- List activities that you find easy to do and come naturally to you?
- What activities that leave you energized and happy?
- What are four or five things that you do that you consistently get positive feedback on?
Is finding your strengths that easy? Yes.
A personal story.
As a kid I loved computers. I could walk up to a computer tired from the day, and out of nowhere get a burst of energy.
I felt the same way when it comes to helping people. When I help people, I’m learning and making a difference.
The EdTech I launched was a combination of computers, helping people, and learning.
I focused my strengths into solving a massive problem I was passionate to solve. Read more about this here and going the extra mile here.
While not easy, the rest took care of itself, and I built an eight-figure business and an empire.
[tweet_box design=”default” url=”http://jef.tips/pts16″ float=”none”]Want to achieve happiness and build your empire? Play to your strengths and focus on solving problems that people will pay you to solve[/tweet_box].
Why You Maximize Success When You Play To Your Strengths
Play to your strengths and position yourself to achieve your biggest results. Ever.
Thomas Oppong’s article has a great insight:
Albert Einstein and Bill Gates changed the course of the world by focusing on what they should be doing.
[tweet_box design=”default” url=”http://jef.tips/pts16″ float=”none”]When you play to your strengths, work is play, play is work, and life is great[/tweet_box].
There’s no magic pill to make you successful. Success requires your undivided time, attention and focus.
Between boredom and frustration, the daily grind takes its toll. Ask anyone with a j.o.b.
And this is why it’s so important that you play to your strengths.
When you play to your strengths, you’re involved in activities that you excel in and energize you.
Remember me, that kid who started his business with no money, experience, or team.
My early days had me deep into failure and pain. The only thing that kept me in the game was me loving what I did.
By playing to my strengths, I positioned myself for success.
Although it took everything I had, the result was me building an eight-figure company.
Had I listened to the experts and focused on my weaknesses, I would have failed.
I proved this point when I temporarily lost my insanity to become a dentist.
When you play to your strengths, you follow the lead of rich and successful people. Read about it here.
[tweet_dis url=”http://jef.tips/pts16″]For massive success ignore your weakness and always focus on your strengths[/tweet_dis].
Download my Cheat Sheet Play To Your Strengths If You Want To Be Successful (And Happy)
Play To Your Strengths To Activate The Compound Effect
Compound interest is the eighth wonder of the world. He who understands it, earns it … he who doesn’t … pays it. – Albert Einstein
Once again we turn to Albert Einstein on why you should always play to your strengths.
Do me a favor and watch this three-minute clip on compound interest. You’ll thank me afterward.
Einstein rightly said that the power of compounding is the eighth wonder of the world.
[tweet_box design=”default” url=”http://jef.tips/pts16″ float=”none”]When you play to your strengths, you deploy the power of compounding to your success.[/tweet_box]
As much as compounding can work for you, it can also work against you.
Case in point is focusing on your weakness. When you focus on your weaknesses your happiness, progress, and achievement suffer.
The compound effect magnifies your suffering and lack of results.
And this is why the smart money always is and will be on having you play to your strengths.
Maximize Your Limited Resources When You Play To Your Strengths
When you play to your strengths, you maximize your limited time, energy, and focus.
Quick, what’s the one thing that a pauper and billionaire have in common?
The pauper, billionaire, and you all have 1,440 minutes each day.
All day. Everyday.
Not only is your time limited, but so is your energy and focus.
Social media has a compound effect of its own. It wastes your time and increases your distractions.
Read all about how to stop wasting time here. And while you’re at it, learn how to say ‘no’ here, and what you should never, ever do here.
Your limited amount of time, energy, and focus is best spent when you play to your strengths.
By focusing on what you excel in, you quickly achieve results and enjoy what you’re doing.
And if you’re as smart as I know you are, you’ll operate your company like cockroach startups and bootstrap it.
When I first started my company I was the proverbial ‘jack of all trades.’ I was also a master of none.
When I began to play to my strengths, I stopped certain activities and tried new ones. I was happier, more successful, and prospered.
I maximized my time, energy, and focus. An eight-figure company resulted. Lives changed. And I made a difference.
[tweet_box design=”default” url=”http://jef.tips/pts16″ float=”none”]Play to your strengths to maximize your limited time, energy and focus. Your customers will thank you and so will your wallet.[/tweet_box]
Prosper Like There’s No Tomorrow When You Play To Your Strengths And Leverage Pareto’s Law
When you play to your strengths, you leverage the full power of Pareto’s Law.
What is Pareto’s Law, you ask? Check out the image below.
Vilfredo Pareto was an Italian economist who made a startling discovery in 1896.
Pareto discovered that a mere 20% of Italians owned 80% of the land.
Pareto looked for other examples of what we now call the 80/20 rule.
As an example, Pareto found that 20% of the peapods in his garden produced most of the pease.
Pareto came to the conclusion that a ‘vital few’ of your actions generate the majority of your results.
You can read more about success and Pareto’s Law here and here.
The Compound Effect.
Limited time, effort, and focus.
Pareto’s Law.
Three examples that all say the same thing.
For Pareto, a vital few of your actions produce the majority of your results.
And this is why you must play to your strengths so you can maximize your happiness and success.
Do the activities you excel at to maximize results.
And if you don’t, your competition will.
Play the long game and follow Pareto’s Law and ensure you play to your strengths.
All day.
Everyday.
And while you’re at it, ensure you have the right mindset and do these seven things to for prosperity and success.
That exactly what I did to build a profitable eight-figure business.
And so should you.
Download my Cheat Sheet Play To Your Strengths If You Want To Be Successful (And Happy)
Conclusion
If you’re chasing after success and happiness, but coming up short, I have great news.
It’s not your fault.
The so-called experts lied to you in saying you should focus on your weakness and not your strengths.
Happy and successful people know that you play to your strengths.
Always.
And how do you find your strengths?
Ask these three questions:
- List activities that come easily to you?
- What activities have you happy and energized when you’re done?
- What are five things that you do where you always receive positive feedback?
Congratulations, you can now play to your strengths.
Apply your strengths to massive problems that you’re passionate to solve. Ensure there are enough people to pay you for your solution.
Do this, and you’re on your way to achieve happiness and success.
And while you’re at it, learn how to transform failure and enjoy your journey.
When you play to your strengths, you leverage the power of the Compound Effect and Pareto’s Law. You also make the most of your limited time, energy, and focus.
And I should know. I was that kid right out of school with no money, experience, or team.
Despite the odds, I built an eight-figure business. And in the process, changed the social fabric of society.
If I can do it, so can you.
And you’ll achieve your success when you play to your strengths.
So what are you waiting for?
Here’s to you and your success!
Your Raving Fan,
Jeffrey Feldberg
Today, Feldberg's passion is helping you extract your deep wealth. The 90-day Deep Wealth Mastery program helps create a solid foundation for three areas: increasing profits to enterprise value and optimizing post-exit life. Deep Wealth Mastery offers strategies and insights drawn from Feldberg's rich experience. The strategies from the trenches get results. Jeffrey's vision is to increase the social fabric of society one entrepreneur at a time.
Learn more through https://iapdw.com/prosper
