You read well. You can multiply your performance by 6. And it’s not my opinion. This is scientific evidence. Let me explain. Because it is an important issue.
According to scientific research developed by Gallup, 61% of people think they have the most growth potential in the areas of greatest weakness. And science has shown that this belief is not true. Unfortunately, this myth has practically dominated our lives. Remember for example at school. When you came home with your grades, your parents would surely congratulate you on the subjects that had gone well … but immediately they would look at those subjects with the worst results, perhaps one that you had failed. And these failures or bad results focused your attention and that of your parents: according to different studies, more than 70% of the conversation time is focused on your areas or disciplines with bad results and hardly time is spent commenting or analyzing the good results. And the consequence of this behavior is to invest much more time in correcting this weakness (a failure, continuing with the example) than in enhancing a strength (an excellent grade, for example). Review classes, increased attention and time spent correcting the weakness. And this trend and way of acting is repeated in the professional and sports fields … In the world of work, most workers only receive information on what they do not do well, on how they should correct their weaknesses. And this way of acting is a big mistake.
SCIENCE HAS SHOWN THAT WHERE YOU CAN GROW AND IMPROVE THE MOST IS IN YOUR AREAS OF STRENGTH. It is much easier for the human brain to create synaptic connections in areas where there are already abundant synaptic connections.
To make it better understood, let me explain a clear example to you. In the 1950s, the Nebraska School Study Council conducted a study in the state to analyze the reading ability of 10th grade students. About 6,000 students participated. The study measured the reading ability of each student. This was followed by classes to improve reading ability with different methods and the reading performance of each student was re-measured. What was surprising about the study was that the researchers found that previously good readers went from 300 words per minute to 2,900 on average. While students who were not good readers before the study also improved, but very little. The growth and improvement of good readers was 6 times greater than that of bad readers.
Therefore, this research confirms the idea that WHERE PEOPLE CAN GROW AND IMPROVE THE MOST IS THE AREAS OF STRENGTH. And, if we invest time in enhancing our strengths, the return is approximately 6 times higher (600%) compared to the same time invested in our areas of weakness.
Similar studies have been repeated on numerous occasions and in totally different areas: music, sports, management … And always with similar results: “investing in your strengths multiplies your performance by 6 compared to investing in correcting your weaknesses”.
So, first of all you must be clear about what your talents are. In this sense, I recommend my post “5 + 1 ways to discover your talent“. And once you are clear about your talents, invest time in them. Do not waste so much time in correcting your weaknesses but in enhancing your strengths. I assure you that the return on investment will be 6 times higher. Because as Don Clifton, president of Gallup and recognized as the father of strengths-based psychology, said, “Your weaknesses will never develop, while your strengths will develop infinitely.”
