The Shadow of Your Greatest Strength

Did you know that your greatest natural strength can be your greatest weakness when taken to the extreme?

A naturally empathic, loving and giving person, when taken to the extreme could become a people-pleaser who over-gives at the expense of themselves. 

A highly organized, self-disciplined and principled person when taken to the extreme could  become a perfectionist stickler who is harsh on themselves and others.

A flexible and adaptable person that seeks peace and harmony (both internally and externally) when taken to the extreme, can become a master procrastinator who avoids conflict and discomfort. 

What was once a natural strength when abused or overused can become a “shadow” that sabotages your life. It keeps you from feeling good and thus achieving your goals.

It’s normal to overuse our strengths because it’s what comes most easily to us. But we risk becoming the hammer that sees every problem as the nail. 

For example, one of my natural strengths is identifying problems and solving them. But when taken to the extreme I can focus on the negative too much and rush to solve other people’s problems instead of giving them space to solve them on their own. 

Becoming aware of this has helped me keep my problem solving powers in check. Discernment is knowing when I'm crossing the line. The is always a clear energy shift.

How might a current perceived “weakness” of yours be an example of abusing or overusing one of your natural strengths?

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