This is Half The Battle

know and handle weakness

The better we know and handle our weaknesses, the better we can stay out of poor positions. That’s half the battle to making the good decisions!

We need to know how to:

1. Identify our Weaknesses

2. Design Safeguards

3. Handle Mistakes Properly

Identifying Your Weaknesses

• Until we see the bad consequences of a habit, we think it’s either:

  • part of who we are, 

  • it’s too painful to admit it’s a problem, 

  • or we don’t see the full picture

• Find your weaknesses by:

  • Encouraging and accepting feedback and criticism always

  • Constantly look at situations from inside other people’s shoes '

read more here

Designing Safeguards 

• We make thousands of decisions every day. If we constantly rely on our strength, we’re bound to make poor decisions

• Implement safeguards to protect yourself from slipups;

  • PREVENTION is avoiding any key decisions when you’re vulnerable to be thinking poorly. For instance, if you’re lonely, hungry, tired, stressed etc

  • AUTOMATIC RULES are specific chosen actions we complete when triggered by a corresponding circumstance. For example, I have a rule to thank people right away when I receive feedback to stop myself from getting defensive and discouraging future feedback.

  • FRICTION is designing an environment that makes bad behaviors harder to do and good behaviors easier to do. For example, having no junk food in the house makes it harder to eat poorly and having friends at your gym makes it easier to work out. 

  • GUARDRAILS are pre-programmed questions to ask yourself according to the situation. Example, when getting in a disagreement, ask yourself, “Do you want to put water or gasoline on this situation? Is this behavior going to get you what you want?”

  • SHIFTING PERSPECTIVES is a practice of putting yourselves in the shoes of others. For example, it’s always easier to see your own sacrifices for friends so it’s easy to think you care more. Put yourself in their shoes before you spiral too far. 

read more here

Handling Mistakes 

• Even with all the strength and all the guardrails, you’re still going to make mistakes. It’s inevitable–even the great Hannah Montana said it. 

• Expect mistakes. The more you take responsibility, the more you can learn, the less mistakes you make later 

• There are four steps to properly handle any mistake:

  • Accept responsibility

  • Learn from the mistake 

  • Commit to doing better 

  • Repair the damage as best you can 

read more here and here

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Tomorrow, we get into the really good stuff! Clear Thinking in Action. Now that we’ve learned the enemies of clear thinking, how to build strength, and how to manage our weaknesses, we can get into the action. Heads up, these next few days are heftier. I tried to cut it down, I did, and there’s so much good stuff leftover. But I know the BigNerds don’t shy away from a challenge. Warriors of body and mind. 

Brains Gains 

What are your biggest weaknesses? How do you handle them? 

Your Friend,

Noah “BigNerd” Sochaczevski