I've heard it said before that, our greatest strengths when taken to an extreme, can become our biggest weaknesses.

When I am honest with myself, I know it is true.

I have laser beam focus.  StrengthsFinder 2.0 (Rath, 2007) even places Focus in my top five strengths.  Acute focus means I can sit down to work on a project at my computer and four hours later look up for the very first time.  It means I can sit in Starbucks and read and write and never be distracted by the people or the banter going on around me.  Or, that I can meet a project deadline just by sitting down and focusing my energy until, literally, the project takes shape.

Focus is one of my strengths.

It is also one of my weaknesses.

I have gift cards to day spas and golf courses that over three years old, because I am so focused on work-related projects I can't imagine taking time off.  I have friends who are owed long overdue phone calls, but who must wait because I can't imagine stopping what I am doing long enough to make a social call.  I have important, but not urgent, doctor's appointments I should schedule.  I don't, because I am too busy and too focused on the here and now.

My focus allows me to get things done.  Interestingly enough, my focus also keeps me from getting things done.

It seems to me, in order to shine, that we must strike a balance between using our strengths to our advantage and overusing them to the point where we become disadvantaged.

This weekend was a wake up call, so now I am focused on trying to find balance.

How about you?  What do you consider one of your greatest strengths and how do you use it to your advantage?  But also, how do you see that same strength placing you at a disadvantage?  Visit us in the Community Forum labeled, Today's Post and share.  We can all benefit from the collective wisdom.

Shining off until tomorrow...