1/16/13

Be honest about what you suck at and create a way to never do it again

I'm not a naturally organized or put-together person. A large part of the reason why I am successful is because I have an amazing support system and I hire people to do the things I do not do well, which by the way, is quite a few important things (such as paying bills on time). Here are some other things I am not very strong in:

  • Taking photos
  • Feeling motivated to go out and party (I don't drink alcohol, so it's not the same.)
  • Accounting
  • Detailed forms
  • Repetitive tasks
  • Organizing
  • Following up after a project is completed
  • Tracking the answer to a problem through 18 different channels
  • Managing stress
  • Taking financial risks
  • Laundry
  • Doing things I don't want to do

I've managed to build a pretty successful consulting practice, despite not being able to do a lot of the things most humans need to be able to do to feed, house, and cloth themselves. How could anyone successful be so bad at so many things?!

I have an amazing support system to help me. Most of the time, if I don't do something well I either create a system where it is done automatically or isn't needed at all, or I hire someone to do it. Why spend time trying to learn to be good at accounting when you could be focusing on the things that you are excellent at, and working with someone else who does it well? Unless you want to become better at accounting and you have the time to devote to it, it's better just to build it into your system. A great support system is the difference between the CEO of a fortune-500 company and a struggling stay-at-home entrepreneur. Instead of making yourself feel ashamed and guilty by asking questions like, "How can I convince anyone that my ideas are good if I can't even get organized? Who wants to work with someone who doesn't have it together?", ask a friend, do a trade on Facebook or Craigslist,  or pay someone to help you do the things you aren't good at so that you can move forward.

If everyone had to face their demons about paperwork, or ironing, or whatever bogus stuff your parents used to yell at you about before we could do anything else, we'd never do anything interesting. 

2 comments:

tokyo bag lady said...

I am going to help you with the first two starting the first week of February!! And I think sometimes in order to be successful at certain things, you have to sacrifice your focus and potential success at other things. I am successful at my job in a very niche industry but really terrible at vacuuming and doing laundry and not wearing the same pair of shorts for four days in a row that most human beings are largely successful at.

Drew said...

Well I'm disappointed that you won't help me with "Accounting" or "Detailed forms" but excited that you are coming!

I would like to be better at making the house clean/organization/interior design. But that's what Task Rabbits and friends with nice houses are for.

Drew

Post a Comment