Ever heard that phrase? It’s one I’ve heard, but never really thought about too much. It’s used mainly in the world of business to identify ways companies can achieve higher levels of success using the abilities of their team players, rather than trying to improve on their weaknesses. Believe it or not, there’s even a consulting firm with this name.
In regards to my personal health and fitness, how do I play to my strengths and how can I improve? I hope by revealing some of myself, I’ll help motivate you to do the same.
First of all…I am my father’s daughter in so many ways. I can remember growing up when we would get ready to go on vacation, my dad would pull out the road maps (remember those?) for each state we would be traveling through and plan the whole trip…where we would stop, how long it would take us, how much it would cost, etc. When he retired from his job at the copper smelter, he did some construction work on the side. For every job he was bidding on, he would take his notepad and pencil and figure the amount of paint, lumber, tile, etc. for whatever kind of job he was going to do. He liked knowing where he was going and how he was getting there; he was a planner…and I’m like him in that way.
He was also a creature of habit…get up in the morning, put the coffee on, make the bed, open the blinds, open the gates, get the paper…and on and on throughout his day. When he came to visit us, he always wanted to know what the schedule was for that day! Oh, boy…am I like him in that regard!
Where does this fit in with playing to my strengths? Those two “strengths” have become two things I have used to get this far in my weight-loss/fitness journey, along with some amazing tools and support!
I am a planner…I can plan out our meals for a week, make the grocery lists, etc. But that’s not all it takes…I have to know where I’m going to end up at the end of the day…and ultimately at the end of each week when I weigh in. Knowing what’s on the schedule for the day determines when I can break for a snack or a meal (and believe me…I don’t let more than 3 hours go by without a break!) and I can calculate what that snack or meal will include, which means at the end of the day, I’m not foraging for any and every thing that won’t eat me first!
And I am a creature of habit…that’s while you’ll find me following the same basic schedule each day…quiet time with a cup of coffee and my Bible to start my day, followed by exercise, then work (which has its own schedule for each day). At day’s end, most days it’s lights out early in order to get enough sleep to stay on top of my OrdinaryLife. If I deviate from these habits, I lose focus…I get nervous, anxious, and sometimes a little depressed. The habits that I’ve developed over the years (some bad, some good) have really helped me make the space in my life for exercise…and I’ve already blogged about how I feel about exercise!
So what are your strengths? Can they help you achieve your own personal health/fitness goals? Identify them…play to them.
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