Life is about mastering skills and overcoming adversity, and building your body is no different.
As a coach I try to identify a person’s strengths and weaknesses fast as it helps determine the focus of the plan in terms of exercises, lifestyle, and where we need to note the wins and work on the losses.
What’s interesting (at least to me) is how someone’s greatest strengths often mirror their most glaring weaknesses.
Someone with a vibrant sense of humor is often the most depressed. Or those with incredible empathy can be the most self-destructive.
In my world, a guy who loves being strong usually has a not-so-subtle hate for weakness of any kind, such as exercises they suck at it or can’t load aggressively. At times it can lead to them destroying their bodies.
Someone with remarkable discipline will often get incredibly anxious when not in total control of their food or environment, to the point their control becomes a windowless prison.
An intelligent, analytical person who knows every science-sounding training principle and follows a “perfect” program VERY often has no “gym soul” — they can’t reach their 5th gear — and as such never feel the joy of just busting your ass just for the sake of hard work.
I think the notion of “putting your strengths on hold and working on your weaknesses” is bad advice. Gifts are still gifts, and they should be celebrated and built upon as they have your greatest potential for growth.
And often they’re what truly make you special, for your benefit and the rest of humankind.
Just understand that the mirror has faces. Know your strengths well and respect them deeply. Cause on the other side is your greatest adversary.