Life’s barely long enough to get good at one thing

Life’s barely long enough to get good at one thing

The first season of HBO’s True Detective still holds the top spot for me. From its gripping storyline to the depth of the character, Rust Cohle, portrayed by Matthew McConaughey, captivated me with his profound wisdom. Rust is a detective who is not good at anything else, including his own life, except being a great detective. In one of the scenes that keeps you on the edge of your seat, he says, “Life’s barely long enough to get good at one thing. So be careful what you get good at.” As soon as I heard this quote, I wrote it down, and the next day, it prompted me to ponder: How well do we truly understand our strengths, both as individuals and as a team? Equally important, what steps are we taking to enhance and cultivate these strengths further?

Whether you’re focusing on your personal growth or aiming to support your team, the steps below can serve as a guiding light. Understanding and enhancing your strengths isn’t solely about individual improvement; it’s also about providing clarity and further defining the roles each team member plays based on their strengths. Developing and assisting a team member in nurturing their strengths enables you to identify both the strengths and weaknesses of your team as a whole.

IDENTIFY

Taking note of each success and engagement can quickly pinpoint areas of strength and interest. Reflecting on these occurrences is crucial for personal growth, as is observing your team members to identify areas ripe for development. But what if such opportunities are scarce, as in the case of interviewing a new candidate for your team? While not an exact science, I have found personality tests, such as the one found here, to be highly beneficial as a starting point for discovery. Aligning personality test results with questions about past experiences that highlight strengths has consistently provided accurate insights into my experience as an interviewer. 

VERIFY

If there’s one crucial lesson I’ve learned over the years, it’s the importance of putting everything to the test. Think finances are your strength? Take charge of the company books for a month. Suspect a team member excels in problem-solving? Challenge them with a tough problem and observe not only their results but also their resilience and approach.

DEVELOP

I always had a keen interest in communication and a passion for writing. Looking at my articles from 2020, I can see how far I have come in writing well. Practice does make it perfect. But practice can only happen if there are opportunities to do so. Seek out opportunities to improve your strengths and those of your team members. Learning new skills that are relevant keeps the momentum alive but above all else support makes the most significant difference. Surround yourself with people who can support your journey and support your team with theirs.

If my job entailed assembling IKEA furniture all day, I’d be the most depressed person in Chicago. While I possess the capability, the absence of the creative stimulation my mind craves would undoubtedly drive me to frustration.

Likewise, for another individual, generating reports or formulating quotes might be integral to their role, yet it could conflict with their nature and crush their energy by midday. Conversely, someone else might find genuine excitement in these tasks.

The more you learn about yourself and your team, the better equipped you are to assemble the pieces and foster a perfect synergy where everyone feels motivated and fulfilled.

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