You probably thought now and again that it would be better if people had no imperfections and vulnerabilities. If not that, there are likely traits of yours you wish you could erase so you could become the person you’re supposed to. But that’s too limited a way of thinking and doesn’t acknowledge the nuance of life. Life is not really about eliminating every last imperfection. It’s about living despite them. It’s about using what you don’t like about yourself to get ahead, rather than letting that stuff way you down.
Weaknesses are, oddly enough, a source of strength. Here are nine ways imperfection and vulnerability can help you achieve goals.
1. Introspection Breeds Imperfection
Your imperfections and vulnerabilities create opportunities for introspection. Things you don’t like about yourself get you to think rigorously about your status in life. It can result in long and awkward trains of thought, but it’s worth the time.
· Long-Term Plans
Being introspective involves brainstorming solutions to your character flaws. The craftiness you develop will keep you sharp. You’ll be able to settle on long-term plans to facilitate your gradual improvement.
· The Right Goals
List your imperfections and ask who you would be without them. You might realize you’re comfortable with some imperfections while others are worth addressing. What you realize will help you set the right goals for self-improvement.
· Find Yourself
Parsing through your imperfections and vulnerabilities will help you separate your needs from your wants. You’ll understand what sort of person you are, making it easier to determine which goals are worthwhile. Setting yourself in order makes your goals that much more achievable.
2. Be Relatable
Being vulnerable is relatable. Be okay with that instead of burying your weaker parts in a stoic facade. Vulnerability avoidance creates the fear that people will see who you really are.
· Don’t Turn People Down
People often reject group activities because they think they’ll look bad. That sort of fear can make you turn down helpful opportunities and experiences. You won’t achieve your goals unless you do things you aren’t sure of and appear vulnerable in front of others.
· Mutual Understanding
Revealing what you’re insecure about is helpful to whoever you’re talking to. It can relax them and open them to expressing their emotions better. If you’re upfront with your imperfections, people are more likely to answer personal questions.
· Dismantle Barriers
Don’t try to cover up what you don’t like about yourself, placing a barrier between yourself and others. Someone who is never self-deprecating isn’t relatable or even that normal. This could be relevant during a job interview when you want to seem down to earth.
3. Stay Fired Up
If you have imperfections and vulnerabilities, then congratulations. You’re like everyone else. If so many other people have achieved their goals despite their flaws, you can do it too. Stay positive and enthusiastically pursue what you want.
· Chance Of Failure
The chance of failure provides the stakes so that you’ll fight to improve yourself. If you started out perfect, you wouldn’t need to learn how to hustle. Be thankful that overcoming flaws makes you a force to be reckoned with.
· Mark Milestones
To push yourself forward, keep thinking about your flaws and how you’re beating them. When you overcome something holding you back, please make a note of the milestone and appreciate it. If you remember that life isn’t static, your flaws are just another part of the ride.
· Be A Conqueror
Celebrate that you can do things right in spite of your flaws. Conquering what you don’t like about yourself makes your life richer. Look back on the things that failed to get in your way and take pride in where you are.
4. Your Imperfection Is Interesting
Your imperfections and vulnerabilities are also quirks that make you unique and interesting. These character traits are often framed as bad or at least worth keeping under the radar. Yet you wouldn’t really be who you are without your quirky side, so draw strength from it.
· Reject Shame
Shame holds you back and reduces the energy you need to achieve your goals. Imperfections and vulnerabilities can be amusing aspects of your personality, so let them encourage you. Fitting in isn’t as important as getting ahead.
· Don’t Demonize Yourself
Your goals are easier to achieve when you understand that your flaws are a normal part of life. It would be best if you tried to improve yourself, but there’s only so much you can do. Author Suzanne Degges-White, Ph.D., notes that putting too much emphasis on overcoming flaws makes slip-ups more guilt-inducing than they might be otherwise.
5. Stress Teaches You
Your various flaws are probably a source of stress for you. But don’t fret because managing stress builds character. With all the twists and turns you’ll face, dealing with your weaknesses will teach you strength.
· Stress Increases Empathy
Recent research, which describes stress as “an essential psychobiological mechanism,” shows that this emotion leads to greater empathy and prosocial behavior. It’s not surprising, given that experiencing hardship makes us relate to other people’s hardships. Bonding without someone over shared stress could help you accomplish mutual goals.
· Life Skills
The chances are that in solving the problems associated with your flaws, you’ve picked up a lot of valuable information. This keeps you resourceful and likely makes you an asset in employment. Don’t hesitate to bring up how you’ve beaten your vulnerabilities in a job interview, as it’ll make you look reliable.
· Creativity
Adversity makes you creative. When you’re coming up with solutions to your vulnerabilities, you’re flexing your mind and learning valuable life lessons. That sort of growth is crucial when you’re striving towards your goals.
6. Cut The Perfectionism
It would help if you had positive thinking rather than perfectionism. You gain nothing from overly high standards besides disappointment and frayed nerves. To come to grips with life, you must come to grips with your weaknesses.
· You’re Human
You’re a human, not a machine. Burning yourself out while trying to be perfect, instead of admitting you have flaws sets you up for failure. Understand your vulnerabilities ahead of time and approach goals accordingly.
· Pace Yourself
Set achievable goals while knowing your flaws aren’t totally dealt with. You will find time to address your weaknesses, so in the meantime aim for something achievable. Instead of getting frustrated that you aren’t perfect, stay positive and remember that you’re a work in progress.
7. Confront Fear
The fear of our flaws is often the source of self-imposed paralysis. Thinking about imperfections and vulnerabilities in new ways can alleviate that. This is the kind of humbling, strengthening challenge that makes a good life experience.
· Stare Down Your Imperfection
Instead of staying in your head, plagued by endless “what if” questions, put yourself in situations where you have to confront your imperfections and vulnerabilities. The exposure will make you not only more tolerant of yourself, but more tolerant of other people’s flaws.
· Investigating Your Imperction
Your various imperfections are important to figuring out what makes you tick. If you can successfully probe the nature of your flaws, you can learn interesting new things about yourself. With that information, you can set goals for yourself that more closely match what you want in life.
· The Wrong Kind Of Fear
You can’t live in fear of yourself. What sort of life is it where you recoil, terrified at your own character traits? You’ll be held back from achievement if you’re not at peace with yourself. With a little positive thinking, you can think of your flaws as motivators on the road to betterment.
8. Confidence
Everyone needs confidence to survive. Some people struggle their whole life to maintain it. Confidence is associated with leadership and ambition but also with arrogance and insincerity. Some assume that those with confidence don’t have imperfections that bother them, but that’s not the case.
· Personality Regulation
It’s actually good to have character flaws because they keep you in check. Some research shows that high confidence isn’t the same as healthy confidence since overconfident people can be defensive and preoccupied with their self-worth. Coping with your flaws actually makes you balanced. Imagine there was literally nothing negative about you. It would enable a smug sense of superiority. Confidence can come from succeeding even though you have flaws.
· No Secrets
In addition to positive thinking, confidence can build up your ability to live with and call attention to your flaws. According to author Mark Manson, resilience comes from baring your weaknesses for the world to see, which makes others lose their power over you, and permits you to be honest. Acting more honestly relaxes you and keeps your goals in clear sight.
9. Modesty
It should come as no surprise that living with imperfections and vulnerabilities can keep you modest. It’s a good trait that a lot of people have a hard time maintaining. As long as your flaws don’t consume you, having them in the back of your head isn’t so bad.
· Friendliness
Modesty helps you with friendliness, especially if you’re relatable and can relate to others. When you meet someone, consider what your flaws are, and as you get to know the person, you can compare and contrast flaws. This is not only a good way to make conversation, but it also makes you more positive and forgiving of mistakes.
· Open-Mindedness
Research has found that people are frequently overly confident in their own knowledge, although you can’t approach your goals with a level head. Let your flaws guide you by reminding you that you don’t know everything.
Final Thoughts On How Imperfection And Vulnerability Helps You Achieve Goals
Making peace with things you don’t like can be one of the hardest hurdles. But the momentary pain of overcoming it all is better than a life where that stuff goes unresolved. If the insecurity of your weaknesses or imperfections festers too long, you might end up hurting those close to you in your frustration. You owe it to yourself to use your insecurities and vulnerabilities to your advantage and live the best life possible.
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