The Hidden Saboteurs – Ignoring Your Blind Spots Holds You Back From Success
Written by: Vince Morales, Senior Level Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
We all have blind spots. It’s easier to spot the weaknesses in others than it is to spot them in yourself. We’re good at viewing ourselves through a very rose-colored lens.
Most of us have little understanding of how we appear to the world. We don’t fully understand how people view us and our actions. It’s evident to everyone else. But we are all lacking in self-awareness.
There are many examples of blind spots:
You’re late consistently and have little appreciation for the impact it has on others
You date the same type of people over and over and wonder why your relationships fail
You value being right over finding a solution when faced with a disagreement
The problem with blind spots is that you don’t even know they exist. Correcting a challenge you don’t even know you have is hard. It’s also hard to utilize a strength you’re not aware of.
“Until you make the unconscious conscious, it will direct your life and you will call it fate.” – Carl Jung
Your blind spots are causing more harm than you think. Here are some ways to identify them
1. Ask others for feedback. If you can find someone thoughtful who knows you well, they can be a goldmine of information about yourself. The only challenge is finding someone who cares about you and is willing, to be honest with you. This can be a challenging conversation for someone to have with you.
Ask your friends and family how you can improve your approach to life. Ask them what they think you fail to see or to understand about yourself.
2. Look at your strengths. All strengths come with weaknesses. Those who take bold action typically fail to plan sufficiently. Those who love to design and gather information often fail to take sufficient action.
Consider your strengths and the associated weaknesses that are packaged with those strengths. Are you able to see any of those weaknesses in yourself?
3. Consider your weaknesses. Blind spots aren’t always negative. You might be blind to the incredible strength you have. All of your weaknesses also have a positive component. For example, you might be terrible in social situations with large crowds. However, that likely means you’re pretty good with people on one. Or, you might be great at spending time alone.
Your weaknesses are hiding some of your greatest strengths. Take a long, hard look at your shortcomings for these favorable blind spots.
4. Examine each area of your life. Consider your finances, relationships, social life, career, health, and any other part of your life you think is relevant. What are the blind spots you’re missing? Look at those parts of your life that you find dissatisfying. If you’re failing and don’t know why, you have a blind spot.
5. Test yourself. There are lots of psychological assessments you can take online. While most of these are rather primitive, there are some good ones. These often list your tendencies, strengths, and weaknesses. These can help you to identify your blind spots.
6. Get professional help. A good therapist has seen it all. They will be able to identify your blind spots very quickly. This might be the most effective option if you have the funds to spare.
It’s not a question of whether or not you have blind spots. The question is, what are your blind spots? They exist, but are you able to identify them? Your blind spots are sabotaging your results in life. Find your blind spots and address them. You’ll find that many of your frustrations will fade away.
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Vince Morales, Senior Level Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
Vince Morales is a mindset, self-image, and resilience coach. In addition, he is skilled in leadership consultation and development. From April 2016 to June 2017, Vince was a homeless veteran in San Diego, CA. While homeless, he made a powerful decision to change his thinking and mindset, launching into life coaching. He developed a niche for resilience and mindset coaching. The growth of his business ultimately led to the end of his homelessness. Vince is the Founder of Validus Coaching & Consulting, formerly Zoe Transformation. His story has been featured in online articles and online news outlets all over the U.S. He is a certified John Maxwell Team Coach, Trainer, & Speaker, as well as a motivational speaker. In 2021, Vince earned his Master's degree in Psychology of Leadership from Penn State University and is currently a doctoral student pursuing a Ph.D. in Performance Psychology. He is a 2020 inductee into The National Society of Leadership and Success.
