One on the most misunderstood statements today is this: “Focus on your strengths and make your weaknesses irrelevant.” 这是今天最容易被误解的一句话：“关注你的强项，忽视无关紧要的弱项。”

Every time I hear or read it, I cringe and think, “What if your weaknesses are relevant?” 当我每次听到或者读这句话时，我就会阿谀奉承的想，“什么弱点才是和你相关的？”

Have you ever heard people make excuses for poor performance? 你是否以前听到有人在自己表现不佳时找借口？

Then they followed it by an explanation like this: “That’s just the way I am; it’s part of my DNA.” 他们一直这样做，并作出这样的解释：“这只是我自己的方式；这是我遗传的一部分。”

Or, “That is one of my weak points.” Or, “I’m just not good at that.”  Then they blow it off like it’s acceptable. 或者是，“这是我的弱点之一。”或者是，“我只是不擅长那样。”然而他们却可以接受所受到的打击。

How much respect would you have for someone who is always late and says, “I’m sorry, but it’s awfully hard for me to be on time.” 你是对一个经常迟到，并说，“对不起，我是一个很难做到准时的人。”的人尊敬多少。

How successful would a tennis player be who is exceptional at every part of his game, but can’t serve? 一个因为意外而不能参加一次比赛的网球选手，将会多么成功呢？

How far within your organization would a person get who does his or her job well, but can’t communicate effectively with co-workers? 在你的组织里一个不能与别人有效的交流，但可以把工作做的很好的人，离成功还有多远？

Or, think about the young father who is a dedicated dad but has a real problem with his temper. 或者，想想年轻时的父亲，他是一个称职的父亲，但是真正的问题是他的脾气。

How do you think his relationship would be with his wife and children if he thought, “I’m so good at everything else, I‘m just not going to worry about my temper? 如果他这样想，“我可以把所有的事情做的很好，我不去担心我的脾气？他们会接受这样的我吗？”

They will have to accept me the way I am”? 你会想到他和他妻子和孩子的关系是怎样的？

For most of us, our weaknesses are relevant and the worst thing we can do is to ignore them or discount their importance. 对于我们中的大部分人来说，有关我们的缺点，能做的最糟糕的事情就是不去理睬它们或对它们的重要性打折扣。

Author Nathaniel S. Summers said, “The strength of a person is often weighed by how they deal with their weaknesses.” 作家纳撒尼尔·萨默斯说，“一个人强项的重要程度是和他们处理缺点有关的。”

When I started my entrepreneurial career 31 years ago, my English was awful. (It had been my worst subject in school.) 当我三十年前开始我的创业生涯的时候，我的英语是极差的。（它是我在学校里最差的一门课程）。

It quickly became clear to me that if I wanted to be successful, I would have to focus on my written communications and make them a strength. 我很快就明白，如果我想成功，就必须关注我的写作交流，并把他们发展成为我的强项。

Today, I proof all my emails and consider the little things I can do to improve my messages, even if they’re casual emails going to my family and friends. 今天，我查阅了我所有的电子邮件和提高我的所有的信息和小事情，即使他们是我家人或朋友的非正式的邮件。

I am an extreme introvert but, because I consciously work on it, no one would ever know if I did not tell them. 我是一个及其内向的人，但我是一个对工作自觉的人。如果我不告诉别人，以前是没人知道的。

I realized if I were going to be successful, I would have to push myself outside my comfort zone and work on my people skills and make them a strength. 我意识到如果我想成功，我强迫自己在工作以外的舒适区，学习人们的技能，并把它们变成强项。