A 66th Birthday Meditation. My Weakness Matters

Dr John Ng 5 min read

When I was younger, I focused on my strengths.

I used to think, ‘Focus on my strengths until my weaknesses become irrelevant’.
I thank God for the gifts He has given me.
My relational ability has brought me many friends and drawn me closer to them.
As a result, I have developed a vast network of trusting relationships, which allow me to connect and enable them to serve with me in many of our projects.

Another gift that God has blessed me with is my ability to analyze, synthesize and apply. I first learned this when I was pursuing my doctoral studies. This ability to think analytically and strategically has continually to sharpen over the last 25 years during my consulting and coaching work at META (Making Enterprises Truly Amazing).

Finally, God has gifted me with boundless creative energy to reinvent myself and the work I do. I am a firm believer of Peter Drucker’s definition of a change leader: Continually discard the obsolescent and obsolete, continually improve, continually exploit success and continually innovate. To stagnate is to die.

But as I grow older, I have become more cognizant and appreciative of my weaknesses.
I recognize that my strengths can be my weaknesses.
My strengths can make me more arrogant.
During my younger days, my staff used to call me, Superman, making me think I am almost invincible.
Right now, I would rather be Clark Kent, a human with many weaknesses.
I am more conscious that my weaknesses are never irrelevant.
In fact, my weaknesses can also be my strengths.

How so?

  • Weakness makes me cognizant of the brevity and frailty of life as my body weakens and cannot function as effectively as before. ‘The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak’ is truer than ever.
  • Weakness shows me the true value of family, friends, colleagues, and partners. I can’t live life or lead an organization alone. I cannot take them for granted or neglect them.
  • Weakness helps me become a life-long learner. I have to unlearn, learn and relearn many things in my life.
  • Weakness enables me to ‘suffer with people’ because I know what it means to be weak.
  • Weakness shows me that people who are differently gifted (‘people with handicaps’) have so much to give.
  • Weakness has changed my perspective on failures, which have become my best masters.
  • Weakness keeps me humble and pushes me to recognize my constantly need for and dependence on God.

Truly, thank God, I am weak.  Without Him, I can do nothing.

My life verse is, ’My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. 10 That’s why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.’
2 Cor 12: 9-10

Check out my NEXLeaders.com course, Unleashing the Greatness in You.

Dr John Ng
Chief Passionary Officer,
Meta Consulting

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