You never fail to surprise me!

"You never fail to surprise me!" this was a feedback point given to me by a friend. While he said this in a surprising tone, commenting on my work, when I reflect upon his comment, it could mean people often surprise one another with their abilities, work, attitude and sometimes foolish decisions.

This 'surprise' element comes into picture when you have set others' potential to a (imaginary) limit yourself. But should you have any such limitations? Or should you have no expectations at all? Should you look at the journey? Or should you look at the destination?

In times, when we are forced to look at our strengths and areas to improve (sigh! not weaknesses -how many can humbly accept!) and constantly be trashed with questions, "where do you see yourself in next 5 years?" or "How are you planning your next move (new job)?"; our minds are being diverted towards success or lets call it destination.

It will take extra ordinary courage for a person to say, let me try something new, let me fail, let me lose and see what I will gain. It is by looking at such courageous humans, when they succeed in their venture, one tends to get surprised because the other party just demolished their mental restrictions placed about them and their belief system. 

Robert Frost beautifully articulated the same almost a century ago in his classic, 'The Road Not Taken'.

So, should one be bothered about weaknesses? Should you place a mental restriction about others' abilities? (for whatever reason). My answer is two fold - when its about others, ignore their weaknesses. Do not attribute your limitations or weaknesses on others and feel that its their potential. True leaders sense the hidden spark within an individual, nurture it and make fire out of it. Its like sowing a seed, watering it, adding manure and help it grow into a tree. Are there any chances that the seed will not get germinated or the sapling may die? There are. But when you stand under the shade of the giant tree, you'll realize, you've nurtured the spark or the will of a tree inside the seed to grow. The journey you've made along with the tree, amazing.

When it's about you, you should focus on your weaknesses, be fully aware of them and try to overcome them constantly. One school of thought argues, focus on your strengths, work hard to improve them by ignoring weaknesses. Now, when you were a kid and wanted to learn how to ride a bicycle, you were good at walking. If you would've worked on your ability to walk or run well, you'd have become a great runner, but, if you feared falling and thereby not learnt cycling, you would've missed gaining something new. A joy. You would have missed (sometimes) painful then blissful destination of art of cycling. Look at a river, it is destined to meet sea, the moment its born, as a small water flow, on its way, if its blocked by a mountain, does it get disheartened and goes back? It slowly works its way around the mountain. Now, if there is a valley behind the mountain? It still plunges forward, transforming itself into a waterfall and continues on its course. Others?!...they stand admiring the beautiful journey with surprised and appreciative looks :)