Every person does suffer from a weakness, either by a personality trait, behavioral trait or a social trait. But very few recognise the same and convert them into strengths which later helps them in the long term. Mr.Verghese, a Factory Supervisor working for a Public Limited Company. A very relegious man, but short tempered. I was conducting a Personal Effectiveness Training Program for this company. Mr.Verghese, one of the participants, after doing the SWOT Analysis Exercise came to me and asked.

"Shabbar, tell me one thing. I'm very religious type of a person. Every morning before the shift starts, I do pray for 10 mininutes in the factory shop floor, religiously and regularly." he went on.. "But immediately after my prayers, I have to go to the shop floor and blast out at my subordinates, and the factory workers."

When I asked him why? he said, "Shabbar, these fools, if you don't use slang they do not understand, they do not start their work.", "And above all they call me Bald", "If you don't get angry then what do you do with these people?"

After analysing the whole issue, I understood that the real problem is not at the shop floor or with the subordinates or the workers. The main culprit is the baldness of Mr.Verghese, which is a major weakness which he is experiencing. Some of the notorious factory workers have found a way to upset Mr.Verghese, i.e. call him "Bald" or pass a comment, and then for a few minutes everybody will enjoy Mr.Verghese in re-action.

I asked Mr.Verghese a simple question. i.e. "Mr.Verghese tell me, if people start calling you "Beautiful" instead of "Bald" will you like it." Prompt came the reply, "it will sound wierd. "

Next I asked, "can you grow hair on your head now? You can use shampoo, oil, tonic, massage or a Wig" and he said "In the last 30 years he has tried it all, but nothing works?"

Next I asked, "What can you do," and he said "I don't know, why has god made me "Bald", i feel frustrated"

Just at that moment I said, "Mr.Verghese, God have created a few perfect head, rest of them are covered with hair" and he smiled.

Friends, check out, there are so many people who raise their blood pressure, feel frustrated and depressed because of some of their weakness which they just cannot change, or have no direct control over it. What they can best do is, first accept it and then start loving it, because god has made them like that.

Friends, you just cannot change the colour of your skin, your place of birth, your parental background, your past. Can, you convert your weakness into your strength. Can, this weakness become an opportunity for you to grow.

OH GOD,
GRANT ME THE SERENITY TO ACCEPT
THE THINGS THAT I CANNOT CHANGE,
THE COURAGE TO CHANGE
THE THINGS THAT I CAN,
AND THE WISDOM TO UNDERSTAND
THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE TWO.

Mr.Verghese, having got some insight into Positive Attitude, next time when his factory people call him "Bald", he just started smiling and replying them, "Tell me... what happen.. and those people started getting surprised and over a period of time they stopped calling him "Bald".

So next time when somebody (points at your weakness or your shortcomings, instead of getting short tempered, make that as an opportunity to grow. Make this weakness as your greatest strength. Create this as an opportunity to grow rather then dealing it as a threat.

Contributed by : Shabbar Suterwala