Learning to Embrace Your Blind Spots

We are in a culture that favors heroic accomplishments over collaboration. Because of this, it is easy to fall into the pattern of showing others we are indestructible, that we have no weaknesses. The ego convinces us we need to be good at everything and when we are not, the dark inner voices start whispering and we beat ourselves up.

Time and again I’ve put a lot of pressure on myself — thinking it was my job to know all the answers. Even though it was one of the toughest lessons for me to swallow, building Creative Science Labs has taught me to put my ego aside and learn that it’s OK to say, “I don’t know.” This “I don’t know” has turned into one of my greatest assets, changing the trajectory of my company for the better.

True creativity is an act of courage that takes recognizing our blind spots and admitting what we are not good at. I’ve come to learn that this often separates the good entrepreneurs from the great ones.

As I built my company, I thought I could be everything to everyone. Turns out there were departments that were falling short. Revenue was growing but we were struggling to get ahead. Our team was doing amazing work but something just wasn’t clicking. We were acquiring new clients but struggling to become profitable.

Putting aside my ego has allowed me to identify my own blind spots and ask for help in areas where I am weak. My experience has taught me that we don’t meet success because we know the answers — we meet success because we become really good at figuring out how to find those answers. That is true brilliance.

After months of trying to fix it myself, I reached out to an entrepreneurship group I am part of, YEC (Young Entrepreneurs Council). Within minutes I had half a dozen entrepreneurs contacting me, willing to help me identify what might be at the root of the issue. Many of them had been through the same exact thing. They approached me with the same humility I approached them.

After multiple conversations I was able to really hone in on the things we were doing that were working and identify the things that weren’t working. With their help, we began to fix things. I ended up contracting a number of experts in various areas to help us fix parts of my company. It was one of the best decisions I’ve made and we’re much better off today because of it.

With their help, we began to fix things.

Admitting that maybe I wasn’t good at everything changed the conversation. Bringing experts in offered real change in the form of collaboration.

So what is at the heart of problem solving? Knowing what you don’t know. Embrace the blind spot and the breakthrough will happen. Brilliance comes from collaboration and knowing where your strengths and weaknesses lie. Find the answer by being part of the tribe.

Until next time,

Nate

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