5 Negative Traits You Actually Need
“It may help to understand human affairs to be clear that most of the great triumphs and tragedies of history are caused, not by people being fundamentally good or fundamentally bad, but by people being fundamentally people.” ― Neil Gaiman, Good Omens: The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch
None of us are perfect. We don’t really know how to be perfect. Yet we can’t help but try, which leads to a lot of frustration.
“If only I wasn’t so…”
But what if it wasn’t a bad thing? Here are 5 traits that we tend to think are bad, but can really be useful if we understand how to use them:
Stubbornness
“When someone tells me “no,” it doesn’t mean I can’t do it, it simply means I can’t do it with them.” ― Karen E. Quinones Miller
People are told to stop being so stubborn, but is it really all that bad? From another perspective, it can also be called “Tenacity,” which is a desirable trait. See also: determined, willful, persistent and steadfast.
These are the people that overcome incredible odds being stacked against them because they won’t give up. We typically consider this an inspiration.
Recklessness
“You cannot swim for new horizons until you have courage to lose sight of the shore.” ― William Faulkner
Sometimes following our intuition can be seen as crazy or thoughtless. No matter how much we have thought it out and planned and plotted. It’s called taking a risk.
Sure, it doesn’t always turn out the way we plan, but it’s also rarely as bad as nay-sayers claim it will be.
Passivity
“Trees that are slow to grow bear the best fruit.” ― Molière
Also known as patience, a well-respected virtue. Battles are lost on occasion, so that we can win the war. Pick your battles and realize that sometimes, they just aren’t important in the long run.
Find that of great worth and make sure you work towards and wait for it.
Weirdness
“…everybody wants to make a difference, but nobody is willing to be different.”
― Andy Andrews, The Little Things: Why You Really Should Sweat the Small Stuff
Being weird means you stand out. People see you, hear you, in a world of endless noise and images. You have a unique ability. You have something good in your life. Share it.
It’s so much easier to see the real side of people and know who to keep in your life.
Egotism
“Confidence is knowing who you are and not changing it a bit because of someone’s version of reality is not your reality.” ― Shannon L. Alder
Just because someone else can’t see your talents and abilities doesn’t mean they aren’t there. Use that confidence. You know what you can do and what you are capable of.
Don’t let others hold you back from doing awesome things.
Conclusion
“A rose by any other name would smell as sweet.” ― William Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet
People will try to label you and say you have a certain characteristic. It may be true, but that doesn’t mean it’s bad. Every trait we have has it’s own purpose, just like you do. Find their purpose, then use them to find yours.
Call to Action
Do you have weird traits I didn’t mention? Get my free guide Turn Your Negative Traits into Assets. Find out how to use all of your traits to your advantage with my Free Guide.
