Don't Serve Assholes.

One of my superpowers is my ability to innately understand what other people want and to take pleasure in creating that outcome.

It’s a huge part of my successes — in relationships, at work and creatively.

But, as with all strengths, it has a corresponding weakness: I often find it very difficult to know what I want. In truth, I think I’m not nearly as practiced at listening.

Other’s wants tend to be louder and more obvious, in my own mind. And because meeting them yields such success, and success is a positive feedback loop, I haven’t done a ton of learning in this area.

Except for big lessons.

Of which, there has been a few.

And it all boils down to: Don’t Serve Assholes.

At core, I’m not sure I can fundamentally change my ability to read and understand other people’s wants, or my drive to meet them. And I’m not sure that I would even want to. It is a super power.

But there are times when it doesn’t serve me, just as there are times that your strengths don’t serve you.

I’m lucky that the solution is simple (but not easy): I can take pleasure in sating other’s wants and needs, but I need to make sure I hard pass on assholes.