http://changethis.com/manifesto/show/45.02.FreakFactor
RESPONSE:
David Rendall’s Freak Factor doesn’t really appear to be more than a motivational speech. In this article we find Rendall explaining that no one truly has weaknesses if you harness them the correct way and look at the positive outcome of the weakness you possess. Essentially the article is offering 9 ways for self-improvement. Rendall begins these by stating, “efforts to fix weaknesses are ineffective,” therefore suggesting that there is a better way to fix your downfalls and improve your life. He proceeds to give us these nine ways to do so only after telling his reader that becoming well rounded is impossible and undesirable, which he has learned through his life experience as an individual, consultant, parent, and leader.
As an individual I found all but two of his 9 steps to improvement extremely invalid, especially with his use of non-self experience examples to support his theory.
I began to realize this right from the start with part three “Flawless: There’s Nothing Wrong With You.”
First off this title has already made the author a hypocrite for he has already stated, “everyone has limitations,” which is a nice way of stating everyone has something wrong with them. Now instead of step three saying everyone has something wrong with them so why worry about it, it states that every weakness is complimented by a strength therefore is not a weakness. He even goes as far as to say that these pairs of strengths and weaknesses are “unique characteristics” that is inseparable. For instance in his homemade list if you are a positive person you are dammed to be unrealistic.
His quality references prove his case. For instance Albert Einstein had a messy desk and he was creative, and even Andy Rooney said, “creativity doesn’t come out of order, it comes out of messiness.” If that doesn’t convince you that creativity comes with messiness, I don’t know what will. On top of that having addictions is actually a strength as well. Todd Crandell was a drug addict for 15 years and now that he is addicted to ironman triathlons all is well. So don’t worry if you are scrounging around for meth for 15 years there is nothing wrong with you, for eventually you’ll become addicted to something else due to your uniqueness of intensity.
Step three is nothing, but a way to feel better about yourself. Instead of excepting a weakness Rendall is asking us to look at the strength that comes with the weakness. In the end I feel the best way to avoid being a mess or an addict is to clean your room or go to rehab rather than smile and say hey I have strengths too. Why not smile and say hey I have one more thing that isn’t a detriment to my life?
The second step that I find extremely invalid would be part 8 “The Power of Uniqueness.”
Here we find Rendall describe how the Leaning Tower of Pisa, is such a great attraction because it is unique. Who would go see an impressive display of architecture if it wasn’t leaning?
Building off this example he gives five lessons learned from the tower ending with, “people will always try to get you to straighten up, to be normal, to stop being a freak. Don’t pay attention to them. Just ask them how many people would travel halfway around the world to see the Perfectly Vertical and Normal tower of Pisa.” Rendall let me ask you how many people travel around the world to see the Empire State Building or the Eiffel Tower?
I do agree with Rendall that uniqueness is something to embrace. Believing in yourself and holding on to your weird aspects will ultimately make you a happier person. Yet if you are a person who isn’t leaning this doesn’t mean you won’t be successful.
People are unique and some people blend in, yet both types of these people potential could have some form of success. All in all everyone human being is unique. People can try to be fake or act like someone else, but no two people possess the same genetics. I guess what I’m saying is that ultimately being unique isn’t a weakness and shouldn’t even be looked at as one. If this section was titled “be yourself,” and elaborated more on personality rather than if you are physically leaning or different. You should embrace your uniqueness, Rendall is right, but unique to me is a positive word. If you embrace your uniqueness it would appear again no weakness has been conquered by step 8 nor has any knowledge for your well being.
Stepping aside from being a negative nancy / realistic, according to Rendall, I’m going to move on to a positive of this list which would, again according to Rendall, prove to be unrealistic.
I feel part five, “Build on Your Strengths” is the best possible thing Rendall has given to his reader. People should be focusing on their strengths and moving on with their lives. Dwelling over your weaknesses will get you no where unless its legitimately something that needs fixed, such as addiction.
Also this is the only advice Rendall provides that legitimately makes you feel better about possessing a weakness. In part five he says your strengths make up for your weaknesses, which couldn’t be anymore true. If you focus on your strengths enough and become proficient at them the good will begin to outweigh the bad.
I don’t feel that by doing this you can necessarily ignore the weaknesses you possess, but if you are truly down on yourself work on something that makes you feel good, as Rendall says.
The best way to overcome your weaknesses would definitely fall in this category. When you become proficient at what you do you tend to have more spare time in your life, allowing for the fixing of your flaws. Also focusing on your strengths ultimately will make you feel better, and send you in a direction that puts you forward in life rather than looking back at you think you should fix.
Rendall also states, “You have the greatest potential in your areas of strength.” I couldn’t agree with him more, which is why I feel this is one of the few valid points he makes throughout the article. Focusing on your potential will get you somewhere, focusing on detrimental flaws will not.
Within the creative process I would have to say I have more strengths than weaknesses, which is egotistical, but probably/hopefully how my peers feel about themselves. I find myself very tenacious, passionate, patient, and original when it comes to my creative process.
My patience allows me to work with others as we bounce ideas off each other to come to a happy medium. I’ve found my tenacity through how many times I’m willing to reshoot a scene or mess with a camera angle in order to get the shot / scene I’m filming just right. Finally I’m passionate and original in my filming process, for I find myself doing projects composed of several mediums and usually written by myself as well as for the reason that it will better me in life rather than a grade in class.
I feel my weaknesses are an extreme case of procrastination and a bit too large of an ego. My procrastination has gotten to a point where everything is last minute and I’m even writing paper the morning before the class. In fact I’m doing all three of these blogs on the last night I possibly could. On top of this my ego seems to be keeping me from collaborating with people by my own choice. I need to find a way to overcome this since making a movie is definitely not a one man job, however it seems impossible for me to do so because I want everything done just right. Overall I need to focus on trusting my peers as much as myself.
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