Self-Improvement

Having a Strong Character Comes with These 7 Drawbacks

Published by
Kirstie Pursey

People with a strong character are often confident, assertive, ambitious and hardworking. However, being strong does have its drawbacks.

People with a strong character have a lot going for them. They are usually successful in most things because of their self-discipline and hard work. They know their strengths and abilities and put their skills to good use. When they decide they want something, they rarely take ‘no’ for an answer.

However, having a strong character does come with some drawbacks. It’s a lot of work to show strength and self-discipline all the time. In addition, strong characters often rub others up the wrong way.

Here are 7 drawbacks to look out for if you have a strong character.

1. Other people might be intimidated by you

Strong characters get things done. They have great clarity and focus and work hard to achieve their goals. But they can sometimes intimidate others.

Often, they have such a clear idea of the way to go that they refuse to listen to anyone else’s ideas. They may even ridicule anyone that disagrees with them. This can lead to members of their team not speaking up even if they have valuable input or see a fatal flaw in an idea.

Strong characters can also lose the support and enthusiasm of others by being too domineering. It is wise to work with your colleagues and family and to open up to other people’s ideas and see what they have of value to offer.

2. You may be afraid to show weakness

Strong characters can sometimes be afraid to open up and be vulnerable with others. This means that they don’t always get support when they are struggling.

If strong people can’t admit when they need help, they end up having to deal with difficult situations alone. By refusing to open up honestly to others, they can also prevent people from getting close to them, making relationships hard.

Being a strong character doesn’t mean you can never show emotions. In fact, truly strong people are able to ask for help and be vulnerable with those they trust.

The strongest people are not those who show strength in front of us but those who win battles we know nothing about.
-Unknown

3. Others may take advantage of you

Because strong characters are disciplined and hard-working, others may sometimes leave them to do all the work. Strong people often think they are the best people to do the job anyway so may not mind.

But eventually, this can lead to them being overburdened with tasks while others just sit around passing the time of day.

Not everything needs to be done perfectly. Identify other people’s strengths and then share tasks accordingly.

4. Having to be strong all the time is emotionally exhausting

Being the emotionally strong person at home or at work can be exhausting. If strong people don’t learn to share the load and get support from others, they can burn out, becoming seriously ill and exhausted.

Asking for help is not a sign of weakness and can often be the strongest action to take.

5. You may be a control freak

Strong people really need to be in control of situations. Ambiguity or confusion can make them feel quite anxious. This need for control can lead to problems in relationships where other people may feel dominated, ignored or superfluous.

If strong people can learn to incorporate other people’s strengths into work and relationships, they can make others feel good and improve both the work and the relationship.

6. You can’t always kick back and just enjoy life

Because they need to be in control, strong people find it hard to relax and be spontaneous. This can make life seem hard and boring.

Strong characters can benefit from doing things just for the love of them on occasion. Focusing entirely on outward success does not lead to a balanced and happy life.

6. You may clash with other strong characters

Strong people may find it particularly difficult to deal with other strong characters. When such like-minded people clash, they do so in a big way. Neither person is willing to back down and this can lead to an impasse.

Learning to listen to others, work together and compromise can be very difficult for strong types, but the benefits of collaboration are always worthwhile.

Try to step back and really listen to the other person. Two heads are often better than one and you may be able to create something wonderful if you work together.

Closing thoughts

Strong characters are wonderful. They have loads of energy and motivation. They have amazing self-discipline and a great work ethic. The above drawbacks are common, but they can be overcome. This leads strong people to even more success and a more balanced and happy life.

What do you think are the strengths and weaknesses of strong characters? Share your thoughts with us in the comments.

References:

  1. https://www.psychologytoday.com
  2. http://www.wikihow.com

View Comments

  • Sometimes people with strong character refuse to consider other points of view or belief systems. They can be overconfident in their own world view even when it's not working for them.

Published by
Kirstie Pursey