As a society we have begun to acknowledge the “dark” side of certain strengths – such as acknowledging the concept of “perfectionism” as being a potentially negative aspect of a positive commitment to excellence. But there are many other strengths that can damage your life if they do not fit with the other aspects of who you are (with your physical endurance, desires for balance in your life, etc.), whose potentially harmful affects have not yet been widely acknowledged. We all tend to unconsciously accept the notion that if something is “good” then having “more” of that good thing is better. With strengths that is not always true. Sometimes it is essential for the sake of your sanity, personal enjoyment, and health to temper your application of some of your strengths and to recognize that it is OK to do so.

The strengths that can be the most potentially damaging are those that consume massive amounts of energy – such as a tendency toward perfectionism, absolute commitment, and dogged perseverance. They can force you past your natural energy limits into exhaustion, and deplete not only your physical energy but also your mental, emotional, and spiritual energy as well. They can cause you to hyperfocus to the exclusion of other critical elements of your life and relationships.

3. Strengths become part of your identity

Our natural strengths tend to show themselves early in life and typically draw admiration from others even when we are children. Thus we grow up with an intuitive sense that these strengths are a part of who we are. When we are continuously rewarded or recognized for these strengths we will naturally strive to apply them more and more often until they become part of our unconscious identity. Once we begin to identify with our strengths it becomes very hard not to apply them in all situations and under all circumstances, or to rein them in in any way.

4. People often recognize your strengths and use them against you

What boss would not love to have an employee who is totally committed, ultra responsible and who perseveres no matter what the assignment or challenge? We as humans tend to have a natural ability to recognize strengths in others and to exploit these strengths, even if we do so unconsciously or with no mal intent. Thus if you have such strengths (e.g., commitment, responsibility, perseverance) it will not be uncommon for you to find yourself being given more and more responsibility and/or tougher assignments, or being counted on in crunch situations to pull things through. Because your natural tendency is to apply your strengths full force in all situations this can create havoc with your work/life balance and your health.