“To be aware of a single shortcoming in oneself is more useful than to be aware of a thousand in someone else.” -The Dalai Lama

Have you noticed how people can point out the tiniest flaw in others but fail to recognize their biggest shortcomings? It’s not surprising how we also tend to focus more on a single bad quality despite someone having a lot of good qualities..

If you’re given a chance, you might be able to count hundreds of faults on others and find none on yourself. But the Dalai Lama says otherwise – instead of focusing on the shortcomings of others, it is better to be self-aware of your own flaws.

Seeing The Good In Others

Even if you can justify your criticism of others, you should divert your attention towards the qualities which are worthy of praise. Finding faults in others is a recipe for souring your ties with people. Your family and friends may not appreciate the constant nitpicking from your side and you may end up hurting the people around you and yourself.

Someone might have ten good qualities and only five bad ones. You can either choose to focus on the ten or the five. But which one will make things worse? If your mind keeps coming back to the five bad qualities even when there are hundreds of good qualities, you are making yourself unhappy . So, choose to see the good in others, and things will be merrier.

Being Self-Aware

Sometimes, just having a close look in the mirror at ourselves may not be enough. We have become so used to looking at our reflection that we see nothing of the ordinary. So, it’s time for you to use a magnifying glass and closely inspect your reflection once again. This time, you may be able to see the spots you have missed the first time.

There is no shame in being aware of your flaws because only after acknowledging those can you reform yourself. Though it might be difficult for you to accept the fact that you have faults, remember that you need to be self-aware to become an even better person than you already are. And you won’t be able to do that if you don’t realize your flaws.

Even if your shortcomings are as small as a needle in a haystack, it’s no secret that needles can pierce through flesh. So, what you perceive to be an insignificant flaw may be capable of causing an excessive amount of pain to you and others. So, even if it is just a needle, it is better to take it out and be safe.