One can only put their best foot forward once.  After the good foot is extended, you have to drag along that worthless appendage on the end of your other leg.  That, or you could lop it off, but I recommend the former.  Think about your worst foot…

Admit to having a Worst Foot (and actually needing it).

Most likely your worst foot is as useful in matriculating from Point A to Point B as your best foot.  You probably won’t use it to kick field goals; but in daily operations our weaknesses are as much a part of us as our strengths.

The Worst Foot is the “balance” foot.

For the most part, balance is overrated.  I mean, when you try to live balanced, you spend an inordinate amount of time perfecting skills that you simply don’t have.  You already have led with your best foot, now what?  You can build up your worst foot through discipline.  This isn’t a bad idea, but these are the areas where balance becomes key.

Say you’re starting a business: you can add and subtract, but should you really become your own accountant?  Spiritually speaking, there are people who are gifted to pray or to give or to counsel.  Assuming these are not areas of strength, you can build them up as part of your spiritual disciplines, but not as one who is graced to perform these actions in the same way you are gifted to sing or be hospitable.

Spiritually speaking, perfecting your worst foot is a recipe for guilt, and guilt is the beginning of inaction.  You do what you gotta do.  There are people who actually enjoy praying.  You hate it.  Should you do it?  Yes.  Should you make it a goal to pray it like my friend Prayer Dave?  No.  I can’t, and I serve God most effectively when I am not living under a cloud of guilt.

You’re an animal with your best foot; unbalanced in every way!  That’s good, because that is an expression of who you are supposed to be.  You are cautious with the worthless foot.  You exercise it.  You use it, but…

The Worst Foot is an invitation to relationships.

Inviting someone to assist you where you are weak allows others to become more significant in your life.  I just got home from a meeting with an accomplished friend.  He has been sharing valuable information with me; I NEED it.  Beyond simple information though, I have a real-life model, whom I respect.  If I had not admitted to having a worst foot, I’d be sitting around with an idea and a head full of question marks.

Gateway to growth.

These relationships are necessary for growth; personally, in business, even spiritually.  And these relationships exist because we admit weakness.  Earlier in the week I worked with a friend tweaking the language of his business.  My best foot was substituted for his worst foot.

Don’t be afraid to ask your talented friend for assistance in your areas of weakness.  Most of the time it feels better to give than to receive.

Grace.