to make efforts to improve the areas where you are lacking
faire des efforts pour améliorer les domaines où vous avez des lacunes (faire des efforts pour améliorer les domaines où vous avez des lacunes)
"He is trying to work on his weaknesses to become more confident."
"Il essaie de travailler sur ses faiblesses pour devenir plus confiant." (Il essaie de **travailler sur ses faiblesses** pour devenir plus confiant.)
to get clear responses to specific questions
to think about the future instead of the past
to sketch a quick version of an idea
to present ideas to others for consideration
to improve yourself beyond what you thought possible
to reduce the rate of economic expansion