Oct 30, 2018
I’ve been meaning to review a book and discuss this topic for some time. It relates to self-limiting beliefs that keep us from pursuing the career that we’re meant for; a career that bring us joy and fulfillment; a career that utilizes our personal and professional gifts.
Have you ever noticed that just when some people have made it, just when they reach new heights in their career or their relationship, something happens to undermine it?
Have you ever been in a relationship that seems to be getting better and better, when you and your spouse or fiancé get into an argument over some trivial or otherwise forgettable issue?
What about the entertainer who seems to be an overnight success, often after years of struggling, only to suffer a disaster like a drug overdose or major automobile accident?
This is a phenomenon called the Upper Limit Problem by Gay Hendricks, in his book The Big Leap. And its one of several very interesting and useful concepts he describes in his book.
This book as been out since 2011. However, I first read it earlier this year (2018) after hearing Cliff Ravenscraft talk about it. Cliff is a podcaster that I often listen to. He is probably one of the most experienced podcasters in the world.
Cliff has been hosting podcasts for more than a decade. He’s known as the Podcast Answer Man and has literally taught thousands of people how to produce a podcast through his personal coaching, mastermind groups and paid courses.
He recently devoted several episodes to the concepts he learned in The Big Leap. I think he even interviewed the author for his podcast he was so taken by the book.
So, I read the book myself. And then read it again over the past few weeks.
I believe that the concepts that Hendricks presents ring true. And they might help you to understand what’s holding you back from pursuing a truly wonderful and fulling career.
So, today I want to present what I’ve learned form the book, with examples from my life, and some of the stories in the book and expressed by Cliff Ravenscraft in his attempts to implement its ideas.
The first concept Hendricks discussed is the Upper Limit Problem.
He describes this as an internal set point, beyond which we sabotage ourselves from achieving happiness and success. He describes it as “an inner thermostat that determines how much love, success, and creativity we allow ourselves to enjoy.”
This tendency has a number of causes that Hendricks gets into. Generally, it’s a deeply held, but subconscious, belief from our childhood that pulls us down when we start to exceed the upper limit.
Cliff Ravenscraft described his work as the Podcast Answer Man and how he reached an income plateau that he could not exceed. He created new products and services, and temporarily exceeded the income plateau. But his income always dropped down below the old ceiling, until he implemented the strategies outlined in Hendrick’s book.
The author provides other examples in the book about the Upper Limit Problem, in which people cannot tolerate success, such as:
Hendricks explains that people may achieve a personal achievement, but then subequestly self-destruct.
The Four Zones
To fully understand the concept of the Upper Limit Problem, you need to understand what it keeps you from. And that’s what Gay Hendricks calls your Zone of Genius.
Intuitively, it makes sense to me that we function in one of four zones.
The Zone of Incompetence consists of things we are no good at. That’s pretty simple. I shouldn’t try to repair snowmobiles or play the piano. I think golf also fits that category for me.
Sometimes we work in our zone of incompetence out of necessity. We need to make a quick buck.
I remember trying to work as a chef at a restaurant chain while still in college. I had no idea what I was doing, and I had to go through a training process.
Until I started to get the hang of it, I was definitely in my Zone of Incompetence and several meals had to be discarded rather than being served.
The next level is the Zone of Competence. That doesn’t sound bad.
Many of us have spent some time there. We can do the job, but there are others who can do it better.
Doing the accounting for my small practice probably fit in that category. I could do it easily enough, but there were definitely those that could do it better.
And it was smart of me to delegate that to someone for whom accounting was in the next level for them: The Zone of Excellence.
The Zone of Excellence is that career, hobby, or relationship in which you can comfortably perform very well, probably better than most.
Most of you probably functioned at this level when leaving residency. You’ve spent years learning your profession. You still continue to learn, but you perform at a level above those who have been out of residency for years and have failed to keep up with medical advances.
When I hear first heard this term, I thought "YES"! This is where we want to be. Excellence is a good thing.
But my eyes were opened when I read the book, and listened to Cliff’s discussion of the Zone of Genius. This is “the set of activities you are uniquely suited to do. They draw on your special gifts and strengths.” according to Hendricks.
When performing in this Zone, you’re often in “the zone” or in "flow" or in “deep work” as described by Cal Newport. Time seems to fly by. You're being creative, and producing awesome results. You feel no resistance, because it is what you were born to do.
Wow - now that sounds even better than the Zone of Excellence.
Getting back to Cliff Ravenscraft. He was obviously in his Zone of Genius when he became the Podcast Answer Man. He created training for this new medium. He loved what he was doing. He became the number one go-to person for learning podcasting, both the technical and the creative sides of it.
Drifting from Zone of Genius Back to Zone of Excellence
But over time, he slipped into his Zone of Excellence and it became boring and no longer challenging. He discovered that he wanted to go back into the Zone of Genius, so he redefined his business. He's described how he now wants to help clients avoid or recover from burnout by earning an income from the work that they feel most called to do in this world. So, he completely gave up podcast training and devotes himself to being a coach, mentor, mastermind group leader and public speaker.
I think my Zone of Genius, what I was born to do, is to inspire, encourage and teach physicians how to find their Zone of Genius. And for some, that means encouraging and mentoring them as leaders.
Living in the Zone of Genius
The last half of Hendricks' book is devoted to steps you can take to live more fully in your Zone of Genius. Cliff has made a commitment to live in his Zone of Genius at least 80% of the time.
I’m still learning these concepts. And I’m committed to working through the exercises outlined in the Big Leap.
Conclusion
I want you to think about which Zone you're working in. Are you living in your Zone of Genius? Or have you capitulated to living in the Zone of Competence or Excellence?
Are you still subject to the Upper Limit Problem?
I certainly don’t have all of the answers. But I encourage you to read the book and let me know what you think.
And don’t let your Upper Limit Problem keep you from making the Big Leap to your next career.