The Value of Knowing Your Limitations

Even when you say, "The sky's the limit.", you have set a boundary. That's not necessarily a bad thing.

Being process oriented; aware of, connected to and engaged with the process, enables us to achieve our goals. Whether the goal takes the form of a product, a service, realizing an idea, developing a vision, or taking the initiative, it is the process that will lead us to a successful outcome.

Often the process feels like it’s too much to take on. In response to being overwhelmed by a situation or event in which we feel out of control, we often try to regain that control by organizing ourselves.

One way we do that is by compartmentalizing all the factors involved. Great idea as long as we do this to help us focus and to enable us to see the big picture with more clarity. But if we do this in a way that disconnects those factors from each other, we do ourselves a disservice. We can no longer see that big picture; instead, we’ve created many blind spots.

This is the difference between setting limitations that work for us, versus setting limitations that work against us.

Since my mother passed away at the end of August of this year, I found myself in an overwhelming situation. As a result, I put things in different compartments. I found that as long as I was able to function in one compartment at a time, I was able to cope. But, as life would have it, I found that I couldn’t function overall by merely stepping in and out those compartments. I was literally living in pieces.

This led to a humbling experience; I realized that I have limitations. I had to acknowledge that there are things I can do, and that there are things I can’t.

By seeing limitations from a perspective of humility, it enabled me to understand limitations as an aid rather than a negative attribute.

We are taught the negativity of limitations through its definition: “A condition of limited ability; a defect or failing.” Other definitions to limited include:

1. confined within limits; restricted or circumscribed; a limited space; limited resources.

2. characterized by an inability to think imaginatively or independently; lacking originality or scope; narrow: a rather limited intelligence.

I was curious. I asked a number of friends of mine: Please text me the first 3 words that come to mind when you see the word limitations. About 90% wrote back the same words found in the definition above. Yet, the other 10% used words that went beyond the definition. For example:

1. Self-imposed or externally caused; manageable or overwhelming; unwanted or embraceable (3 pairs)

2. There are none. (3 words)

3. Challenge, part of life, chance to grow

Words like limitations, boundaries, restrictions, have often been used as a means to prevent growth and development, rather than their true potential of providing a safe environment for growth and development. This is equally applicable to both human and corporate development.

Interestingly enough, one context for a non-negative view of the meaning of limited is found in business. The business title of LTD, gives us objective information about the structure of the business, rather than its deficits.

Once I was able to view my limitations as part of the process, rather than as a block to my ability to move forward, I regained control. I used compartments as a means to organize, while being able to understand how each compartment related to the others.

Once I felt more in control, I expanded some of my compartments into areas. What I ended up having was a different set of boundaries or limitations for each compartment or area; different sizes within which to maneuver and different amounts of supports. No one compartment looked the same as the other. Each reflecting my individual needs.

This brings me to beBee. I realized at one point that I couldn’t do what I needed to do after my mother passed away and continue to be engaged in beBee in the same way as before. Once away, I didn’t know what I would be returning to and what the consequences of being away would be.

Now, upon my return, I can say how thrilled I was to see how busy beBee has been. I received literally hundreds of notifications of activity; writing/producing honey, sharing, finding buzzes relevant, and commenting. I had to acknowledge my limitation of being able to “catch up”, to read and respond to these hundreds of notifications. In this way I needed to accept that there was a loss to my being away, but that I can now move ahead and begin anew. 

The barrier was lifted.

I begin anew within a dynamic environment that is growing and, in this way, beBee, too, is expanding its boundaries. With beBee, as in any area in which we find ourselves, the only negative limitations are ones which would be self-imposed. My respect to all of you who do not perceive limits as a negative and are engaged in the process that leads to success.