“I was flying by my feelings and would have flown us straight into the ground…”

People look at their limitations as negative, something that constrains them or holds them back. But here’s the truth: your limitations are actually a gift. I know we don’t normally consider our limitations as ‘gifts’ so let me explain.

In our daily lives, we have many limits. Time only allows us 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Our physical bodies only allow us to do things we are healthy and fit enough to do – you can’t run a marathon without being properly fit or lift heavy objects without being strong enough. I cannot design a building or paint a picture because my brain isn’t wired for that.

We sometimes wish we could do more, be more and that often leads us to try to push past those limitations, to our peril. We get our bodies into trouble when we try to physically do too much, leaving us injured, sick or worse. At work, we often try to do more than we should, beyond our capacity or ability and find our results are usually mediocre at best.

In our personal lives, we often leave little time for rest or quality time with friends and loved ones to refresh and restore ourselves. We exceed our limits. This can lead to deadly results for ourselves and our relationships.

Exceeding your limits can result in serious problems. But by recognizing and embracing your limits, you can achieve balance in your life. There’s no greater feeling than knowing your life is healthy and balanced.

Limits Can Save You

When I was in training to be a private pilot, my instructor asked me to put a hooded device over my head. This device kept me from seeing my instruments. He then positioned the aircraft in a straight and level flying position. Then he said, “Now you take the controls and try to hold the aircraft straight and level.” I thought, “I can do this.” Well, I could not. No matter how many times I tried, I could not hold it. I was flying by my feelings and would have flown us straight into the ground if I had continued that exercise.

My instructor, of course, took the controls and asked me to take off my hood and see where I was. I was astonished. I thought I was doing good. So, I realized my limits as a pilot. My feelings were not a good reference. Only by watching my instruments would I be able to fly safely. This became very important when on future flights I was flying at night or into clouds where there was no visual reference to the horizon or ground. I knew that no matter how my body was feeling (turning, ascending, descending feelings) only my instruments were reliable. My feelings were severely limited.

Why Are Limits a Gift?

They Inform Your Decision-Making. When you know your limits, you adjust your thinking to account for them.

They Can Remove Stress If You Allow Them To. There is comfort in knowing your limits. You don’t have to worry or stress over whether to push them. You relax knowing the limit is just that, the limit. You move on.

Limits Highlight Potential Opportunities for Learning/Growth. When you reach limits, you respect them. If you wish to expand your limits, learn more about the limit in question. Seek advice, training or more information. Improve yourself. A limit is not always permanent, especially if it’s a skill-related limit.

Awareness of Them Can Keep You Safe. Just like in my pilot training story above, I knew better than to push the limit in my flying. Staying within the limit keeps you safe, less stressed, making life more enjoyable.

What to Do?

Change Your Mindset. First tell yourself that this limitation is a gift, not a constraint. It’s good.

Stay Within Your Limits. This sometimes takes discipline at first, but once you fully realize this is the winning approach, you quickly and happily stay within your limits.

Avoid Exposing Yourself to Limit Testers. Don’t put yourself into a position, on purpose, where you have your limits repeatedly tested. Sometimes, this is unavoidable, but often we can avoid trouble before it happens.

Enjoy the Balance Limitations Bring. Let your limitations lower your stress. When you respect your limits, acknowledge and embrace them, you move closer to the often elusive ‘balanced life.’ When your personal and professional life is in balance, there is no sweeter place to be.

Learn from Exceeded Limits. For those times where you exceed your limits, go back and think about what happened, what can you learn from it, what can you do differently going forward, and write that in your personal journal. Review it often until it sinks in. Learn that lesson.

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