Don’t Let Your Ability Get In The Way Of Your Capability
By
Bill Cottringer

“You see things; and you say, 'Why?' But I dream things that never were; and I say, 'Why not?'” ~ George Bernard Shaw.

Is your current limited ability interfering with your desire and effort to explode into your unlimited capability? Is there a gap between the current you and the ideal you that you want to be and know you can be? Are you having trouble seeing past the roadblocks and obstacles in your way? Or do you just not know how to get started?

Join the crowd, you are not alone. We are all born equally with the same potential for infinite greatness. But, only a few cross the finish line early, leaving shadows behind while the rest of us watch and wonder with astonishment and envy.

To get going, these success shadow-makers all mix the following interactive ingredients:

• 3 heaping tablespoons of raw skill.
• 3-4 ounces of highly focused goals.
• 5 pounds of quitless persistence.
• Several tons of open mind and positive attitude.
• 1 unquestionable belief in a destiny of limitless success.
• A dash each of good luck and good timing (when all the above ingredients meet opportunity).

What is keeping the majority of humans from exploding into their full human potential, thriving in an abundant land of good & plenty and being all they were born to be? Why are so many of us living quiet lives of desperation and mediocrity? When we strip away all the practical excuses for not getting started in this magnificent journey, what we have left goes from unknown to known—an unconscious and completely imaginary lid we put on our potential capabilities; and that powerful ceiling filters down to limit our current abilities. From then on, our efforts are only half-hearted and our minds unaware of any of this. But, you are the only one who can raise the lid to eventually toss is aside completely.

The only way out of this growth paralysis is to try and figure out how to open your closed mind and rid yourself of all traces of self-limiting thoughts that are putting the brakes on your garaged Rolls Royce, when it really wants to lay rubber and scream ahead to see what lies ahead. And we all know doing that is much easier said than done. Or is the belief in this common adage itself keeping us from releasing our breaks? Maybe like the negative self-talk that tells you that you can’t quit work to go back to school because of the money, or like the doubts that convince you to step back off the high dive that is so intimidating?

It takes considerable time and effort to explore the content of the gap between your current ability and your potential capability. And, the more you explore, the more you find to explore more, until you get really stuck in the middle and forget what direction you are traveling. Fortunately though, enough paralysis gives you the magical pause that refreshes—and unlocks the mystery of imagination. You are on the brink of un-imagining all the imaginary obstacles in the gap between the real you and the ideal you. That’s when the real work begins because you have no more excuses for not going from 0 to 60 in 6 seconds.

Seven simple suggestions for getting started by doing are:

• Stoke a sense of urgency by becoming sensitive to the possibility you may be running out of time, but without letting time control you.

• Relax and realize the futility of blaming the world or others for filling the gap with seemingly resistive roadblocks between where you are currently and the ideal location where you secretly know you can be and enjoy.

• Reverse the earlier stalling adage to be: Sometimes it is easier done than said.

• Stop thinking and talking about starting and do.

• Maintain an open mind without arbitrary expectations by not having any.

• Savor every bit of progress, but with humility rather than ego.

• Seek support from others doing the doing with you and spread the synergy around.

“Nothing's impossible for those who don't have to do it.” ~Proverb.

Author's Bio: 

William Cottringer, Ph.D. is Executive Vice-President for Employee Relations for Puget Sound Security, Inc. in Bellevue, WA, along with his hobbies in being a Sport Psychologist, Business Success Coach, Photographer and Writer living in the scenic mountains and rivers of North Bend. He is author of several business and self-development books, including, “You Can Have Your Cheese & Eat It Too” (Executive Excellence), “The Bow-Wow Secrets” (Wisdom Tree), and “Do What Matters Most” and “P” Point Management” (Atlantic Book Publishers), “Reality Repair” (Global Vision Press), and Reality Repair Rx (Authorsden). Bill can be reached for comments or questions at (425) 454-5011 or ckuretdoc@comcast.net