Live and work above your capacity
In every great time there is some one idea at work which is more powerful than any other, and which shapes the events of the time and determines their ultimate issues. ~ Francis Bacon
Benjamin Mays, a social activist, said, "The tragedy of life is often not in our failure, but rather in our complacency; not in doing too much, but rather in our doing too little; not in our living above our ability, but rather in our living below our capacities." I could not agree more that as leaders, we sometimes do too little or " live below our capacities."
An entrepreneur who ran his business successfully for more than 20 years decided to check out and just let the business run itself. It no longer challenged him, and he was just tired of it.
Another entrepreneur did a great job in terms of managing his company, but it was not reaching its full potential because the owner did not want to expand into different states.
We all choose how much effort we put into a project or job, and I know of few business owners and managers who commit 100 percent effort to their businesses. That is not to say they are not successful, only that their capacity is much greater than what they choose to accomplish.
When people look at me or my resume, they frequently remark that I have done so much. I have done many different things. However, when I look at my accomplishments, I am embarrassed to admit I probably have only used 60 to 70 percent of my capacity. I have chosen not to push my limit, which is terrible, and I do feel bad about this.
Why I chose not to give 100 percent effort is not a simple answer. I think I just never had a burning desire to give 100 percent. I wanted to be successful, but I thought it was enough to do just what was necessary to make that happen and never considered that I was short changing myself.
Bottom line is that every manager and entrepreneur must be willing to give their full capacity. That said, how do you know right now if you are living up to your capacity? There is no magic bullet here, but the following questions might help you figure this out:
1. If I gave just a little bit more effort could I accomplish more?
2. Are their barriers in my life that are holding me back from accomplishing more?
3. What would it take for me to use more of my capacity in my company or organization?
If answering these questions honestly, most people will determine they do have additional capacity they are not using. Understanding this is normally all it takes for them to start using more of their capacity.
Jerry Osteryoung, a business consultant, is a Jim Moran professor of entrepreneurship (emeritus) and professor of finance (emeritus) at Florida State University. Reach him at jerry.osteryoung@gmail.com.
This story was originally published October 15, 2015 at 3:39 PM with the headline "Live and work above your capacity ."