Know Your Limits... So You Can Exceed Them

One thing that I have always noticed about people, myself included, is that we tend to have a myopic view of ourselves, especially in relation to the world around us. This could not be more obvious than in the view of an individual's self-awareness. We live in a society where we can have instantaneous feedback. We post flattering pictures online and solicit comments from our friends; credit checks are done in 30 seconds and a new card is issued; a call from a parent can reinforce our own notion that everything we do is right, it is other people who are wrong, the mean boss, the angry spouse. We can see all of what is good or exceptional about ourselves in an instant.

What we often fail to see are our own shortcomings. So often people only want to see the good in themselves, they ignore everything else. Fail at something? Then it must have been rigged for failure, or it wasn't something we were meant to do. Have a relationship blow up in your face? The other person must be to blame. Lose a job or an opportunity for a promotion? Well those people were jerks anyway.

The truth is, we are all exceptionally flawed people. However, being aware of and acknowledging those flaws is a key to success. it is the hard truths about ourselves that allow us to improve, that give us the foothold we need to scale the brick walls that stand in our way.


Failure is one of life's best teachers. You should not be afraid to fail.

For example, I am not the most gifted athlete. I can work hard, which is a trait I share with everyone, but natural grace, agility, speed, quickness, and talent were not gifts I was born with. This became abundantly clear to me when I was a freshman in high school. I had always excelled at academics, but had not done much athletically. Playing basketball was a big step out of my comfort zone.

I liked basketball, so I tried out for the high school team. I made it three practices before the coach pulled me aside during lunch.

"You don't need to come to practice today," he said,"you're being cut from the team."

I fought back tears. I didn't want to cry in front of the coach. I had tried something I wasn't good at, and I had failed, miserably. I had other extracurricular activities that suited me better. I was a star n the Hi-Q team, a four person team that competed with other schools answering trivia questions. But that failure lit a fire in me.

I took a long hard look at myself. I did not know that game too well, I couldn't shoot the ball, did not have an innate court sense that allowed me to make plays, I was slow and uncoordinated. I could have let that be and enjoyed my success on the Hi-Q team. Both activities were concurrent. Instead, I focused on my weaknesses.




I became a gym rat. I ran. I played as much basketball as I could. I worked on drills at home, for hours on end. I had a very clear view of my deficiencies, and I attacked them. made the Junior Varsity team as a sophomore, forgoing the opportunity to be on the Hi-Q team. My coaches, while noticing my hard work, still pointed out my flaws, telling me I would not play much. I listened to them and continued to work. 6 games into the JV schedule, I became a starter. My junior year, I moved to the varsity, now asking for all of the criticism, using it to improve. By my Senior year, I was the captain of the varsity team.

We all have talents. But we all have limitations too. By recognizing our limitations and dealing with them, we can exceed them, turning weaknesses into strengths. Don't try to seek flattery from others. A true friend is someone who will tell you where you suck. Those are the people who really care. Seek out criticism, and use it to make you better, and your life will be better. I still might not be playing in the NBA, but I can hold my own in a pick-up game, and I have coached and passed the lessons on to younger people. What can you improve about yourself? What can you do tomorrow that you fail at today?