Why the Biggest Enemy of Your Calling Is Your Excellence

What’s the biggest thing standing in the way of your calling? The biggest enemy of your calling isn’t the Enemy himself (the devil), although he’s not a fan and can be a real pain in the neck. It’s not the obstacles in your way, like not enough time or money, or opposition from people you love, although those are real obstacles. It’s not even your limiting beliefs, although those can certainly hold us back and we need to learn to think differently.

The biggest thing standing in the way of you achieving your calling – that unique contribution you were born to make – is what you’re excellent at. What?!? Let me explain.

Your 4 Zones

This concept comes from the book The Big Leap by Gay Hendricks (not an affiliate link). I highly recommend this book; it was a game-changer for me.

The activities in our lives fall into these 4 zones.

1) Zone of Incompetence. What you’re not good at. For me, it’s cooking, just ask my family. And there are many other things I don’t do well.

2) Zone of Competence. What you’re good at, but so are other people. I can drive a car. I can do my personal taxes. I can trim a hedge. I’m mediocre at those things, but I can do them. Other people can do them much better. I’m not an Indy race car driver. I get overwhelmed with business taxes. And while I can successfully use a hedger without injury, I can’t sculpt a hedge to look like a Disney princess.

3) Zone of Excellence. What you’re extremely good at. For me, it’s software engineering. I’ve done it for over 30 years. I’m exceptional at designing software and writing code. It’s a very comfortable place to be.

4) Zone of Genius. Your calling. That unique contribution you were born to make in the world. The thing, like Galadriel told Frodo, “If you don’t do it, no one will.” (Remember the Lord of the Rings movies?) For me, it’s writing. And music. I am not the best at them, but I am passionate about these two things.

Your zone of excellence is something you’re better at than most people. You excel at it so much that it’s comfortable. It’s safe. And that’s exactly what makes it the greatest enemy of your zone of genius.

Your zone of genius, that place of living in your calling, can be very uncomfortable. You might not do it well at first. You might need to learn some new skills. But it lights you up.

Here are 3 ways to move into your zone of genius.

1) Recognize It

The best way to recognize your zone of genius, your calling, is by your passion for it.

For example, while I’m extremely good at software engineering, I have absolutely zero passion for it. It’s all going to burn. None of my computer programs will be running in Heaven. I want to do something that’s going to last.

But writing changes lives. Janet and I are called to train the church how to embrace the wounded, and to speak truth to the culture. Writing’s a big part of that. We are partnering with Jesus to bring the Third Great Awakening. I’m passionate about that. That gets me up in the morning.

Another clue to your calling, your zone of genius, is where your creativity is. What spurs your imagination? What are you creative at?

I’m certainly not the best musician around, but I have a lot of creativity around music. Music is eternal; it speaks to your spirit. That’s why you can forget a conversation you had this morning but remember a song from 30 years ago.

It doesn’t have to be an art. I have a mechanical engineer friend who did a series of blog posts for Christmas, 12 Days of Hydraulic Happiness. This guy is creative about hydraulics! That’s a calling.

The other 3 zones, incompetence, competence, and excellence, are all about how good you are at something. But your zone of genius is different. It’s the thing you’re passionate and creative about. It’s the thing that makes your heart leap before your brain talks you out of it.

2) Suspend Disbelief & Admit It

Most of us don’t admit our calling because we don’t believe we can actually do it. Those lies are called limiting beliefs, and they don’t serve us. Sometimes it’s the Enemy putting negative thoughts in our head. Other times it’s our own brain trying to protect us from what we’re fearful of.

What if?

But, what if, you know? Suspend disbelief for a moment. What would it be like if you could actually do that thing? Do you dare let yourself even think about it? What would it be like to follow that passion, that creativity, in your heart?

Thank your brain for trying to protect you, but suspend disbelief and let yourself admit your passion. What’s the one thing you’d do if you knew you couldn’t fail?

3) Take the First Step

Suppose you’re watching a movie. At the end, the hero is successful at that thing you’re passionate about, your calling. What did they do at the beginning of the movie to get there? What steps did they take? What was their very first step?

Do that. Take that first step in the direction of your calling. Pretend you’re an actor playing that role. What would you do if you weren’t afraid? Do that.

Maybe there are some skills you have to learn. Learn them. Writing this blog, I’ve gotten very good at WordPress (the software that runs this website), resizing & cropping images, and online marketing. These were skills I didn’t have before. And my writing has gotten so much better because I’m posting a blog every week. (When I go back now and look at my posts from that first year – oh my!  😛  We’ve come a long way!)

My first steps were getting my website off the ground, learning to send broadcast emails, all the things that go with running a blog. My next steps are getting this message out to more people. What’s the next (or first) step for you?

Your Turn

What challenged you in this post? What resonates? What is your calling? Admit it and tell us in the comments. This is a safe place. And please share this post if it would bless others.