The Curse of Being Great At Stuff

You might be afflicted by the curse that affects many of my friends, colleagues and clients: The Curse of Being Great At Stuff

Here’s a little poem I wrote about it:

You are great!

Great at data analysis. Great at organizing things.

Great in the room. Great on Zoom.

Great at writing grocery lists. Great at PTA volunteer shifts.

Great at leading at team. Great at keeping the house clean.

Great at organizing a romantic weekend away. Great at entertaining your in-laws when they’re in town for a day.

You are awesome in 150 specific and original ways!

So why are you feeling so overwhelmed, exhausted and in a haze?

It turns out that being great at a lot of things can lead to exhaustion, overwhelm…and eventually a real loss of greatness.

Because the truth is: You can’t do anything well, if you try to do everything well.

That’s a fast path to BURNOUT.

Don’t get me wrong: The world needs your greatness.

But it also needs your rest, good boundaries and trust that other people can make things happen too (even if it’s a little slower and sloppier than you might).

If you are afflicted by the Curse of Being Great at Stuff, maybe give a little strategic incompetence a try.

Forget how to lead the meeting, bake the brownies, host the party, plan vacation or take the dog to the park.

Because…

A little incompetence can go a long way toward getting you the rest you need to be GREAT another day.

Yours in greatness,