Have you ever been scared of being successful? It's not a you problem, it's the Upper Limit Problem.
The hidden barriers
The term “Upper Limit Problem” was first coined by author and psychologist, Gay Hendricks, who broke it down thoroughly in his book titled?The Big Leap.
Hendricks explained that when we hit our Upper Limit, aka when we achieve success, happiness or wealth, our ego tends to bring us back down. This is due to us naturally having an inner thermostat of success/happiness that dates back to our childhood.
But why does our mind play such tricks on us? And sometimes, even cause our body to physically get sick when faced with an amazing opportunity? The answer lies within these 4 common fears:
Feeling fundamentally flawed
We often hold ourselves back from fulfilling our ultimate potential because we believe we don't deserve success, and that we inherently don’t deserve it.
Disloyalty and abandonment
We pull back from greater success because we fear we’ll end up all alone, abandon our roots, and leave behind people whom we love or care for.
More success = bigger burden
A third fear is of being a burden; some people unconsciously believe that more success will bring greater burdens.
Fear of outshining others
This comes from a strong subliminal message we might have received from our families that if we shine too much, we’ll make others feel bad or look bad.
Unroll the Twitter thread summarizing Hendrick’s notion of Upper Limit Problem, written by Ampush Co-Founder, Jesse Pujji, here .
The symptoms
When you are faced with one of the hidden barriers above, your limiting behaviors will kick in. These behaviors sabotage your ability to proceed past your limit where you can experience a greater abundance of success and happiness.
According to?Hendricks , some of the real-life manifestations of “Upper Limiting” behaviors include:
If one or more of these behaviors arise whenever you’re faced with a growth opportunity, then you might be one of the many sufferers of the Upper Limit Problem.
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The counterattacks
The Upper Limit symptoms that arise might just be a way of your mental consciousness and even physical body to keep you safe in your comfort zone.
But when you’re ready to cross the line and explore the opportunities outside of your Upper Limit, here are the ways you can get around it safely:
Utilize your self-awareness to notice your “Upper Limiting” behaviors.
Surround yourself with positive affirmations, in your head and on your desk.
Growing pains are real, both physically and mentally. As you delve into negative thoughts and face these hidden Upper Limit barriers:
Just like reaching any huge goals, facing these hidden barriers will take perseverance. Keep choosing your “Zone of Genius” over your “Zone of Excellence.”
Read more about overcoming the Upper Limit problem in the article?here , and learn more about it in Hendricks’ interview with Forbes Magazine?here .
Have you been living under an unrecognized Upper Limit? Solve the problems that might come with it by implementing the tips in this week’s?Monday Mavens?edition.
Know anyone who might benefit from our editions? Share the great news around by sharing Monday Mavens by Mekari to your LinkedIn connections and friends.
Have an adventurous and safe week ahead, we’ll see you again next Monday!