“If you want something done, ask a busy person.”
I’ve watched that saying prove true again and again over nearly 30 years of coaching and consulting. The capable people get tapped for everything.
Can you lead the presentation? Train the new hire? Fix the project? Join one more committee? Of course you can. You’re reliable, experienced and willing to step in.
But just because you can do something doesn’t mean you should.
My latest Forbes article explores what I call the curse of competence: getting pulled into work because you’re good at it, not because it is the best use of your strengths, supports your growth or brings you joy.
If you feel like you’re the one carrying everything, I wrote this piece for you.
Inside, I share:
How to recognize when competence has quietly become obligation
The real cost to your energy, growth and joy
A simple YES filter to use before automatically agreeing
Graceful ways to say no, redirect an opportunity or make room on your plate
This isn’t about becoming less helpful or less generous. It’s about protecting your capacity for the work only you can do.
The goal isn’t to do less. It’s to stop giving your best work away so you can be brilliant at the work that fulfills you.
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