I learned many years ago that you must first be free in your limitations before you can be free of the limitations.

Limitations come in many forms. They can be personal or general, that is, they can reside in you or they can be found outside of you, either in others or in your field of circumstance.

When you aim to learn a new skill, a sport, language or musical instrument, for instance, you are presently limited in relation to the performance of that skill. If you apply yourself to learning, you will not be permanently limited. The limitation will gradually recede. Most limitations are fleeting in this way, if they are approached correctly.

Or you might find yourself in a limited situation. You may not have the resources you need to get a job done, for example, the money to make a downpayment on a car. Or you might find that your teammates are not performing at the level that they could in some sport. Such limitations are less personal, in the sense that they don’t necessarily reflect directly on your character or talents, but they can be just as formidable.

The key to overcoming limitations without burning yourself out is to avoid reacting to them and throwing yourself at them like a manic so that you have the energy and perspective to bring yourself to the point where you are at ease with the limitation…in its present state. So doing gives you immediate perspective on the matter.

When you react you lose perspective.

In my observation, perspective management is one of the most important aspects of overcoming challenges. Don’t lose the game before you start.