Based on an article published by Shane Parrish titled, "The Difference Between Amateurs and Professionals,” I'm reflecting on some of his key points with today's discussion on: 

“Amateurs think they are good at everything. Professionals understand their circles of competence.”

Amateurs may sometimes be categorized as arrogant (something you can only see in others!) with their “can-do” attitude. And they might not be! Rather, it may be a mixture of positive attitude and immaturity; they don't know what they don't know, and time and failure will teach them best. Or it may be arrogance and they simply need to surround themselves with truth-tellers.

A sign of wisdom is knowing one's limitations. This describes professionals. They know where they are most gifted and stay largely in their strengths' zone. They are honest about their weaknesses and raise up people around them with the strengths they lack. Professionals not only understand their zones or circles of competence, but they also don't meddle in the affairs of those who are in complementary positions.

God made all of us with a specific skill set and range of capabilities. Basic observation would lead us to believe that some have more and some less. For some folks it simply “comes naturally,” for others, they need to work harder. But at the end of the day, we're all required to be good stewards of what we have to serve others; and, to those who have been given more, more is required.

So here are some questions to consider: 1) What are your top three strengths and top three weaknesses? 2) What is one step I can take today to move more toward my circles of competence and away from my areas of limitation? 3) Where am I coasting along in a competence area rather than taking it up a level?