Achilles’ Heel (n.): a fault or weakness that causes or could cause someone or something to fail
Who knew (not me) there was so much to think about when it came to heels. I’m off of the fabric scuff-able ones and on to ones that represent sticking points, the proverbial “Achilles’ Heel.”
Clients often come to me to find clarity in their professional and/or personal life. At the beginning, they’re super excited, raring to go. But bit by bit, and somewhat predictably, their Achilles’ Heel, their patterned tendency–their vulnerability point or default self-limiting behavior–shows up to get in the way of progress. You guys, the subconscious is powerful, and even though I alert clients early on in our work together that this can (and likely will) happen, they are often surprised, even dismayed, sometimes discouraged (we work to avoid defeated!) when it does.
Our default behaviors can take on a variety of forms. For some, the it can be the tendency to say yes to everything and exhaust themselves. These never-say-no’ers don’t prioritize or get to enjoy what’s truly important to them because they feel too guilty to ever say no, and anyway how can they decline, they’re soooooo busy handling other people’s priorities. For others, my super creative types, they tend to get all excited about new ideas and projects, go whole hog on said projects but quickly lose interest when the going gets tough and the payoff is slow to surface. For still others, the solo-preneurs, perhaps they’re craving connection, yet somehow have chosen to work in business for themselves, even though they don’t actually enjoy working on solo projects
Regardless of the type, it’s key to get in touch and understand your tendency. Knowing where you can get hung up is POWERFUL. It means you can make a PLAN, hooray! For my never-say-no’ers, it’s about coming up with authentic scripts and language for flexing their no muscle with more confidence. For my sprint-prefer-ers, this can mean planning out the marathon and breaking it down into sprints to keep it fun. For my lonely entrepreneurs, it’s about getting out of the silo, layering in accountability partners, and making time, with intention, to connect.
Whatever the tendency that may be your Achillies’ Heel, I’m certain there are resources and tools to not only identify when your tendency to get stuck appears, but to also manage the process so you don’t dwell for too long in that spot. Unlike a fabric covered heel, which you certainly want to protect so you don’t scuff it up, your Achilles’ heel is something you actually want to work with to change. Otherwise, our patterns and tendencies are running the show, and we’re at risk for ruining our own plans and progress. Like with most things, awareness is a key first step in getting there, and connecting with friends (or a great coach!) can you help you see your self-limiting tendencies and develop a plan to break through.
Do you have an Achilles’ Heel? Please comment below, I’d love to hear from you.
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