Public Service Announcement: Be sure to read through to the end where I have a special invitation for you!
“Amanda,” a spiritual director, would love to offer a retreat day that combines spiritual direction, knitting, and a lot of tea and cookies. But she’s relatively new to spiritual direction and feels she may not have enough experience. She’s doubting her ability to pull off such a retreat - though she has a hunger to go for it, she feels out of her depth.
Amanda is feeling the squeeze of what we call an “upper-limit ceiling.” And she may not realize it’s mostly self-imposed.
Gay Hendricks calls this the Upper Limit Problem. Each of us carries limiting beliefs - an internal thermostat that regulates how much success, risk, joy, confidence, creativity, or influence we allow ourselves to experience and express. When we begin to function in our work beyond that familiar range, something inside us slows us down and pulls us back down.
We procrastinate on a new idea.
We shrink a little in our voice or visibility.
We quietly settle for less than the fuller expression of our gifts.
These reactions are seldom conscious. They arise from expectations and self-limiting beliefs that formed long ago and now quietly shape what feels “normal” for us.
I could write a tome on the ways that I’ve limited myself in my work life. And, I’ve talked to enough spiritual directors to know I’m not alone in this. As fine spiritual people we carry particularly strong ceilings around visibility, achievement, money, and success. Somewhere along the way many of us absorbed the idea that deep spiritual work should remain small, modest, or hidden.
These assumptions are chock full of limiting beliefs.
Beyond that ceiling lies something far more generative, what Hendricks calls the Zone of Genius. This is the place where our deepest gifts naturally come alive. It’s where our personality, our life experience, our wounds, and our insights begin to work together in a uniquely creative way.
When we touch this place, something shifts. Our work feels lighter. Our presence feels more alive. Our guidance becomes more intuitive and spacious. We feel more courageous and willing to sing our one-of-a-kind song. We dare to take risks, follow our intuitions, and let go of the outcomes.
The real driver of this work isn’t gaining more clients or making more money. It’s something far deeper.
It’s about being real. It’s about listening for Higher Guidance. It’s about deepening our capacity for presence.
When we align ourselves in this way - when we begin to live and work from our Zone of Genius - our work gets a shot of adrenalin and becomes more alive.
And when that happens, practical consequences tend to follow: Clients stay longer. Word spreads. New opportunities appear. And yes, financial support grows.
Not because we chased these outcomes, but because life naturally responds to what is genuine and alive.
Spiritual direction is not only a path of accompanying others. It is also a path of expanding our own footprint of service in the world by continually growing our awareness, creativity, and courage.
Our clients are not the only ones evolving. We are too.
Now for the invitation…
If you’d enjoy a thoughtful conversation about your spiritual direction work - what’s flowing well, where you may feel stuck, or where you might want to grow your practice - I’d be happy to offer you a free 30-minute supervision session.
What’s in it for me?
Quite simply, supervision is some of my favorite work in the world. I genuinely enjoy the opportunity to reflect with other spiritual directors about the craft and art behind our work. These conversations also give me a wider window into what is unfolding in the spiritual direction field during this rather unhinged season in our world. I learn a lot from these times that I can apply to my own practice and teaching.
What’s in it for you?
A spacious half hour to step back and reflect on your work with someone who trained and talked with a lot of spiritual directors. There’s no preparation needed and no expectation attached. It’s simply a chance to explore what you’re noticing in your sessions, what questions you’re holding, and where your work may be wanting to grow.
In my experience, these conversations prove to be fruitful for both of us.
If you do find the conversation helpful and feel drawn to continue working together, I would welcome that. But this isn’t a promotional stunt! This is simply an invitation to share a friendly half hour reflecting on work that we both care deeply about.
So, feel free to reach out: scott@spiritualdirectionlab.com. I look forward to hearing about your Zone of Genius!