Not Enough Gas In The Tank

Have you ever tried to start something new – going back to school, launching a business or starting a new project at work – only to discover shortly after beginning the effort that you did not have enough time, energy or skills to make it work?

Too often we find ourselves in a situation of inevitable failure. These false starts can wreak havoc on our confidence and diminish future possibilities. Often the problem is that we simply don’t have enough gas in the tank.

David McClusky called this “Insufficient Margin” and it happens when a person experiences more demands than they have energy and resources to match them. For example, if you have career, family and social responsibilities, as well as financial concerns and other day-to-day challenges, then you need to have an equivalent set of resources such as time, money, motivation and support from others to meet them.

When the pressures we face outweigh the resources we have to meet them, we might not have enough gas in the tank to take on something new. Before you take on the next exciting challenge, take an honest assessment of what’s on your plate and make sure you have the available skills, resources and motivation to match them.