What Is the Limiting Factor?

In terms of reaching your goals, or progressing in a given area of your life, what is the main limiting factor?

I think it’s worth spending some time and effort to consider this question. We might have assumptions about what’s limiting or holding us back that aren’t true, or are no longer true. And we might be missing problems that could be easily addressed, thus accelerating our progress.

Time and money are common limiting factors. If you want to pursue an artistic calling, how do you find the time? And since most art doesn’t pay right away (if ever), how do we survive and support our loved ones?

These are real issues for people who want to pursue artistic ideas, start a new business, contribute to their community, or do anything that doesn’t immediately pay the bills.

So sometimes people are surprised when life provides a window of time, with ample funds to boot, and the creativity or entrepreneurship doesn’t immediately materialize. Maybe the lack of time or money wasn’t the limiting factor after all.

Internal vs. External Limiting Factors

For reasons I don’t fully understand, most people (myself included) tend to overemphasize external (circumstantial) limiting factors and ignore internal (cognitive/emotional/behavioral) limiting factors. Maybe it’s because the external factors are more obvious. Maybe it’s because they’re seemingly less within our control, and are thus convenient scapegoats when progress is lacking.

External/circumstantial limiting factors might include:

• Available time
• Money/capital
• Tools/workspace
• Team/collaborators/mentors/other people’s expertise
• Oppressive and/or dysfunctional government/social system
• Proximity to/dependence on abusers (boss, family member, romantic partner, etc.)
• Physical or psychiatric health limitations related to genetics and/or age

Any one of the above can stop a person cold in their tracks, especially a lack of physical safety, or any situation that causes chronic stress.

But having free time, a nice place to work, people willing to help you, a functional government, and nice people in your life doesn’t guarantee success or progress whatsoever. Internal limiting factors can be trickier to address, and might require some soul-searching, lifestyle changes, therapy, or coaching.

Internal (cognitive/emotional/behavioral) limiting factors might include:

• Lack of a clear vision for exactly what you want to accomplish
• Lack of a plan or strategy to implement that vision
• Physical health issues (chronic pain, fatigue, etc.) related to lifestyle
• Mental health issues (depression, low interest/motivation, brain fog/concentration issues)
• A shortage of skills and/or knowledge
• Lack of organization
• Lack of an effective work system (consistent daily productivity)

Some of these are obvious and easy to recognize. Others, like mental health, are more insidious and might go unnoticed or unacknowledged for a long time. But they can all be addressed.

I would consider establishing a clear vision as a meta-factor. Without a clear vision of where you want to be, everything else is just wheel-spinning. And if you do have a clear vision of what you want to accomplish, it’s much easier to address other limiting factors.

My Own Current Limiting Factors

In terms of my writing career, I’ve come a long way. My third science fiction novel, The Last Crucible, will be published by Flame Tree Press on Sep. 16th. It’s Book 3 of the Reclaimed Earth series (though it also works as a standalone novel).

If you’d told me five years ago that I would have a science fiction trilogy with a reputable publisher by now, I’d be ecstatic. And actually, today, I am incredibly stoked to be a published science fiction author. It’s a dream come true.

But of course I still have writing goals. I’d like to sell more books and have way more people read my books. I’d like to write and publish more short stories. I’d like to be nominated or even win an award or awards.

To some extent I’m moving the goal posts. Though I don’t think there’s anything wrong with moving the goal posts after achieving some success, as long as you take the time to appreciate what you’ve gained. It’s important to thank the people who helped you get where you are, as well as your past self for putting in the hard work.

So what are the current main limiting factors in terms of my writing career?

In terms of external factors, I have enough time to write, I have multiple work-friendly places where I can write, and I have enough money to support myself and co-support my family.

My main external limiting factor is the people I know (or don’t yet know). I love working with my editor and publisher, and I’ve gotten to know some other writers and publishing folks via SFWA and attending conventions. But I don’t yet have an agent, and most of the relationships I have with other writers are fairly superficial.

Attending in-person conventions has helped me make progress in this area (online conventions not so much — though this is just my own personality combined with the nature of the medium, and not in any way the fault of the organizers). Of course the pandemic brought in-person conventions to a screeching halt, but I look forward to attending the Nebulas and other conventions once they’re in-person again.

In terms of internal limiting factors, I feel like I have a clear vision of what I want to accomplish, and a reasonably good plan for how to do that. I’m well organized and have good (but not great) daily work habits.

Mental health is always something I need to keep an eye on. At times, stress and anxiety can get the better of me and send me into doom spirals, grinding my creativity and productivity to a crawl. On the other hand, I pretty much know what I need to do to support my mental health (plenty of exercise, meditation, socializing, good nutrition and sleep, a few supplements, etc.).

In terms of skills and knowledge, there is always room for improvement. I’d like my writing to be more accessible and engaging to a larger number of people, and I’m still figuring out how to do that. I don’t want to go completely broad, but I do want to fully explore the overlapping portion of the Venn diagram of books I want to write and books other people want to read. I don’t think this is a matter of significantly alternating the ideas or contents of my novels or stories, but rather focusing more on creating characters that readers care deeply about. This was a big goal when writing The Last Crucible, and I hope that I’m getting better in this area.

Lastly, I’m still working on methods to increase my average daily word count without sacrificing quality, or expending so much time and effort that I have nothing left for other areas of my life. Oddly, at this point in my writing the “trick” may simply be to keep my fingers moving more of the time. That may sound strange, but writing is ultimately a physical act, either typing or moving a pen, and focusing on the physicality can often lead to productivity. Better ideas don’t necessarily arrive via stopping and thinking. Sometimes the physical movement of the fingers triggers the necessary thoughts.

That idea is a work in progress — I’ll report back once I experiment more.

What About Talent?

My top thought about natural talent is that in most cases it’s a false idea, a myth that is usually used to exclude women and minorities from various professions and trades. Hazing is real, and it’s a big reason why there aren’t more women and people of color in high-paying trades (such as plumbers and electricians) and in STEM fields.

Babies aren’t born talented. Children acquire skills and knowledge by doing the things that interest them, and from what they are taught by their families, peers, and teachers. Adults acquire more sophisticated skill sets by working in particular fields, and from guidance from more experienced people within those fields.

That’s all there is to talent in most cases. 99% of arguments for why any particular subgroup is or isn’t suited for a particular activity or profession is just gatekeeping and discrimination. Brains aren’t “wired” one way or another — human brains evolved to be extremely flexible. That’s what neurogenesis is for.

There are some exceptions when it comes to particular sports. It helps to be tall to play basketball. Only a small percentage of people have the genetics to become a strongman competitor. And there are rare combinations of genetic factors that coalesce to give particular individuals significant advantages in other fields (music, art, mathematics, etc.).

But in almost all cases, grit, determination, perseverance, interest and curiosity, training and guidance, and other environmental factors overwhelm any “natural advantages.” There are plenty of tall people who suck at basketball, and even more people who are highly intelligent but have done nothing with those gifts, either in terms of bettering their own lives or contributing to society.

Talent is mostly a myth.

Summary

Limiting factors can be both external and internal. What we assume is the main limiting factor might not be the actual main limiting factor. Auditing limiting factors can be a valuable exercise. “Natural talent” is almost never the limiting factor. Having a clear vision for what you want to accomplish can help blast through other limiting factors with ease.

So what’s holding you back? No, really, what are your own limiting factors? Please share whatever you feel comfortable sharing (anonymously if you prefer).