The ‘Limiting The Unlimited’ Effect

Today, let's explore Five Laws Everyone Should Know for better lives that unleash our capacity by increasing our competency. Then I’m going to add a sixth law that I thought of. 

Law 1. The Dunning – Kruger Effect. The less you know, the more certain you feel. The more you learn, the more you realize how much you don’t. Ignorance breeds confidence. Mastery breeds humility. 

Law 2. Parkinson’s Law. Work expands to fill the time you give it. Have you experienced that busy feeling? It’s often poor structure, not hard work. Shorten the deadline – you’ll find focus. 

Law 3. The Pareto Principle (80/20). 80% percent of your results come from 20% of your actions. Identify the 20% and double down. The rest is noise disguised as productivity. 

Law 4. Hanlon’s Razor. Never attribute to malice what can be explained as stupidity or carelessness. Most people aren’t out to get you – they’re just distracted. Don’t take neglect personally. 

Law 5. The ‘Peter Principle.’ People rise to their level of incompetence. Great employees often make terrible managers. Success in one role doesn’t guarantee skill in the next. 

So those are the five laws everyone should know. Now, I’d like to share a sixth powerful law with you. It's something at work in you that you don't know about. Let me explain this law to you.

We have a small house in Pinetop, Arizona. Our elevation is 7,400 feet, and pine trees surround us. And we have two apple trees that are ten feet apart. This spring, I noticed that one of the apple trees had abundant buds and new flowers, while the other wasn't blooming at all. Both trees are in the same soil with the same amount of water. Both trees are approximately the same size and height, and appear healthy and full of life. Everything is the same except for the ten feet separating the trees.

What is the problem here? One tree was in sunlight most of the day, while the other tree received very little sunlight. The blossomless tree has enough light to survive but not to thrive. It looks good, but produces no fruit, and believe me, fruit trees are created to bear fruit. The fruitless tree could be fruitful if it had sufficient sunlight. Growth is in it, but a lack of sunlight is limiting its potential. I call that born to win, conditioned to lose. 

So, here's a sixth law I would like to suggest about life. It's called The 'Limiting the Unlimited' Effect until I can think of a better name for it. 

Here’s the law: Because life is in us, we don’t need to try to grow; we need to remove the things around us that limit growth. So many of us are trying to grow, doing this and that while carrying around two tons of hate, unforgiveness, the past, laziness, hanging with people who take away value, or embracing human-based philosophies that take us out of the light into the darkness. That makes us spectators just surviving while others are thriving. Then comes the envy and jealousy of being a spectator, not a participant. 

Thriving doesn't mean you are rich, upper class, or other stuff like that. Thriving is growing at the pace God gives you, living in peace with yourself and others, with a good attitude. You’re able to escape the cynicism and hopelessness of living with very limited sunlight. Thriving means orderly in life, intentional in love, and anchored in truth. Thriving comes from removing the things that hinder growth.

Thriving is especially true for Christ followers. Jesus said, "I am the vine, and you are the branches." Life in the branches comes from Christ's life in the vine. It's Christ's will that all the branches shall be full of his own life. The Greek word for 'life' in this verse is ‘zoe.’ Jesus came that we might have life (zoe) and have it abundantly. John 10:10. When we are full of ‘zoe,' we are one with God, just as the bay is one with the ocean because the tides flow into the bay. Christ is our life (zoe). Colossians 3:4

Zoe is life as God has life. Zoe is all the highest and best that Christ followers possess in God. Zoe is used 130 times in the New Testament. Zoe in verb form means to make alive, to quicken, and to cause to live. Zoe is resurrection life, eternal life, changing life, and the impartation of spiritual life and sustenance. Zoe is God doing in us all that God did in Christ for us.

What's the takeaway here? As Christ followers, we have God's life in us. Our very nature is to grow. What do we need to do to experience all the benefits of 'zoe'? Remove the things that hinder growth. So, what some call rules and regulations, laws, commandments, etc., limiting their freedoms, are the very things limiting their growth. 

If you're not a Christ follower, you still have a 'bios' life in you. Consider removing the things that the Bible says are limiting your growth. Take advantage of the wisdom that’s in the Bible. All that the tree has to do is change locations to the sunlight.

Hint: Don’t forget to drink water and get some sunlight, because you’re basically a houseplant with more complicated emotions.