The Peter Principle

Dr. Laurence J. Peter came up with the Peter Principle, which is based on the following observation: “In a hierarchy, members are promoted so long as they work competently. Sooner or later they are promoted to a position at which they are no longer competent (their "level of incompetence"), and there they remain, being unable to earn further promotions. http://www.princeton.edu/~achaney/tmve/wiki100k/docs/Peter_Principle.html

Although the Peter Principle is mostly used in business circles, I think it applies to a variety of situations. If you are capable of doing something well, there will be pressure, both internal and external, for you to move on to something bigger. If you are satisfied with your accomplishments in life, then you will be perceived as lacking ambition.  

For example, if you are a good physician, there will be pressure for you to move up the hierarchy into administration, research, teaching, or a more lucrative practice. Or, maybe you are a decent cook and are able to come up with delicious meals for your family and friends. Sooner or later, you will feel the urge to do something more with your talents—maybe open a restaurant or a catering business. Or, if you happen to enjoy gardening and are able to grow vegetables on a small plot, then someone will suggest you dig up a bigger area next year and possibly make some money off your produce. Most of us have internalized this convoluted message: If you are competent and content, then you are not maximizing your talents and opportunities.

“Whether we are poets or parents or teachers or artists or gardeners, we must start where we are and use what we have. In the process of creation and relationship, what seems mundane and trivial may show itself to be holy, precious, part of a pattern.” (Luci Shaw)

If we do something long enough, it will eventually feel mundane. Yet, there are precious lessons, windows of enlightenment, and opportunities for personal growth that can only be reached once we have mastered our roles. When you first learn to ride a bike, it takes a great deal of physical and mental energy just to stay balanced and moving forward. Turns, hills, traffic, uneven pavement—all require your full concentration. However, once you are a competent bicyclist, you have a chance to appreciate the beauty around you, even opportunities for reflection during long rides.

Ultimately, it comes down to what you value most, accomplishment or enlightenment. If you assess the quality of life by acquisition—whether of accolades or external manifestations of success—then you will continue to strive until you hit a point where you are no longer competent. However, if you measure your worth on the basis of meaning, purpose, insight, and wisdom, then there is no limit to your growth potential.