The Competency Trap (3 Min Read) | Vol. 157 (3 min read)

June 27, 2025

“What got you here won’t get you there.” – Marshall Goldsmith

The Competency Trap

In this week’s The ONE Thing podcast, I interviewed Brandon Turner. He shared something that was a mirror I didn’t expect.

Brandon had just finished telling me about acquiring $300 million worth of real estate in three years. I was digesting that absolutely staggering accomplishment when he said something that stopped me cold.

“I had to sell my tools, though. That’s how I got out. I literally had a garage sale. I sold all of my tools because I could not trust myself not to go and do the work.”

He explained the trap he’d fallen into, “I’m not gonna pay a plumber $200 to go change a toilet. I can do it in 30 minutes.” Of course, that 30 minutes became two hours. Then three hours. And while he was under the sink “saving $200”, he wasn’t doing the work that could generate millions.

I had to laugh – not at Brandon, but at myself. I’ve watched this same pattern play out with dozens of high-achieving entrepreneurs. Myself included.

Sometimes you need to make it impossible to do the thing that’s holding you back. (In Brandon’s case, he had to sell his tools.) The problem is, the thing holding us back often sits squarely in our blind spot.

This is what psychologists call the “competency trap.” It’s  when our existing skills become the very thing preventing us from developing new ones. We’re so good at what we currently do, we can’t let go long enough to learn what we need to go to the next level.

I’ve caught myself in this exact trap many times over the years. I started my career at HarperCollins as an editor. As we’d develop books, I’d manage everything. I organized the research. I drafted manuscripts. I’d coordinate the copyediting, design, and proofreading. I was personally editing everything. I told myself it was more efficient. I could do it faster and less expensively. 

The breakthrough came when I realized I was actually slowing us down and costing us a fortune in missed opportunities. The approach that served us in startup mode was preventing us from scaling.

So I hired an editor. Initially, their work needed guidance. But within a short period of time, we were able to tackle more projects in less time at a higher quality. I got to lean into my craft while they focused on production.  And I’ve done it again and again in other areas of my life. 

Sometimes you have to get out of your own way. You have to fire yourself to move up. 

Here’s the thing about blind spots: by definition, you can’t see them yourself. The most successful people don’t keep forcing the same approach. They recognize when they need someone who can see patterns they can’t see, identify blind spots they can’t identify, and help them find the right pressure points to break through.

You don’t have to muscle through your competency traps alone. You don’t have to keep selling your tools and hoping willpower saves you.

This is your invitation to try a different approach.

For the first time ever, I’m formally offering executive coaching. Seven spots for leaders who are ready to work with someone who understands the mechanics of breaking free from what’s holding you back.

This isn’t about learning new tactics – you’re already successful. It’s about getting the strategic perspective you need to see what you can’t see and build systems that make your next level inevitable.

If you’re generating $3M+ annually and ready to identify what tools you need to sell – literal or metaphorical – let’s see if we’re aligned.

Complete the brief application here.

One question to ponder in your thinking time: What tools in your business – literal or metaphorical – do you need to sell? 

Make an Impact!
Jay Papasan
Co-author of The ONE Thing & The Millionaire Real Estate Agent