The Muscle That’s Holding You Back

Have you ever met a leader who’s great at what they do, but somehow their team’s always behind? They have the talent, the energy, the vision, and yet the business is stuck, like something’s quietly dragging it down. So they repeat the same lines: “My team needs to step it up.” “There’s no talent like there used to be.” “I have to be on top of everything.” And sure — maybe. But what if the problem isn’t that you’re doing something wrong? What if the problem is that you’re too good at what you like and completely blind to what’s holding you back?

We all have that one strong muscle. Some leaders are brilliant strategists but can’t execute. Others are sales machines but forget finance even exists. Some are amazing creators but terrible at delegating. And so, we all do the same thing: We hide in what we’re good at, we repeat it, we master it, and we feel comfortable. But the business? It stays small.

Because a business isn’t a muscle. It’s a body. And like every body, if you only grow one part, the whole thing walks crooked. You build a giant back with weak knees. A massive chest with no stamina. You lift a lot but can’t go far.

It’s not your vision. It’s not your intelligence. It’s not even your experience. It’s that one area you avoid. The muscle you chose not to train. The part of the business you “don’t get,” “don’t like,” or “don’t manage well.” That’s the bottleneck. Not your effort. Not your hours. But your blind spot.

Your team can’t grow past your standards. And your standards are revealed by what you demand — and what you quietly tolerate. If you’re not crystal clear on what each area does to move the business forward, what KPIs they’re really shifting, and how each person helps bring money in — or leaves it on the table — then you’re not leading. You’re just managing your preferences.

The bottleneck isn’t in the operation. It’s in the part you avoid. That marketing budget you always see as a “cost.” That sales process you find “too aggressive.” That financial planning you never prioritize. That team culture you handed off to HR and never revisited. Things aren’t falling short because your team lacks talent. They’re falling short because your expectations lack consistency.

This isn’t about doing everything yourself. It’s about recognizing the weak muscle — and deciding to train it. Can’t do it? Learn it. Or hire it.

Your business will never be as strong as you. It’ll be as strong as your weakest part. And as a leader, you only have two options: go back to what feels easy, or start building the full body. Check every muscle, not just the one that looks good in photos, but the one that keeps you moving forward long term. Because a giant bicep with shaky knees looks great for Instagram, but it won’t get you through the marathon.