For a long time, I assumed that the things I was good at would also be the things I enjoyed doing. Experience has taught me otherwise. Some activities seem to generate energy. Others consume it.
The surprising part is that capability and energy do not always align.
A Simple Assumption
When evaluating a role or an assignment, we often ask: can I do it? It seems like a reasonable question. If the answer is yes, then the assignment should be a good fit. At least in theory.
Yet many experienced professionals have encountered a strange phenomenon. They can perform a task successfully. They can even perform it well. And still feel drained by it.
The Wrong Conclusion
When this happens, it is tempting to conclude: maybe I am not good at this.
But that is not always the case. Sometimes the issue is not capability. Sometimes the issue is energy. A person can be perfectly capable of performing an activity while finding it deeply uninspiring.
The two dimensions are independent.
Four Quadrants
Thinking about assignments this way creates a useful distinction.
| High Energy | Low Energy | |
| High Capability | Strengths | Competent but draining |
| Low Capability | Growth opportunities | Avoid if possible |
Most career advice focuses on capability. Become better. Acquire skills. Gain experience. Develop expertise.
Less attention is given to energy. What activities make us curious? Which activities make time disappear? Which activities leave us energized rather than exhausted? Those questions matter too.
The Competence Trap
The most dangerous quadrant may actually be the one where capability is high and energy is low. These are the activities we can perform successfully. Managers trust us with them. Customers appreciate the results.
Yet we gradually become less engaged. Because the work relies on strengths we possess, but not necessarily on strengths we enjoy using. The better we become, the more often we may be asked to perform it. That is the trap.
Learning from Discomfort
This does not mean we should avoid low-energy activities altogether. In fact, some of the most valuable learning happens there. Activities that consume energy often expose gaps in our understanding. They force us to develop new skills. They help us appreciate the realities faced by others.
The goal is not to eliminate every draining task. The goal is to understand what role those tasks play in our development. An assignment can be worthwhile even when it is not energizing.
Looking Beyond Capability
Recently, I have started asking a different question when evaluating work.
Not only: Can I do this?
But also: What kind of energy does this create?
The answer often reveals more than capability alone. Some activities align with our natural interests and strengths. Others draw on skills we possess but do not particularly enjoy exercising.
Both have value. The important thing is recognizing the difference.
An Open Reflection
Perhaps career development is not only about becoming more capable. Perhaps it is also about becoming more aware. Aware of where we create value. Aware of how we learn. Aware of the activities that energize us and those that merely demonstrate competence.
Capability determines what we can do. Energy influences how long we can do it well. The distinction seems obvious once noticed. Yet I suspect many of us spend years confusing the two.
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