We often hear the statement “You have a lot more potential” or “You haven’t yet tapped into your potential” or simply “Play to your potential”. Have you ever wondered what this means?
The word “potential” comes from the Latin word “potentia” which means “power”. Over time, it has assumed a more intricate meaning. We now use the word potential to define latent qualities or skills that can be developed and lead to success. So, a potential growth is ‘not yet a growth’ but ‘could be’ if a person works in the right direction. In other words, you have potential if you have a natural, but undeveloped ability to do something. Doesn’t that sound complicated?
Within ourselves lies infinite possibilities
Finding your potential requires great effort and may be time consuming, especially if you have never learnt how to differentiate your personality from what you do. Have you ever noticed how frequently you present yourself as “I am a manager in a company” or “I am a teacher” etc. All these introductions are dependent on what you do.
You become aware of the infinite possibilities lying within as soon as you truly connect with yourself. This connection is established when you learn to define yourself through who you are rather than what you do.
How to find your potential?
“Inside every seen is the potential for an incredible harvest“
Farrah Gray
The first step is to stop thinking about what is missing, lacking, or simply not working. Instead, start exploring your strong qualities. Learn to listen to yourself, both thoughts and feelings without being biased. Acknowledge your dominant state of mind. Observe what causes the feeling of discontent, discomfort, and dissatisfaction. Focus on how to express the causes of those feelings positively.
” Questions provide the key to unlocking our unlimited potential” – by Anthony Robbins
Learn to express yourself as ‘who are you as a person? It might initially be challenging to arrive at accurate words to define you. There are simple activities that you can do find words that characterize you like think about your strongest qualities, list things that you are proud of every day and ask your trusted advisors. Then asses this list to find what is common in them? Gradually the path will ease, and you will start having words that characterize you.
In the process, you will learn to be comfortable with who you are.
Lastly, pull down the protective walls that you might have unknowingly constructed around yourself to protect yourself from other people’s opinion or judgement. Doing so will free you from a state of constant caution or fear of being judged.
This will teach you to articulate your feelings and thoughts without getting defensive.
Once you’ve allowed your true self to shine through, the right action will come as second nature to you. Attaining your dreams will follow naturally.
Transform yourself by finding your true potential.
You will experience this transformation in many different ways – living every moment of life, feeling content in a world full of desires and cravings, becoming more optimistic, focusing on infinite possibilities and much more.Here’s a challenge for you, define yourself in 10 lines without saying what you do?
