One of the most often mis-understood aspects of self-development is the concept of potential. We are often told that we can achieve our full potential, however, what does this really mean? When the focus is building self-esteem and motivating individuals to do better, there is often the implication that potential is a destination or an end-point that can be reached, and if we just strive for "it", we will reach "it". But, what is "it"?
The Meaning of "It"
The definition that I particularly like states that potential is "the inherent ability or capacity for growth, development, or coming into being" (www.dictionary.com). What is particularly appropriate about this definition is that "it" is not a destination. "It" is a capacity or ability that we all have within us that can be brought to bear to improve ourselves and, by extension, our lives. Potential is one aspect of a process that enables us to grow and develop. If we think of potential as a destination, we limit our thinking and our actions to that which we believe we are capable or to the state of being that we have currently achieved. While we may lead ourselves to believe that we have "achieved" our potential (i.e. reached our destination), in reality, we have simply settled on a level of potential that we find comfortable, at least initially. Unfortunately, without the challenge of more to come, the comfort goes away and we become disappointed. After having worked so hard to get somewhere, we find that that somewhere is not where we want to be. If we believe that we have "achieved" our potential, we may also begin to believe that there is no further development possible and, as a result, our disappointment turns into unhappiness. This unhappiness then begins to drive our lives such that we become focused on eliminating the unhappiness rather than on being happy. This is a subtle difference, but one that can have a profound impact on our view of ourselves and our lives. If we rightly believe that our potential is simply part of the ongoing process that is our life and that what we have achieved is not the end but the beginning of more things to come, we can avoid the negativity of disappointment and unhappiness and create, for ourselves, an environment in which we can continue to grow and prosper.
Continuous Improvement
Fundamental to potential is the human capacity to learn, to take on new experiences and to use those experiences to influence our thinking, our feelings and our behaviours. This means that our potential is limitless as it continues to grow throughout our lives. It also means that the greater and more varied our experiences, the greater is our ability to grow and develop. As we go through our daily routines, it is important to take the attitude that each moment is an opportunity to learn something new in order to increase our potential for further growth. Each new lesson builds on the previous in a limitless cycle of lesson-potential-development. We need to believe that our future lies not in our current abilities, skills and experiences but in our capacity to learn, grow and develop. It is this potential for continuous improvement that leads to contentment and optimism in our lives.
Copyright © 2005 by Peter Cartmill, All rights reserved.
Peter Cartmill is a Personal and Career Coach and the founder of GreatAspirations.ca. To learn more about how Coaching can benefit you, visit http://www.greataspirations.ca
One of the mainstays of American culture is the "Great... Read More
1. Know your purposeAre you wandering through life with little... Read More
It's four weeks away and you don't have any plans.... Read More
Three steps to your Personal Transformation:Awareness and PerceptionLaw of Cause... Read More
I looked up the definition of "to dither" before writing... Read More
The fall harvest comes upon us once a year. The... Read More
Obviously, there are many wonderful things about having a personal... Read More
Sound familiar? If you want to manage anger, the only... Read More
What do you do when fear shows up? Do you... Read More
Have you ever thought about how sheep get lost? Even... Read More
I am remembering and have a desire to share with... Read More
Being a Life Strategy Coach doesn't mean I'm always on... Read More
This story is being offered in response to a request... Read More
"Tell me what company thou keepst, and I'll tell thee... Read More
I'm calling you out. Issuing a Challenge. Relax, It's not... Read More
Watching the news can be hazardous to your health.It's a... Read More
What If You Could Ask Anyone For Help?Have you ever... Read More
Did you hire a "life coach" to help you sort... Read More
IntroductionThese days in corporate sector, everybody is talking about the... Read More
Six steps we can take to reduce our risks for... Read More
Never understimate the power of a well-written word. Tens of... Read More
WORDS THAT INSPIREA monthly quick shot to motivate you, in... Read More
Imagine yourself as the only means of financially supporting you.... Read More
Would you agree that today most of us have the... Read More
I was never much of an athlete growing up. Notoriously... Read More
Athletes the world over have coaches. Yet, workers whose very... Read More
Passion is a feeling of excitement and intensity. The energy... Read More
You Are What You Listen ToCan music really help you... Read More
When I was first introduced to the profession of personal... Read More
Emotional dependency means getting one's good feelings from outside oneself.... Read More
Early one morning, Robert awoke, made his wife of 41... Read More
Have you considered hiring a personal coach? Jack Canfield, in... Read More
A few weeks ago at a "Leadership from the Ground... Read More
What can I do to be a better coach? The... Read More
"My guess is first I'll need some zippy flyers and... Read More
I was talking to one of my coaching clients and... Read More
Not long ago, I traveled back east to Ohio and... Read More
One of the most distressing observations I have made among... Read More
As a Life Coach I quickly identified most individuals wanted... Read More
In ancient times, a King had a boulder placed on... Read More
From the time Jennifer was a little child, she was... Read More
Being a coach is such a rewarding profession. The enormous... Read More
Personal or business coaching has helped thousands change their lives... Read More
You, like many others, may have come to this article... Read More
"Happiness is not a matter of good fortune or worldly... Read More
I am remembering and have a desire to share with... Read More
My name is Greg Ryan. For the last twenty years... Read More
"Stop and smell the roses," people often say. Then they... Read More
Many moons ago. Talking to people was something I avoided... Read More
Quite often I am in contact with people who discuss... Read More
Disappointment is an inevitable part of home-based business. Clients won't... Read More
What Is Perfectionism?This is the first of two newsletters that... Read More
Have you ever thought about how sheep get lost? Even... Read More
Is it really possible to have loads of fun, and... Read More
I looked up the definition of "to dither" before writing... Read More
I've told people for a long time that one of... Read More
Many of you reading this will be running businesses, or... Read More
Is Having a Professional Coach a Solution to Optimizing your... Read More
We all need to decide whether to "play it safe"... Read More
Playing Our Part:Sir Michael Costa was conducting a rehearsal, in... Read More
When you feel self-conscious it means you are putting too... Read More
"Part of what motivates me to write this book is... Read More
Improve Your Life! How to Hire A Coach.A reader writes,... Read More
That one guy at work that always has to be... Read More
With the growing number of expert business people, consultants and... Read More
I turned 29 last week, and if statistics are right... Read More
Coaching |