by Speaking my mind

Created on: July 13, 2009   Last Updated: July 14, 2009

You don't want to be given the "most potential" award two years in a row. If you are, you have a problem. If you don't realize why this is a problem, you have an even bigger one. If other people can see potential in you then you sure as hell better do something with it.

I think that most of us believe that we aren't reaching our full potential and the ones of us who don't aren't really trying to. I know I certainly subscribe to the idea that I could be doing better. But, better at what? Does this simply mean I am trying to reach someone else's idea of my full potential? I would like to think that I am trying to legitimately make myself a better person, but I know that's not what I am striving for. I am striving to be a little bit more successful, look a little better, and by doing so feel a little better about how other people see me. I want to reach my societal potential, not my own. I just want to be cool. This may or may not change how I see myself. In fact, I'm beginning to see more and more how trying to reach my "potential" (other people's opinion) actually is hurting my chances at reaching my ultimate potential. The chance that I could actually be a better person, become a little less vain, a little more caring, and for once help someone other than numero uno. Would that be reaching my full potential though? Or would I still need to do more?

So I am stuck back at the beginning of my apparent circle of thought on potential because I definitely am sure I cannot possibly be reaching it. After all I can't even decide what potential I wish to strive for on a given day. Another reason, albeit contrived, that I don't believe I'm to my full potential is that I think a great deal of myself. (Although, less and less the more I write about my potential) I know I am destined for great things. If this is all I can do with my life then what is the sense of giving any more effort? I like to think that we can never reach our potential. We can do great things, be happy, and genuinely want to help others, but that just means we are trying. We can always do more. The minute you think you're doing all you can is the instant at which you lose all potential. You have no more room to grow, to learn, to improve on yourself as a person. I hope that you never believe you've reached your full potential. Keep improving, not just on your bank account or your physique, but on yourself. We all have great potential and will probably and hopefully never reach it, but hopefully we all can try to get there.

Learn more about this author, Speaking my mind.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.