A fundamental human drive is the need to grow and realize ones full potential.  Potential is possible reality, everything that can become actual.  Potential remains hidden until actions are taken which unlock and use it.  It is only the result, that shows the existence of potential.

Potential + Action = Achievement.

The majority of people live their lives using a very small portion of their potential, as most of us have a limited awareness of our inner resources.  It is usually only extreme emergencies and crises that reveal how much greater our inner resources and potential are than we suppose.  Our potential lies dormant and quiescent within us, and is nothing without applied energy.  As Zig Ziglar says, “It is not what you’ve got, it’s what you use that makes a difference.”

We each have different gifts, talents and strengths which offer us the potential to develop and improve ourselves and contribute to others.  It is our responsibility as human beings to uncover our full potential and use it  for our own betterment, for that of others and the entire world.  As Ralph Waldo Emerson stated, “Freedom is not the right to live as we please, but the right to find how we ought to live to fulfill our potential.”

Our potential is energized by our hopes and dreams, it is stifled by our fears.  Until you know who you are meant to be and what you really want to do with your life, it is unlikely that you will ever unlock your full potential.  You must have a clear vision of what you want, and it must be huge.  A small vision just won’t do it - not enough energy.  Find the goals big enough to challenge you, to stretch you, to pull you toward them.

Potential is not static.  In the physical world, objects have different potential  depending upon their position.  For example, a ball on a table has the potential energy to fall to the floor if pushed.  If it were already on the floor, it would not have this potential.  We too have different potential at different times in our lives and in different situations.  We can live up to our potential of the moment by doing the best we can in any situation, and we will progress and move forward.  However, if we remain in our “comfort zone”, our potential is not as great as when we rise out of it and challenge ourselves.   We gain energy to activate our potential when we expose ourselves to new situations, when we learn more, when we associate with more stimulating people.

One of the greatest tragedies is to live a life that is unfulfilled, a life that never discovers its full potential.  Challenge yourself, dream big, take action - unlock your potential.  You will probably surprise yourself with all the resources that have been hiding inside of you.  Potential is what can be; use yours and become who you can be!
 

Coaching questions:

1. What do you really, really want to do with your life?
2. What choices do you need to make to realize your full potential?
3. What is stopping you?
 

Quotes

“Everyone has inside of him a piece of good news.  The good news is that you don’t know how great you can be! How much you can love! What you can accomplish!  And what your potential is!”