How to Discover Your Ultimate Potential
Potential Defined
Ultimate Potential, wow, that’s heavy. What is this nebulous thing called potential? Throughout your life people have told you that you have lots of it … don’t waste it … and live up to it. But, again, what is it?
Potential comes from the root words “potency” and “potent” and refers to all the things you can be successful at if you develop and use your gifts, talents and natural abilities.
Very few people know what their potential is. For some people it’s a talent for singing or playing a musical instrument or slam dunking a basketball. For others it’s an unrelenting curiosity that leads them to science or economics or invention. For yet others it’s a passion to help others, or cure malaria or solve cold fusion. Whatever it is for you—however it translates to activity—what it is for sure, is PASSION.
Step 1. What is Your Passion?
Your first step is to discover your passions. How do you do that? Think about what it is you do that comes naturally to you. There are some things you do that when you’re doing them you completely lose track of time.
Some people pick up languages easily; others excel at making touchdowns or being able to visualize an innovative strategy for their business. The things we find easy, that come to us naturally, point to and define our potential. They are our passions.
Step 2: Make the List
Write down the things in your life that fit these criteria.
Then, look at your list and ask yourself: “What can I be the best at in the whole world?” Answering this question is not easy. In essence, it requires you to find your uniqueness. What value can you contribute to the world that can’t be given by anyone else?
Step 3: Become a Master of Your Talents
Look at your list and decide which two or three do you want to master … to become the best at? These become your exceptional talents. When you are passionate about something it’s easier to develop your mastery.
Resolve to become exceptional at two or more things and then combine them. It’s in the combining that you become unique and contribute unique value to the world.
For example, I have 3 passions:
- · Reading
- · Writing
- · Science of Learning
I have chosen to combine these three passions to create training modules and material related to our OnBoarding for Life program. I’m still a work in progress in terms of achieving my ultimate potential but I love what I do, take great satisfaction from the result and truly believe that I am contributing to our company’s goal of helping the best get better while they enjoy the journey.
Try this for yourself. Discover your passions and combine them to create your unique value. Then invest in those passions to develop the competencies that will make you the best. Do this and you will have moved a long way to achieving your ultimate potential.
Three Things to Do Next
1. Comment: What tips do you have for helping people find their ultimate potential.
2. Share: If you found this article helpful post the following link to it – Personal Growth – on your blog, site, Facebook, or twitter.
3. Make Your List: In the next couple of minutes take the first step mentioned above and make your list of the things that come easy to you.
