259: Potential – Friday Fundamentals

Potential

Potential, defined,  is having or showing the capacity to become or develop into something in the future. Similarly, in the world of physics, potential energy is the energy possessed by a body by virtue of its position relative to others, stresses within itself, electric charge, and other factors.

Think of potential like a slingshot, pulled all the way back. With a simple release of the strap, the object in the slingshot is rocketed forward. Who knew I was inadvertently studying physics as a young kid while causing trouble with my home-made slingshots made of tree branches and bicycle tire innertubes.

You, just like that slingshot, have potential. You’re made up of potential energy. This life is filled with endless opportunities. You can do and be anything you want, so why not live up to your full potential and life a purposeful life?! Whether you realize it or not, you have the ability to tap into your potential and direct it towards wherever you so choose. We live in a world where we get to choose how to live. Take a moment and think about that. Yes, you get to choose how to live, where to live, who to spend time with, what hobbies and interests to pursue, and so much more.

You have so much potential. It’s just a matter of tapping into that potential and directing your focus towards your goals. Let’s look at some effective ways that will help you do just that.

  1. Try new things. There is so much for you to experience, opportunities you didn’t even know existed. The only way to find those is to get out and try new things. It’s impossible to know what interests you unless you are trying new things. You have to explore both the outside world and yourself to be able to realize what opportunities exist, and what you are capable of.
  2. Put yourself out there. It’s easy to stay in your comfort zone. But you’ll never challenge yourself, grow, and reach your full potential by staying where you’re comfortable. Progress happens when you are challenged because you are forced to solve problems, learn new things, experience new opportunities, and grow to new levels. Put yourself out there and don’t be afraid to fail.
  3. Nurture your environment. Whether you realize it or not, your environment is the single biggest factor in your success. The people who you surround yourself with, your physical location, and the information you process are all part of your environment. When you have an environment that supports your growth, learning, and improvement then you can more easily reach your full potential.
  4. Be a lifelong learner. Continuously study new things. Your mind is your most valuable asset, so be sure to always invest in it first. Podcasts, books, online courses, conferences, and networking with others are all great ways to learn and study new things. You’ll never be too educated.
  5. Take action. This is a vital part of realizing your potential. Taking action doesn’t always mean it’s the right action. Often times, you’ll do something that may or may not be effective. Either way, it’s a success so long as you learn from it. Implement the things you learn, pull the lessons out from things that did and didn’t work, and create that feedback loop so that you’re always improving and getting better.

Your potential is massive. You likely won’t tap into it overnight. It’s a process that you’ve got to stick with for the long run. In a journey to become your best self, there really is no finish line. It’s more of a lifestyle of constant improvement. You can start right this minute. In fact, you have already started just by listening to this podcast, which simply required you to hit play. Take hundreds, thousands, or even millions more of those tiny steps in the direction of self-improvement, and just imagine where you’ll be in 1 year, 10 years, or even 50 years in the future.

My wish for you is that you’ll realize your full potential and then live up to it. You are filled with greatness. So go out there and show yourself and the world what you are capable of.

Resources

Tribe of Millionaires