Maximizing your potential
Potential is something we don't discuss enough. Somewhere along this life journey the conversation shifted from potential to results, as if the two cannot coexist. When you are beginning something new in life you are filled with potential. Sure, you may also be bringing along skill but the potential or possibility of what this new challenge may become is what excites and propels you forward. To maximize your potential it's important to master the basics, then push yourself beyond the limitations of your current mindset.
Get organized to prepare for your own success. For many, this may mean going above and beyond organizing your physical space. Investing time now in organizing your life, will save you time later to do the work that is most important to you. Organize your finances by maintaining a budget so you are able to quickly assess where your money is going. Having a clear understanding your finances is a great way to determine the true financial benefits of a new opportunity. Sort through your wardrobe and create the look that makes you feel your most powerful. Donate any items that no longer represent who you are or who you are becoming. Clear your space of clutter and create order by always putting things back in their proper place. A habit that will ultimately save your time and frustration. Your future self will thank you.
Manage your capacity by using your calendar. We keep our work lives in order by sticking to a schedule. Take advantage of this tool by applying it to your life outside of work as well. Manage your personal and social time by planning events. You can easily leave space for spontaneity. By organizing your plans on your calendar, it's easy to find those windows of opportunity that we all miss. Often we talk about not having enough time to learn a new skill or try something new, but in reality we squander time on social media or watching TV. Imagine having the ability to recapture some of those hours throughout each week, to take a course or start that hobby. Using your newly found time to do the things that make you happy and a better person overall is always a good move. Maintaining your calendar allows you to set your pace when working toward your goals. Your calendar also provides a timeline to reflect on and determine whether you are on track or need to make any adjustments. Managing your time will help you find the extra time needed to truly maximize your potential.
Once you have mastered the basics, challenge yourself beyond what you thought was possible. Rewrite the script for your life or take a leap by trying to do more of the thing you often daydream about. Start small with just an hour or so each week and work your way up to a pace that is comfortable for you. It's important to challenge your typical approach. You are more capable both physically and mentally than you think you are. However, you won't know how far to push yourself if you never try. Volunteer your time to pour into others or invest more time in your dreams by purposefully working toward a goal. Each time you achieve more than you thought you were capable of, you ascend to a new level. You will inevitably learn that there are no limits to what you can accomplish, but you first have to create order in your life to have the necessary space to achieve.
Lastly, challenge your own thinking. Once you have created the time and space in your life to do something different, then you have to question your thinking each time doubt begins to creep in. You are capable of achieving more than you ever thought was possible and the evidence is all around you. What you have achieved to date, you undoubtedly thought was out of reach at some point and yet here you are. Make the plan and start the work, the momentum from getting started will propel you through the finish line. The achievement of one goal will propel you to the next and so on. Your only true limitation is your way of thinking.
Every decision you make presents the opportunity to maximize your potential. It's important to believe in yourself enough to take the first step. Besides, "playing it safe it the riskiest choice we can ever make", Sarah Ban Breathnach.
*Written in San Francisco, CA, while sipping water and taking a much needed break.