Untapped Potential

I'm going to tell you something about yourself that you might already know, but that more than likely, you don't quite even realize about yourself. You have untapped potential- and more of it than you might think. It's a potential that would allow you to thrive in the marketplace, or feel fulfillment by the acts of service you make time for, or to sit back someday and smile at the chances you took.

Can you smile and reply "yes" when asked, "Is this where you always thought you'd be? Wanted to be? Is this the story you would've written if you were holding the pen?" For most, the answer is no. Sometimes the problem is that we let someone else determine what we do, how we do it, or what risks we take. Other times, we let our circumstances determine the choices we make. We use those circumstances as a crutch. Maybe you took the first job you were offered and continued to play smaller than what you were capable of. Maybe you were so focused on succeeding that you forgot to ask yourself what you really wanted to succeed in.

What were you drawn to back when you had a choice? What would you do if all expectations were removed? When you allow yourself to dream, where does your mind take you? For some, these questions aren't easily answered. You shut down that part of your brain. It's difficult to even slow your thoughts enough to really dive deep into these questions. You're protecting yourself emotionally by suppressing the option to dream in the first place.

I know this because I was once in your shoes. In college, I took a writing class anytime I had an elective to fill, yet I chose to major in Business because I felt there was more opportunity for that degree in the marketplace. I wanted something more generic and versatile as opposed to narrowing my focus to something that I was passionate about, but that had fewer opportunities that I'd ultimately be fighting for. I took the safe route. I decided to choose a salary over freelance. When I found a job I excelled at, I stayed put. I ended up building a top-producing sales team with my husband because I chased (and craved) success. I chased it just to attain it, though, not because I felt anything by achieving it. This is where so many of you are. The natural talents and abilities you and I have likely aren't being used as intended. We might be using them as a crutch, as a reason to convince ourselves we're where we're supposed to be. When you use your skills and talents, you might find success, but until its met by passion, you haven't sought out your true purpose. You haven't found the reason that you have those talents in the first place.

What's keeping you where you are is fear. Fear that...

ou'd be playing too big.

You'd have a financial setback.

It'll be a long road.

You might fail.

This isn't really about you failing though. It's about you thinking that you could. That mindset is what keeps you below your potential.

Three years ago, my husband decided I should begin skiing with him. I had snowboarded, but never tried to ski. Reluctantly, I agreed to switch and we found ourselves on the first easy slope one morning as I got acclimated to the skis. We went down the first slope a time or two (at most) and he suggested that we get on the next hill up. I agreed. What I didn't know was that he wasn't taking me to the next hill. No, he was taking me to an expert hill. He knew this, but he kept it to himself because he knew something I didn't... he knew I was capable of doing it, but he knew that my mindset would disagree. He knew I lacked the confidence. I quickly figured out what was going on when the lift carried us higher and higher. I started to panic but I was very well aware of one thing: it was too late to turn back. I had to go down. I could crawl, stumble, cry, or glide. It didn't matter. I just had to go for it. Did I make it down? Yes, I did.

So why tell you this story? Because this is just one silly - yet terrifying (for me, anyhow) - example of the limitations our mind puts on us. When we force ourselves to go for it, we surprise ourselves. When we force ourselves to go for it, we find out what we're capable of. When we force ourselves to go for it, we tap into that potential we didn't know we had. This is what I want for you. I worked on my mindset every. single. day by carving out intentional time each morning. I'd listen to podcasts, read books, and implement the things I was learning as they pertained to my business. I still do this every day. This is how you tap into that potential. I want this for YOU.