Are you familiar with the phrase: “reach your full potential”? I am sure you have heard it a few times over. I used the phrase myself a few times on my website. But I stand corrected because I realize that if people take the phrase literally, they will begin to think that when they reach their set goals, they may stop and not go further. Just because an individual reaches their potential of achievement does not mean that they should not go further and set new goals.
On the contrary, going further will make you a successful individual. Why? Because there are no limits to one’s personal growth and development. It is a continuous journey that never stops. It is a journey that could include one’s business, personal relationships, or contributions to society.
Why Do People Stop In Their Journey of Success & Achievement?
One of the major reasons people discontinue their pursuit of seeking challenging goals is because they simply lose hope during the process. All right, I agree that there is nothing easily attained in this world. Anything worth the trouble and hard work will not be an easy run. It will take you reaching down deep to tap into your core characteristics that will spring you into creative thought, creative initiatives to be tried, and creative action to implement for trial and error. The results, if you press on, will transform your business or project into success, eventually.
Losing Hope & Tapping Into Your Core Characteristics Against Negativity
Hope is the glue that keeps us hinged to life. It is the virtue that connects our being to everything and everyone. Without hope, people begin to slowly wither into a shell of a person with no enthusiasm or desire to set or reach goals. They may even become bitter at life. Why do people become depressed or sometimes unfortunately want to take their own life? Because, they usually answer, “I have no hope”.
Whether it is a vacation, going to college, attaining a gold medal, a weight loss, a new business, or simply learning a new language, hope is the glue to make it happen. If you lose hope, you lose your desire to go forward with your goals.
Super Core Characteristics
This is the time when your core characteristics come into full view and play a strategic role in your growth as well as defining your success. Characteristics such as, patience, tenacity, optimism and positivity, fortitude, endurance, commitment, responsibility, courage, drive, flexibility, and adaptability, etc. are your super core foundation. These character traits will decide your future and open wide the possibilities of your creative abilities that drive your potential to greater heights.
I do not have a problem of referring to potential as a starting point, but I do have a problem with it when referring to full potential as reaching the top step in pursuit of something (goal).
Beware Of Contrary Factors To Characteristics
Factors that are contrary to and work against the positive traits that can be labeled as negative emotions are disappointment, frustration, disillusionment, and lack of interest or discouragement.
These emotions are usually felt because one has set up overly high or unrealistic expectations for themselves to achieve, which did not meet their self-designated criteria. Setting too high of expectations and goals to be met, can and will surface as disappointments unless your flexibility and adaptability mechanisms are in place.
To be safe from a collapse of expectations, just set “baby steps” or a detailed plan of steps to be taken and accomplished before moving on to the next set of steps. Each time you set a new set of steps to be met, you will set a healthy pattern for yourself and will avoid having a “going off the deep end episode” and trashing the whole project or goal. After all, you have come this far investing your precious time and effort, while probably having a real job. Therefore, you do not want to throw away that incredible potential that started you off in the right direction, in the first place.
References:
Retrieved from http://www.armonikizoi.com/2011/disappointment-disillusionment-discouragement
Evans, P. Entrepreneur
Retrieved from https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/281197
