Have you ever felt like you should be more? Living more? Doing more? Learning more? Feeling more?
Has anyone ever told you, or have you felt like “You should be living up to your potential"?
For a lot of people, this concept makes us feel a lot of inner shame and confusion around why we are not – currently - living to our potential and today we look at why.
Firstly it's important to point out - We can never fully 'live up to our potential' because our potential is ALWAYS in the future!
Potential - by definition - is something we could be, but we aren’t yet. So this always has to be in the future. The present is just living now and the past is just what we've already experienced.
What’s more - most of the time - the view of our potential and where we want to get to is based on the emotions of our past.
If we look at an example, a larger person may feel they are not living up to their potential because they aren’t a size 10 and they don't go to the gym every day. There may be a lot of negative feeling around this, e.g. guilt for not looking after themselves in the past or eating that slice of cake yesterday, low confidence around not being able to change (as they've tried all the diets that have worked for people they know and always failed) and the list goes on.
However, this view of their future potential is based on the insecurities of now and how they feel about how they got there (their past). What’s more, they have likely already formed a very negative connection with the subject, which will therefore be hard to break. If they let go of the trauma of their past and focus on the fact that their potential is always in the future - which also means there is no connection to where they are NOW - then they can start with an (emotional) blank canvas. Their view of where they could get to in the short, medium and long term may change dramatically and their emotional connection with losing weight could become a very different and positive experience.
It is also important to look at why we want to reach a certain goal and what that goal is - exactly. If the answer is because we feel like we 'should' because of other peoples beliefs, or - taking our example of someone who wants to lose weight - because of the way the media portray 'normal' we will be swimming against the tide.
It is so important to define our goals in such a way we know what outcome we want - exactly - and how we can tell when we've reached it. This way, we stand a much higher chance to bring our 'potential' into reach and let go of the emotions of the past.
Todays Challenge - Write down one thing which 'living to your potential' would actually mean to you. Define what it is, how it would feel and how you would know once you'd achieved it. Only by knowing exactly where you want to go, will your mind help you find the way there.
What to do next....
All the ‘Free Your Mind’ techniques take time and practice. But now you have some new knowledge, why not download my FREE Mindset Map, which will show you how to put everything you have learned into practice. To get your FREE copy straight to your Inbox, click here.
In this FREE Mindset Map, I outline an amazing and enjoyable journey of self-discovery. A journey that will lead you to a happier and more fulfilling future. A life full of energy and positivity and filled with a feeling of calm and inner balance.
I share my signature framework, The 5-Stage Mindset Makeover Method to:
- Get to know yourself better, take back control and uncover what your values and drivers in life are
- Start to see the world differently and develop a mindset which will naturally move you towards a more positive outlook on life
- Start the process of designing your own path forward and creating the impetus to taking those first all-important steps
- Start to make real change, gain momentum and what to do if you deviate from your path (or stop completely!)
- Arrive at your destination and what to do next!
Or to find out more about me, why not join me in my free private community on Facebook by clicking here
Photo's used for our 7-day challenge were provided by local up-and-coming photographer Dominique-Alana Photography