Transforming Potential into Reality Today

Have you ever felt weighed down by the concept of "potential"? Today, we promise to flip the script on this often burdensome idea, redefining it as a present-focused journey. Say goodbye to the future-oriented chase and the external validations that have long dictated your sense of worth. Instead, learn how to embrace potential as something you can realize right now, in this very moment. We'll guide you through letting go of judgment, fostering curiosity, and making small yet impactful changes in your daily routine.

In this transformative episode, we explore the emotional baggage tied to potential—from the pride of early praise to the shame of unmet expectations. Drawing inspiration from Adam Grant's book, "Hidden Potential," we emphasize the importance of the journey over the destination. Join us in reflecting on what's draining you and discover easy shifts that can make you more effective today. It's all about living in the now and understanding that only you can determine if you're living up to your potential each and every day. Let's break the cycle together and redefine what it means to live up to our potential.

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Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:24

Hey there, welcome back. I'm so glad you stopped by. I want you to take a deep breath, not because we're going to do a meditation today, but rather because what I'm about to say might be a trigger word. Are you ready, ready? Potential Today we're going to talk about potential, but not in the way that you might think.

Speaker 1: 1:06

So when we think about potential, there's this massive gravitas associated with it. It's a capital p three-syllable word that, when we were very young, we learned to associate with the smiles on the faces of our teachers or the pat on the back from a coach or how proud our parents looked when they told us how much of it we had. And even though we couldn't see it and had no idea what it actually meant, it felt nice to be associated with it. Along the way. The very same word had the capacity to induce shame and taunt us, like an older sibling who always seemed to be further ahead or more accomplished than we are. Remember how good it felt when they told us how much potential we had. They told us how much potential we had. Well, it became almost unbearable to see the disappointment register on their faces when they told us we weren't living up to it. As adults, we've carried this message with us in black and white thinking the idea that either we are which we only know somehow from external signs or validations or we aren't, which really is more of an intrinsic knowing. That kind of cuts to the core, like it did when they looked at us, nodding their heads, saying we're not living up to it, keeping us down in that place, living in shame. Keeping us down in that place, living in shame.

Speaker 1: 2:54

Potential is defined as having or showing the capacity to become or develop into something in the future. Well, no wonder we spend so much time chasing and feeling like we're never enough. But, guys, potential doesn't have to be future-based at all. In fact, from where I'm sitting, the only way, the only way to actually realize our potential is to well is to live in the moment. Look, potential is not about becoming something, it's about being. It's not about becoming, it's about being. It won't always, it won't ever look the same, and some days we are more able to tap into our potential than others, and that's perfectly okay.

Speaker 1: 3:57

The only, really the only question that you need to ask yourself to break this cycle of whether you are or you are not living up to your potential is to redefine what potential looks like in context, in this moment, right now. We're going to talk about things that influence us in further episodes, but for now, you guys, I want you just to check in with yourself and be honest. Check in with what's draining you, with what easy shifts you can make to be more effective in this moment. To let go of judgment, which only takes up space, and replace that with curiosity and with getting creative about how you might want to work today, how you might want to interact today.

Speaker 1: 4:57

All right, and finally, I want to leave you with this thought from Adam Grant who, ironically, I got this quote from his book Hidden Potential. He says the true measure of your potential is not the height of the peak you've reached, but how far you've climbed to get there. Guys, it's all about the journey. You are on your potential journey. You are on your potential journey. Only you know if you're living up to what you're capable of today, if you're doing what's best for you today. I'm going to leave it at that, but I encourage you to journal or to just simply consider what you're doing today, what's draining you, what you can shift, what you would like to do, and where you're at choice and where you are defaulting. Next week we'll dig into some of the influencers that affect our energy. But until then, that affect our energy. But until then, I'm Lisa Hopkins. Thanks so much for listening. Stay safe and healthy, everyone, and remember to live in the moment.