It’s Never too Late to Live Up to Your Potential

I believe it is sad when people do not live up to their fullest potential.

It’s a shame – and a waste of how they could have contributed to themselves, their work, their families, and the world. And I care because it means they’ve unknowingly denied themselves of a potentially richer, fuller and happier life.

But what does “living up to your fullest potential” actually mean? And why would someone want to do it anyway?

Potential does not have to mean achieving more simply for the sake of achievement. It can mean recognizing what you are capable of and deciding what you want to do with it. It can mean finding work that allows you to contribute in a way that matters to you.

As a coach I see that people do not always believe in themselves or see what their real potential is. Maybe they have lived small or simply gone along, not expecting very much.

Maybe they are afraid to make the effort, put themselves out there, and perhaps fail.

Or maybe no one else has expected them to become who they really are. No one has noticed what they might be capable of—or taken the time to see it.  And that is sad, too – sometimes just a little light shined on them is all they need.

Or, perhaps another person does see the potential in someone but doesn’t know how to bring it out. Seeing possibility in someone is not the same as helping that person recognize it for themselves.

If you have a sense that something is missing from your work or your life, perhaps it is time to stop and think about what else might be out there.

What have you always wanted to do?

What would make you much happier than what you are doing now?

What do you have to contribute that the world might need?

You may not know the answers yet. You may have spent years going along with a path you did not consciously choose. You may have forgotten what you once wanted or stopped expecting that it could be possible.

But that does not mean the potential is gone.

It may mean that you have not seen it clearly yet.

There is still time to stop, look at what is missing, and consider what might be possible for you.

It is never too late to live up to your potential!