Achieve More Of Your Potential

Some of you may have thought about this, most have not. Do you have an image in the back of your mind (or maybe closer to the front) that is you the way you want to be?


For some that image is clear, but for most it is hazy at best. For most people that image is obscured by distractions and clutter. If asked, most would say, "I think I know what I want to become... but I'm not sure." Even after you grow up and achieve some success, you still probably have a vague feeling that I could have been more, that I could be more. For the fortunate, they still have the thought that, "I can do more." But how could you have done more than you have, how can you still become more than you are? We all have room for improvement; how will you obtain that level?

If you think of a person you perceive that exemplifies success, whether it be an athlete, a movie star, a business leader, a spiritual leader, or a community leader, you can ask yourself, how did they get to where they are?

Most likely they had some innate talent, but it is also likely they had some help - a person who helped instruct them on being a better person, a person who encouraged them to pursue their dreams or to pursue their goals or to strive for excellence.

What if Tiger Woods had not been encouraged by his parents? Where would Tiger be today? He would not likely have had the opportunity to actualize his potential. He would not have been discovered, his natural talent might have gone unnoticed, undeveloped. He would not have received the coaching, training, tutoring, or financial support that he did. Much time and money have been invested in making Tiger who he is? How many Tigers are there out there that have not gotten the right coaching to help them obtain their potential?

What was your potential? Where would you be if you had received optimal support and coaching? You could have been a Tiger in that area in which you have talent. You likely have received some of what you needed, but probably not enough to achieve your potential. You did what you could with a little help, you worked to use what resources you had available to you; you used your natural talent and the nurturing you got.

What is your potential now, given your talents and where you are at this point in your life? What can you do to move forward, to get to the next level, to achieve your potential?

Now that you are here in this position in life, are you getting the coaching that you need? Are you actualizing the potential you have? What would it take for you to get to the next level? You will never have more natural talent than you have now. What is needed to make the most of your resources now to move you forward? Do you have a clear picture of what you can become? How can you gain clarity regarding what you can be and how you will achieve more of your potential?

If you seek opportunities, you can achieve more than you have so far; many things can help. To be a success to the level of a Tiger Woods, you would have to start early and get an enormous amount of help. But you can be a success in your own way starting from where you are now. Every day presents opportunities to grow. Life's challenges test us and were grow from that. If in addition to those challenges, we can learn from more structured methods. More structure can be obtained in a variety of ways, such as going to meetings, reading books, and listening to advice. Another method by which to achieve success and reach your potential is through mentoring. Find someone to mentor you in the areas in which you seek growth.

The process should include some basics:

Values - Most of us can make a quick list of things that are important to us, but a more structured assessment and discussion will probably reveal some surprises and facilitate clarity.
Goals - The more specific your goals and the more consistent they are with your values, the more satisfied you will be with your efforts.
Action - Your actions will be most effective if they are planned, consistent, and on target with your goals.
Life Coaching can be for you, what all those resources have been for Tiger. Life Coaching is a structured methodology for helping people to obtain their potential. You may not reach some pinnacle of success, but a life coach can help you develop a sharper image of who you want to be, and help you create the path to that success. Whether your goals are financial, physical, social, or spiritual; you can become whatever it is that defines success for you by actualize your potential.