8 Ways to Unlock Your Potential

Do you wonder why you haven’t accomplished more with your life? Do you feel that you have great potential locked up inside of you? Most adults feel this way. No one ever truly reaches their potential, but it’s discouraging that so many of us never even scratch the surface of our potential. Are you ready to find out what you can do?

Find out what you’re really capable of accomplishing:

• Be bold. This is the number one tip for unleashing your potential on the world. When we are out there doing our best each day, most of us would be too busy to distract ourselves with social media and other distractions that get in the way. But, keep in mind, doing your best doesn't mean overdoing it. Also, your best will be different each day depending on what's going on in life. Another thing that affects many people from making big moves in life is what others might think of them. So if this is you, stop caring about the opinions of others and show the world what you've got.

• Have bold goals. To live up to your potential, you need goals. Goals provide a direction for your energy and effort. Effective goals are motivating, which is great if you’re going to set bold goals! Avoid overwhelming yourself. Goals should be bold, but not overwhelming.

• Combine your strengths and interests. Do you really care about maximizing your chess-playing potential if you don’t enjoy playing chess? You’ll have the most potential in the areas where you show natural strength and have a high level of interest. What are you good at that you also enjoy?

• Get expert assistance. Some of the leading experts in the world still have a coach or mentor. The right mentor can help you to reach your potential faster than you can do it alone. Spend the time necessary to find a good mentor. It’s like putting your progress on the fast track.

• Make progress each day. A small amount of progress, accumulated over time, can result in amazing progress. Avoid overwhelming yourself by setting a schedule or goals that you can’t maintain. But, be sure to make some progress each and every day. The amount of progress you can make in a year would be staggering.

• Develop habits that help you accomplish your goals. Keeping with the same theme of making progress each day, your habits are those things you do each day. An effective set of habits all but guarantees success.

• Examine your goals and determine the habits that would make success likely. The hardest job you have is creating habits. Once the right habits are in place, there’s little else to worry about. Create an effective routine and stick with it.

• Determine your obstacles. There’s always something in the way. It might be a lack of time, money, or other resources. Maybe you have a spouse that demands a lot of your time. Maybe you live in the wrong place. After all, it’s not easy to maximize your surfing skills in Louisiana! :)
  
  • Create a plan for dealing with your obstacles. What can you do to overcome them, or at least minimize them? What do you need? What do you need to stop doing? How can you alter your life to make success more likely?

• Expect success. If you expect failure, you’re bound to fail. Why not give yourself the benefit of the doubt and expect good things? If you have solid goals, good habits, and a smidge of discipline, there’s no reason to doubt yourself.

Making a few decisions, acting boldly, and finding a mentor are just a few of the things you can do to unlock your potential. Make today the day you start living at your highest level. What are you waiting for?