So I know it seems like this series is never going to end. There have definitely been several points that it could have. I also considered, at the beginning, combining all of this into one long post. But for the sake of your eyes and my fingers, I decided it would be better suited as a set. This is the conclusion of the matter.
We have discovered that everyone has potential. However, far too many people leave it there and waste abilities, talents, and greatness. Additionally, everyone was created by God for greatness. You would not be alive today if He did not have an incredible purpose in mind for you. I do not want you coming away from this post thinking that He needs help getting your gifts out of you. But it is important to realize that the harder you work to reach your full potential, you will learn more and increase your effectiveness as a professional. We also went in to several practical ways you can tap into your hidden potential. This final post addresses the last two ways to reach your potential.
4. Care for Others
"You can have everything in life you want if you will just help enough other people get what they want." - Zig Ziglar
I had to give some space to Mr. Ziglar because this philosophy is so incredibly true. In his book, "See You At The Top," Ziglar points out the benefit of helping and caring for others. It not only improves the way that you feel about yourself, it will also help you in your journey to the top. If you constantly step on people to get to where you are going, ultimately, by sheer weight of numbers, they will drag you back down. But if you help others along the way, when you get to the top, you will be there right along with everyone that you personally helped to get there as well.
The reason this is so important in reaching your full potential is that it stretches you as an individual. Being kind and helpful to other people is, more often than not, the more difficult path to take. It is very easy for us to "Look out for number one." But it is crucial to tapping into your potential because it adds motivation for hard work.
Think about this example. You have a yard full of leaves at your house that all need to be raked up. This is a chore that you do not particularly enjoy and you keep finding excuses to avoid it. But when the little old lady across the street asks for your assistance in raking her yard, all of a sudden your desire to avoid the chore dissipates because you are helping someone else. You also feel more energized the entire time because you are spending yourself by investing in kindness toward others.
5. Stay Spiritually Fed
This tip is one that is impossible for me to stress to a worthy extent. People who only look out for their physical, emotional, and mental well-being will never be as effective as those who include spiritual well-being in the list. It has always amazed me how people who believe in something can constantly reach deep down and come up with the drive necessary to complete the task at hand.
My advice is this: spend time with God each and every day. Get involved in a local church. Pray often. These things seem silly at times but they are invaluable when trying to reach your potential and better yourself. Having people behind you who support you and care about your spiritual well-being is one of the greatest things anyone could ever have. Everyone should have a church they can call home that will challenge them and keep them accountable spiritually.
Many people do not realize that when you put your spiritual life first, everything else will fall into place. When you care for your spirit, you will also care for your body and mind. Seek the kingdom of God first and everything else will be added unto you.
As I stated previously, I have had a lot of fun from this series. I have learned a lot about myself and examined my own life to find what I need to do differently. Reaching your potential is definitely a growing process. Enjoy the journey. Until next time, stay classy.
-Andrew
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