Realizing Your Full Potential

There seems to be a perception in our culture that we grow and develop up to a certain point, then decline. We have a choice. We can choose to get a little better every day. Is there any limit to what we are capable of? I believe the limits we have are only those which are self imposed. Most of us don’t begin to tap the amazing power of our creativity. Here are five ways to expand our possibilities: 1. Foster the belief that you are capable of continuous improvement always. Researchers in psychology call it brain plasticity. What it means to us is that there is no limit to the growth we can experience. Look for examples of people who keep getting better at different things in their life. Write down all the improvements you’ve made in the last year alone. Reinforce those beliefs that are helpful, and don’t give much airtime to the ones that drag you down. 2. Heed the Longings of Your Heart Sometimes our greatest potential may lie in an area we have never allowed ourselves to indulge. Maybe an accountant has a longing to express his visions through writing poetry. He might think that is a silly pursuit. If you have a heartfelt desire, it isn’t silly. There is some facet of you wanting to express in a different way, to break out of the routine you’ve built. By allowing yourself to explore varied interests your entire perception may change. 3. Follow Your Curiosity We often box ourselves in to a particular specialty within our business or career. You know you are in a rut when the only publications you read are relative to your own specialty. Let yourself follow your curiosity by exploring topics that intrigue you. Visit a magazine stand and peruse magazines you have never read. Look at the news stories online and choose a topic you don’t know about but would like to. 4. Explore New Paths In her perennial bestselling book, The Artist’s Way, Julia Cameron recommends the artist date—a two-hour exploration that you undertake on your own where you look at whatever draws your interest: a new art gallery, a recording studio, photo exhibit, a store that sells unusual musical instruments, for example. The whole point is to nurture your creative side. We tend to be so outcome oriented that pure, joyful exploration for the sake of having a good time is a luxury. Indulge in it, and see what ideas are sparked. 5. Choose One Area to Expand Often, we get overwhelmed with all we put on our plates. Be kind to your creative soul by gently expanding in one area at a time. Maybe this quarter, you decide to get your body in better shape. Let yourself immerse in that process without taking on too many other tasks. By taking this idea of perpetual self development in small bites, we allow our expansion to be organic and restorative. There’s always next month, or next quarter to write the short story or organize the garage. Be easy about it. Be very kind to you, and watch your brilliance shine forth naturally.   2008-11-13T23:15:09Z

-15.4497

346 2222

true

16558

realizing-your-full-potential

2008-11-16T20:39:18Z

This article is about how to continue to grow and develop our potential using our creative minds.

Realizing Your Full Potential

2009-02-24T09:47:09Z