Day 30: Potential
All my life I’ve heard that very few people live up to their potential. While I won’t argue with that statement, I do wonder at what level one would have to be in order to live up to the throne of using all of one’s potential? Did Albert Einstein, Marie Curie or Alexander Fleming live up to their full potential or could they have discovered something even greater? Where’s the limit?
When I was in high school and college, without a doubt I was smarter than the effort I put into my work. I wouldn’t say that I was lazy, but I know I could have tried harder. That pretty much sums up everything in my life. Let me pause here and say that I am NOT putting myself down or anything like that. I’m simply saying that there are numerous times where I know that I could try harder. I’m sure it’s the case for most people. There’s always going to be something that we halfway do for a variety of different reasons, such as lack of time, commitment, interest or resources. We live in a society where just getting by is good enough most of the time. Do the minimum to get it done. This isn’t always by choice, either. There might be a project at work that I would love to spend much more time doing and completing to perfection, but then there are other projects that need my attention.
I know that I could be a better writer if I ventured out more and tried other genres. As much as I enjoy reading fiction, I am not comfortable writing fiction. I’m sure if I worked on it or took a creative writing course, then I could excel at it or at least be decent with it. However, at this stage in my life, I am fine with the voice that I have with writing. It’s much easier to just be myself than to be someone else. Maybe someday I will try fiction again.
If writing is something that you are interested in, whether it be journaling your thoughts like I do or creative writing with fictional characters, I would like to encourage you to start exercising your writing skills by using the 31 Journaling Prompts that I have written about this month. They could easily be used for both fiction and non-fiction writing. Another great resource for me is Writing Through Life, a website with weekly journaling prompts, as well as a free 4-week Journaling 101 course. Finally, my awesome friend, Rebekah, wrote a Guest Post On Being A Writer that offers some practical tips on getting started.
Whatever area of your life you have more potential than you are using, I encourage you to seek it out and try to be more than you are. In the long run, it will definitely be worth your time and effort.
In what area do you have more potential than you are using? Do you stick with just getting by or do you go all the way?
“Continuous effort – not strength or intelligence – is the key to unlocking our potential.” – Winston Churchill
Read more about the 31 Days of Journaling Prompts
Today’s recommended 31 Day Blogger: 31 Days: The Thrift Project @ Beautiful Objects
Frogdiva Dot Com 
This is a great post. I feel like my whole 31 Days experiment has been an exercise in doing more – in striving to reach my potential. And I’m completely honored to be your recommended 31 Days Blogger today – thank you so much! I’m off to finish my last post and then dig into your journaling prompts!
I have been in awe of your thrift projects! Have you been doing one every day or have you had some stored up? I can’t imagine being that creative every day!
Congratulations on getting to the end of the 31 Day Challenge!
No, not stored up – well, the martini costume was from last year. I’ve had these projects in my to-do pile for a while though. It was time! Thanks for following along. I just added you to my reader – looking forward to reading more from you!
Hi Tonya,
Nice to meet you. I’m hopping over from Shanda’s blog hop. It sounds like you are working hard at building and honing your writing skills. Isn’t that a fun task? 🙂 I agree. We can encourage each other in that process.
Have a great week.
Jennifer Dougan
http://www.jenniferdougan.com
Thank you for stopping by and commenting, Jennifer. I’d love to be part of your encouragement “tribe” for writing. I’ve subscribed to your blog 🙂
Wonderful post.
Thanks! 🙂
Loved this. Really food for thought in the first paragraph about Einstein for example. It’s a hard thing to ponder because if someone works hard like that they probably do live up to their full potential, and yet the human mind is always learning and growing, so eventually they could push beyond that I am sure. With myself and potential I give whatever my current passion is my all. For instance, I have been giving 100% to my blog and writing lately. However I tend to not be able to live up to my full potential in all areas at the same time. It seems like if you put a lot of passion and effort in to one area, then some of the other areas go on the wayside a bit because there isn’t enough time in the day to do it all. I guess that is what happens when you have lots of interests. I could be a better artist or guitar player for example…if I put more time in to developing those skills. I guess for me, maybe I have to evaluate which areas are the most important for me to put all my effort in to -as I am not superwoman haha 🙂
I guess this is where priorities come into play, because there’s no way that we could do it all.
Go find your cape, superwoman! 😉
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