Unleash Your Potential
Imagine this scenario: two people, same age, are hired by a company, at the same time, into the same entry level position. They have similar upbringings, education backgrounds and equal technical capabilities. Which person is likely to achieve their potential? It’s impossible to say with this information. We need to dig further…
As we dig we notice a difference between their beliefs: person A doesn’t think much of their capability and potential. They’re not confident of being promoted often throughout their career and unsure of what they will have achieved by retirement. Person B believes in their capacity for growth and development. They believe that the sky is the limit and they are willing to work hard to achieve it. Maybe one day they can become the company president. Although their skillsets are similar, their mindsets are completely different.
We don’t know the future of these two individuals, but it’s easy to assume that the trajectories of their lives, like their perspectives, will be very different. My money is on person B having a more fulfilled life as they strive for growth and potential . I believe that we are all capable of potential beyond what many people think. Mindset is the key to unlocking your potential.
Mindset is made up of beliefs you hold, assumptions you make, and attitudes you take. Mindset affects the way you think, behave, and experience and respond to the world around you.
Our mindsets are made up of a collection of limiting and enabling beliefs. The goal is to identify and replace the beliefs, assumptions and attitudes that are holding you back. Many of our beliefs, assumptions and attitudes were formed in our childhood and adolescence and we’ve reinforced them ever since.
If you’re still reading, you are ready to take the next step in unlimiting your mindset. It is time to examine your beliefs, assumptions and attitudes. Doing this will help you to better understand how they may be affecting your experience in life and your potential. Over the course of one week write down any interesting thoughts, behaviors, feelings. Put them in one of two columns: label column A ‘Enabling’ and list the things that are propelling you towards your potential, and label column B ‘Limiting’ for things that are holding you back.
At the end of the week look at the items listed in the ‘Limiting’ column. Examine under the surface. Think about what beliefs you hold, assumptions you’ve made and attitudes you’ve taken that lead you to think, behave and feel those ways.
You have now reached the point of awareness where you have the power to change your beliefs, assumptions and attitudes. This is where you choose to believe things that enable your growth and support your path to potential. As an example, you can choose to reframe a belief that you’re not good at something to believe that with the right focus and hard work you can become better.
This isn’t simply a cheesy attempt to ‘be positive’. This is a true shift in mindset. The consequence of which is a change in behavior, change in experience, and a change in achievements. Your potential lies in your mindset. We all have the power to change our beliefs. We have the ability to enhance our mindset.
You are capable of unleashing your potential; you just have to believe!