Your talent (potential) is God’s gift to you.
What you do with it is your gift back to God.” – Leo Buscaglia
The truth is everyone has a seed of success within them. It’s how we were designed, yet many never tap in or live up to their potential and most, for the same reasons. One of the biggest reasons is because most think that everyone else is the problem. “I can’t because _____.” Yes, everyone has a “good” reason.
Although people offer us a variety of reasons, we can usually sum up the most likely problem in two basic statements.
#1 God has placed more within you than you realize.
#2 You’ve settled for the life you have now.
They may not seem like big problems, but they’re greatly responsible for sidelining our potential and as with all problems, they carry consequence. Here’s a consideration for why those problems, in particular, keep us from stepping in and stepping up. Proverbs 12:15 The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but he that listens intently to good counsel is wise.
It’s frustrating to see what a person may be doing wrong and try to help them by offering tips they might consider for better results and they won’t listen because they know it all. God puts people in our path who have learned some things about pitfalls and how to avoid them. We should take advantage of their experience. Exchanging pride for a teachable spirit is a “must-have” if we intend to expand our talents to their full potential.
I meet many talented people, yet they never become all they’re called to be. Why? Because it takes MORE THAN TALENT to realize one’s full potential. IT TAKES TALENT +. (PLUS)
Talent + people share some commonality of thought and effort, like:
1. Initiative They take the initiative to determine what it means to find out and stretch their potential. Taking such initiative actually activates a deeper resource of their talent. Too many talented people aim...aim...aim without ever pulling the trigger to start.
2. Time If your goal is saving money, body building or baking a cake….fully realized potential takes time. Talent + people are prepared to persevere no matter how long it takes, however painful or whatever the cost. Most others quit when they realize the project might take too long or it’s more difficult than they thought it would be.
3. Cost Talent + people know that to gain something they may have to lose something; family time, rest, the latest tech gadget, new car, etc. They pay the price for their dreams while others want the easy win.
4. Problems Talent + people believe that problems are a path to creativity. They don’t see it as failure but the opportunity to find another way. They think solution, not problem. Many talent (only) people don’t believe there’s a solution to every problem, so they default the victory they might win by making no effort to solve the problem.
You can easily determine the caliber of people by the amount of opposition it takes to discourage them.
The greatest growing times in your life and mine is occur as we take responsibility for our downfalls and “own” our wrong attitudes. When we’re no longer teachable, we stop growing. There is relativity in people that are no longer teachable and it’s this… they level the playing field in their minds by equalizing the people in their sphere. Matt 13:58 But Jesus said “A prophet is taken for granted in his hometown and his family.” He didn’t do many miracles there because of their hostile indifference.
(Message) We have to get real about what we aren’t doing and stop blaming our missed opportunities on others.
The Bible says those that are planted in the house of the Lord will flourish in the courts of our God. (Ps.92:13) In other words “You gotta to show up to grow up!”
Don’t focus on what you don’t know, what you don’t do or where you’ve never been. This steals focus and slows momentum. Simply realize some basic truth:
You can't know everyone.
You can't do everything.
You can't go everywhere.
Here’s a quote by my friend, John Maxwell-
"Success is… knowing your purpose, growing to reach your maximum potential, and sowing seeds that benefit others."
Is there an area of personal growth you’ve been stifling? Are you holding out on yourself? Are you sabotaging your potential?
When you have a choice between “good enough” or a little bit better, which do you choose? Your choice is either a conscious or unconscious answer to these questions.
Now will the better choice mean that everyone will become the CEO of a major corporation? No, but it won’t hurt your reputation for excellence. It will also expand your potential for becoming a more considerate husband or wife, a great father or mother, a loving brother or sister, or a friend that treats people with love and respect. Living your potential make everyone happier and happiness makes everyone’s life bigger and better no matter who they are or what they do.
Just a couple of more things to add to our potential checklist….
As you move outward and upward in reaching your potential, remember your life has grand purpose. At some time others will need your help to reach their potential. Don’t forget it will cost you in Time, Talent and Treasure but you’ve been through it already and you will encourage them. Stay humble. I’m excited about your potential. Remember you’re just getting started… everything you learn and do will continue to grow your potential.
