Apr 27 2010
Reaching Your Full Career Potential
Published by Tom Volkar under Career Coaching | 
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Potential is within the realm of possibility but not yet reached. We talk about reaching our full potential like it’s a good thing, but I don’t think it is.
Potential is somewhere in the future, yet the only place we have any power is in the now.
When folks talk about reaching their full potential it’s always a self-judgment. It’s a judgment based on something they may have heard, or a comment that someone else made about them, that got stuck in their head.
When someone tells you, what he or she thinks would be good for you – it usually isn’t good for you.
Any mindset that passes judgment on unrealized performance, is likely to cause more stress and suffering than motivation to change.
In the process of career coaching I’ll often ask my clients to decide what they most want from a career change. When they say, “I want to live up to my full potential.” I dig deeper by asking.
If you lived up to your full potential what would be happening then that isn’t now?
Tell me the top three benefits of living up to your full potential.
What kind of a career would you be working in if you were living up to your full potential?
Full potential is an unreachable illusion. It’s a state of unrealized perfection that is not clearly defined.
Reaching full potential is like being all that you can be. Who could ever be that? Where would they find the time?
It’s funny, we hear folks all the time talk about reaching their full potential but how often have you heard someone say. “I’m done. I’ve reached my full potential.”
Reaching an undefined, full career potential, is impossible. Even if, at some future time, you reached your full potential, you wouldn’t know it or feel that you had.
However, full potential in present moment fulfillment and as a desired level of prosperity can be defined. Identify what that is for you and go for it.
There is nothing else that anyone wants for you other than for you to be you. Byron Katie
Byron Katie through her illuminating process The Work has helped thousands realize the crippling affects of believing false assumptions. Watch the short video below as she challenges the mindset of full potential.
If you want career clarity, then ask for an exploratory, career change, coaching session to challenge your limiting mindsets at CoreU Coaching.
Are you reaching for your full potential? How’s that going? What might you go for instead?
Tom, you’ve really hit the nail on the head with this one. So often we hear phrases like “reaching for your full potential” and we think we might know what that means – but not really neccessarily for the “everyday” person, or for “me”. It seems like an abstract concept intended for the elite of this world – athletes, scientists and academics, the Jack Canfield business-types of this world, and of course one speculates about whether the great, but long-dead artists have achieved their full potential. We also abuse our poor children with this notion! It is way too broad, speculative and undefinable.
I fully agree that the best option is to live consciously in each waking moment, and create the future we want with the highest level of clarity. Clarity in both what we want to create, as well as in the knowledge that we are free to change our minds!
Blessings,
Keena
.-= Keena´s last blog ..Review: Create Your Inspired Info-Product in 5 Days =-.
Keena – Yes we sure to burden our children with lots of vague concepts and judgments. So much parenting is born form fear and our kids would be so much better off if we just remained present with them as you suggest. I really like how you put it here. “Clarity in both what we want to create, as well as in the knowledge that we are free to change our minds!” Thanks!
I think of reaching your full potential as ongoing and unfolding. I think it’s like your purpose in life … you can evolve it, tune it, prune it, and change it.
I think life used to follow a different cycle when the cycle of change was slower … resource technology used to change over very long periods. You could go to school, get a job, change jobs once, if that, retire, and live out your golden years. In today’s world, resource technology changes at an incredibly fast pace, which obsoletes entire classes of jobs. It’s an ever-changing world, and an ongoing process of living your strengths, following your passions, giving your best where you have your best to give, and enjoying the process. It’s a brave new world.
.-= J.D. Meier´s last blog ..A Lean Way of Life =-.
J. D. – It is indeed a brave new world. It’s good to read someone who gets that potential like purpose and calling can evolve over time. Especially when we view it as a work in progress.
Hi Tom — thanks for this. Yes, I think fretting over whether we’re living up to our potential can make it impossible to enjoy the process of what we’re doing right now, which makes our day-to-day routine more difficult than it needs to be.
There are some very valid points made in your post Tom. The human brain is such a suggestive tool that if we dont feed it positivity it sucks out the negativity in everything that it absorbs throughout the day. To maximise your potential you have to first accept that you are destined for more.
Great Post! Your post reminded me of 2 video posts of Vineet Nayar which I had seen recently the first one “think positive” http://www.vineetnayar.com/think-positive/ and “Taking charge of your career” http://www.vineetnayar.com/taking-charge-of-your-career/ You might be interested to see these.
Chris – It’s all about present moment awareness. Thanks fopr your support. Always good to read your words.
Matt – Welcome. Yes our minds are extremely impressionable. I like your point. We must believe that it is possible and accept that we have what it takes.
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Ironically I came upon this website looking for a different way to present myself as someone eager to live up to my full potential as part of a cover letter to go along with a job application. Your point of view is very comforting especially as I am going through this challenging phase of life. I intend to read more of what you have to share. Thank you!
Patty – Welcome. I’m happy that you’ve found my writing inspiring. Really honor yourself by taking action on what comes up for you after reading.