I think all of us could say “I want to live my full potential.” No one wants to get to the end of their life and discover they didn’t live life to the fullest and utilize every thing given to them.
How do we live our full potential? How do we take every moment now and live to our full potential instead of waiting until it’s too late? Time really does seem to go by fast. I know, there are still 24 hours in each day; it hasn’t changed. But it seems the older I get the days just seem to go by so much faster. So, how do we live out our full potential every day?
There are so many things you can do to live fully, but I want to give you 3 things to do every day, that will help you Live Your Full Potential.
Self-Awareness
So much can be written on self-awareness, but I have found these four things will ensure a life to the fullest.
Feelings
As a man writing this, I struggle like many men, communicating my feelings. Oh, I find it easy to show frustration, anger, and at times, I have no problems showing that I am annoyed. But when it comes to expressing love, joy, caring, closeness, and all the other ooey gooey feelings, it really is difficult. I do love and care for people. I want friendship and closeness with others, but it is just tough sometimes showing it. However, I have learned that when I love, care, hug, and express my feelings, I feel like I am really living life! To live life to the fullest, show gratitude, display love, demonstrate care and thoughtfulness to everyone you meet, and express meaning to those around you.
Thoughts
It matters how you think about things. It matters how you process what information you receive. Our actions and behaviors follow our thoughts. When we think on good and positive things, it really does cause our behaviors to be positive. The alternate is thinking negatively. If we continue to think on something in a negative context, the fruit will be a negative outcome in our language and behaviors. Start today and be more positive, no matter what happens.
I know that we can’t be positive 100% of the time, but even in negative moments, find some positive energy from someone or something. The more your mind is exposed to negativity, the more you will be distracted from your potential.
“If you paint in your mind a picture of bright and happy expectations, you put yourself into a condition conducive to your goal.” Norman Vincent Peale
Ideas
I wonder how many great ideas never come to fruition? You probably have some great ideas that you have just let go by. To live your full potential, you must DREAM and dream BIG. Create a mental picture of what could and should be in your life and become a dream doer.
There is a difference between a person who has dreams and a dream doer. A dream doer moves a dream from a thought to an action. To move dreams to action, you need to set goals and write them down. Look at them daily and make a list in the order in which each must be done and check them off your list as they are completed.
Have you ever heard anyone say this about something that someone else invented, “Oh man, I had that same idea before it was ever invented!” To live to your full potential, don’t let some of your great ideas be someone else’s great inventions. Be a doer, not just a dreamer. Good intentions will not take you into your full potential, but when we give attention to good ideas and dreams, then, it becomes life changing.
“You cannot make it as a wandering generality, you must become a meaningful specific.” Zig Zigler
Beliefs
Believe in yourself! There is no one in the world like you. Line up your dreams and passions with your abilities and believe that you can accomplish them. There will always be someone better than you. There will always be someone a little more ahead of you. So, what! Let them do what they do, and you fulfill your potential and YOU BE YOU! Don’t compare yourself to anyone. You can do it! You have the ability to do what only YOU can do.
Self-Talk
The second thing about living your full potential is learning that your voice is the loudest and the most influential voice in your head. Whatever you tell yourself, you’ll do it! When information enters your mind, you will instantly interpret that message. These two stages are the most critical for the rest of the process. When information is interpreted, instantly a feeling is produced and connected to the feeling is a behavior and an effect (consequence).
Whatever you tell yourself, will determine the result. Want to live your full potential? Use Self-talk! Tell yourself the right things over an extended period of time and you will Live Your Full Potential.
Self-Fulfillment
Finally, don’t let anyone tell you that you should not focus on yourself. I know, this seems selfish, but there is a difference between being self-centered and believing in self-fulfillment. Self-fulfillment is about being content, satisfied with your life, having joy and being the joy, generating happiness, and feeling complete. Self-Fulfillment is about:
Self-Actualization
It’s okay to realize that you have talents and potential. You don’t have to be ashamed and hide your abilities because you think it might make you seem arrogant and narcissistic. Your Creator placed inside of you those things that you are good at; use them to the best of your ability. Your talents and abilities only become damaging when you use them in ways to make others around you feel inferior.
Completeness
You are complete within YOU! No one else should ever make you complete. I hear this all the time and I understand why they say it and most, really do mean well. They say, “You complete me!” Well, this is dangerous in the fact that if that person seizes to exist, you are no longer complete. However, if we understand that we are complete within ourselves and that we are a whole person, then, everyone around us just adds to our life.
Gratitude
Finally, self-fulfillment will be washed out and fall short without a person being grateful. The fall of a society will be the day when they are no longer grateful and thankful. In fact, if you want to accomplish anything in life and do it well, surround yourself with others who can help you and show them gratitude. The great Zig Zigler states, “You can have everything in life you want if you will just help enough other people get what they want!” We need others if we want to live to our full potential. Live a life of gratitude!
Listen, I believe that if you will get up every day and be intentional in becoming self-aware, creating self-talk, and accepting self-fulfillment, you will Live Your Full Potential.
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