5 Ways to Unlock Your Potential

This is an interesting time to be alive. While it seems on the outside like chaos, I am seeing things in a different way. The way I see it, lots of people are getting more of what they really want by getting a big and unexpected push.

You might be scratching your head right now and saying to yourself “that gal is crazy – totally nuts”. I know it must seem that way but keep reading – you might find a nugget in there somewhere.

You see, most of the world trudges through life with “have-tos” running through their head, and “wish for” silently consuming their thoughts. The factory worker who really wants to start his or her own business. The executive who really would like to quit, but is stuck with golden handcuffs. The office worker who wants to go back to school. These are all examples of people wanting something and not taking action to get it.

So the world is giving them a push. Layoffs, cutbacks, broken contracts and change are everywhere. This, my dear readers is one of the biggest opportunities you are ever going to have to reach your potential and finally really get that thing you’ve been secretly and silently wanting.

You might be thinking “Well, okay I get that, but why does it have to be so hard?” The truth is: it DOESN’T have to be hard. We make it hard by holding so tight onto the thing we don’t want that we fail to appreciate the opportunities at hand.

I have a private client who has just been through the 2-Day Turnaround breakthrough program. When she came in, she knew things weren’t working and she wasn’t reaching her potential but didn’t want to let go of the little bits that she believed were working. We found the irony in that she was working 16 hour days and had very little results to show for it. Little by little, she began to realize that the choices she had made could be reversed – and that her potential could change immediately.

What she really wanted and what she was doing were two completely different things. We formulated a plan for her to let go of things not working and realign herself with what she really wanted. The opportunities started showing up immediately. Within 3 months, she completely transformed her life and her business and is now happily doing the work she loves for clients she adores.

Here are 5 things that were holding her back from her potential (and might be holding you back too).

1. Not admitting that things aren’t working. If things are difficult and struggles are an everyday occurrence, something is terribly wrong. Struggle is different than challenge. Challenge can be invigorating – struggle is draining. The first step in unlocking your potential is to take inventory of your life and consider what’s not working. The symptoms of things not working will be lack of something (not enough time, money, energy, relationships, etc)

2. Not knowing your style and values. Understanding your unique blueprint of the world is critical if you’re going to make the right decisions for you. Consider what’s important to you about your life and match your values to your activities to get yourself in alignment with your dreams.

3. Saying “Yes” to too many things. What activities are taking up your time? What’s on your plate right now? And more importantly, what needs to come off your plate? Are you trying to force yourself to complete a project, have a relationship, build a business that doesn’t work? Who or what do you need to say “No” to today?

4. Not being comfortable not knowing. Who knows what will happen today, tomorrow, next week or next year for that matter? Spending time in an anxious state of not knowing is not helpful or productive in any way, and will only make you more fearful. Having a death grip on something that’s not working is more detrimental than being in the “goo” of not knowing. All creation takes place in this state of not knowing because it’s becoming known!

5. Not having faith and trust in the process. When you are on the path to reaching your potential, it sometimes feels like the world has gone badly awry. The constant shifting and changing (and people leaving and new ones appearing) can have a devastating effect if you try to manipulate every situation to your needs. During this time, it is important to examine what IS working and what you ARE working toward instead of looking back and noticing the destruction.

I know that for my client (and myself too) these are the things we constantly go through as we evolve. It does become easier to go through the roller coaster of life with a few rules (and some good friends) along the way.

By Stephanie Frank