BETA
This is a BETA experience. You may opt-out by clicking here

More From Forbes

Edit Story

Unlocking Your Potential Requires Examining Your Life

Forbes Coaches Council
POST WRITTEN BY
Melinda Fouts, Ph.D.

When it comes to unlocking your fullest potential, you need to step back and examine who you are now and who you want to be in the future. Unlocking your fullest potential is an ongoing, lifelong journey, where the goal or destination is always just out of reach. To paraphrase the quote attributed to Socrates, an unexamined life keeps one living life habitually. To unlock your fullest potential, you must put yourself under a microscope and look at some important areas with a critical eye.

To begin, take stock of who you hang out with. You are probably familiar with the quote by Jim Rohn, “You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with.” While there is partial truth to this statement, there are other key elements to consider:

• How easily are you influenced and swayed by others?

• How resilient are you?

• Are you elevated or brought down by spending time with them?

• Are these individuals dream-stealers and nay-sayers squashing your vision and dreams, or do they support you especially when you are stuck?

• Are you and your group open-minded, exploring diverse topics, or are you and those you spend time with closed/fixed-minded and threatened by opposing perspectives and beliefs?

When you spend time with individuals who are on the path of unlocking their fullest, untapped potential, there is a synergy of energy that creates a momentum to assist you on your journey of self-discovery and unleashed potential. You need the help of others, as they can be mentors, coaches and a resource for you as you navigate uncharted territory. Many entrepreneurs I work with use me as a thought partner to challenge their views and perspectives. I have found that they are often too close to the situation and lose sight of different avenues to consider. My goal is to stretch them beyond themselves with questions that assist them in arriving at what I refer to as a “never-before-thought-of answer.”

The next step in self-examination is to ask yourself, “What is my ideal self?” What are the key attributes you aspire to, and do those you spend time with have some of these qualities already? Your goal and vision of who you want to become are supported by those who have already attained your characteristics. We are all influenced by our environment, and spending time with those who you aspire to become will assist you on your destination.

When it comes to vision, as a leader and entrepreneur, it is fundamental to be clear on what your goals and vision are and to articulate them in detail. Marrying your ideal self with the vision of your future goal can be written out as a story.

A good exercise is to use visualization, mapping out the steps to take to attain that vision. In this way, you have created a storyline, with a clear action plan that can be shared. Sharing the vision in this manner connects everyone on an emotional level, planting the seed for peak performance and unlocking the entire teams’ potential.

A study (paywall) conducted by sociologists Joshua A. Hicks and Laura A. King found that writing down your ideal self and the person you want to become improves health and wellbeing. Optimal health is a component for unlocking your fullest potential and maintaining that potential. What you write needs to be embellished with as much detail as possible so that the visualization is deeply embedded at the forefront of your desire for a positive outcome, helping you overcome challenges and obstacles. Visualizing yourself as your ideal self can sustain you during stressful times.

With a clear vision that can be articulated well, the next step is self-discipline. What are the components of self-discipline that will unleash your potential?

1. Ongoing learning and attaining knowledge

2. Investing in yourself to achieve higher heights

3. Persistence on a daily basis, never giving up

4. Constantly striving for a higher ideal self

A professional athlete trains every day, holding a mindset that they can always outperform their last great feat and beat their best. If you take all of these components and don't have the mindset of a professional athlete, you may end up limiting yourself, never discovering untapped potential.

Having a coach to push you and challenge you is one way to stretch and grow your potential. Your coach can often see how and where you are limiting yourself, often under the guise of trying to be realistic. They can also facilitate the self-examination process by using assessments like emotional intelligence.

To start your self-examination, ask yourself what’s holding you back from starting this journey. Considering where you are, where you want to be and what/who is holding you back is the next step. Writing out who and where you aspire to be can make an inner shift to get you on your way. Every journey begins with one step. Let me give you some encouragement in the words of Dr. Seuss: “You’re off to great places! Today is your day! Your mountain is waiting. So … get on your way!”

Forbes Coaches Council is an invitation-only community for leading business and career coaches. Do I qualify?