How To Reach Your Full Potential

Have you ever thought about what it means to “reach your full potential”?

Here’s the truth for you: it’s impossible.

Your potential is always out there in the future; so it’s always unmet.

Yet, striving (or aiming) to reach your full potential—now that’s something that’s possible.

This means you’re future focused and creating your life on purpose.

Often, it’s easy to lose sight of your own potential because your brain is naturally so often in “fight or flight” mode, where you’re just trying to get by with whatever is on your plate for any given day.

All the while, you’re being distracted from your purpose, your passion, and moving toward your potential.

Not to worry. I got you.

With a little bit of a mindset shift, you can get refocused and start aiming toward reaching your potential.

How To Reach Your Full Potential

The way you reach your full potential is the opposite of what you might think.

It’s not about an “arrival destination” (remember: you can’t achieve your full potential because it’s always out in the future).

Instead, it’s about the pursuit.

In other words, having direction and moving forward toward that direction.

This takes intention, understanding, awareness, focus, and so much more.

Here are the best tips to get started moving toward reaching your full potential…

Tip 1: Get clear about your values

Before you can set out to pursue your potential, it’s useful to think about what you already value, and then get those values clearly defined.

I don’t think you choose your values. I think you are your values and then you bring clarity to them.

For example, one of the values I live by is a everything is figureoutable and another is resourcefulness.

Labeling your values before setting goals or pursuing your potential is helpful because you’ll know if you’re setting out to pursue something that aligns with the values you have.

Tip 2: Set an extraordinary goal

Setting an extraordinary goal is one of the best ways to move toward your potential.

I think most of us aren’t even vaguely aware of what we’re actually capable of.

This is why I teach a tool called Extraordinary Goals.

An extraordinary goal is a goal that stretches you, requires growth, aligns with your values, and feels a little bit impossible.

For a type-A overachiever like myself, taking a nap every day in the middle of the day is an extraordinary goal. So, it doesn’t necessarily need to be something that blows everyone else’s mind—it just needs to blow your mind.

As you achieve your goals, you’ll find that you’re heading in the direction of your intention (and of your potential), and you’ll become someone totally and completely different, as the next phase of your evolution.

Think of a caterpillar turning into a butterfly. That is growth.

Resources:

Tip 3: Take action every day

Take some small action every day toward your potential. Whether that’s taking more naps, making more money, or quitting drinking—with whatever goal you set requires you to take action every day.

One of my favorite tools is “Zero To One” where I show you how to start really small and just simply take the next best step. This will build momentum and get you moving forward.

That’s how I want you to think of whatever it is you desire.

So if you desire more time and space in your calendar, start really small. Every day take action that gives you five extra minutes to indulge in doing nothing at all. This is taking small action every day.

And this daily action will compound and lead to really big results.

Tip 4: Be flexible and adaptable

Being flexible and adaptable will help you aim to reach your full potential because you’ll be able to adapt and evolve to the ever-changing world.

For example, if you plan to go to a big networking event and speak, and then there’s a global pandemic, your ability to adapt to the change quickly and with innovation will help you stay directed toward your potential. In this instance, maybe you could invite your guests to join you virtually or postpone the event.

Your “how” may change due to circumstances outside your control, but if you stay focused on where you’re headed, you’ll move toward your potential in the long term.

Resources:

Tip 5: Choose the emotion driving you

One of the hallmarks of the type personal development I teach is focusing on feelings. In this case, specifically, the feelings driving you to move toward your potential.

If you’re motivated by fun and determination you’ll feel really good along the way and want to keep going.

If you’re motivated by scarcity and lack you’ll feel really bad along the way, which will lead to burnout and overwhelm (and likely quitting).

So think about how you want to feel when you’re in pursuit of your goals, and ultimately fulfilling your potential. You get to choose how you feel!

Learn more about the Mom On Purpose Membership where you get access to a Processing Feelings Course.

Tip 6: Schedule your self care

Goal setting and all the other left-brain activities that we oh-so-very love to engage in will leave you feeling empty or like you’re chasing something you can never catch unless you create space for the opposite—the right-brain, find your flow, experiential activities.

Many self care rituals, when done purely to experience them, are right-brain activities and will leave you feeling spacious and relaxed.

For example, if you allow yourself to decompress and enjoy a really amazing bubble bath, you’ll have balance to your goal setting activities. Another great example is 10 Minutes Of Silence Every Day (this helps calm your nervous system down).

Whatever you do, prioritize your own self care and you’ll be much more internally balanced.

Resources:

Tip 7: Manage your time well

Finally, being really great at time management will help you fulfill your potential.

Time is the most finite resource we have, since none of us know exactly when our “time” is up.

All we can do is make the very most of what we have now.

This doesn’t mean cramming in as much as possible—on the contrary, it means the opposite. It means being intentional with your time (planning in advance, creating white space and margin for yourself, etc.).

The better you are at managing your time, the easier it will be to do more of what you love—including achieving extraordinary goals and fulfilling your potential.

A Final Note!

Reaching your full potential isn’t something you’ll ever *actually* do—and that’s a good thing.

Your potential is always out in front of you.

What you can do is pursue it with all your heart.

When you do this, you’ll live the most amazing life—better than you’ve ever imagined.

UP NEXT: Download the free guide “How To Become The Mom You Want To Be”