Have you achieved your full potential in life so far?
“I am…” is one of the most powerful statements that we can make. How many times in a day do we use those words in different contexts?
We may use it in relation to the role we play: • I am a mum.
• I am a teacher (or insert other
profession).
Or a negative characteristic or behaviour that we are aware of:
• I am a workaholic.
• I am an idiot or a superhero.
• I am always late.
But the role we play, and what we have achieved, does not make us who we are. It is misplaced to hold achievement as an identity level. Roles are thought of as something we do but they are not who we are.
The reality is that we hold our core identity at gut level. And yet so often we answer from a head-based ego identity, which is informed by what society says we should be, or what we have been socialised into thinking that we are. Many of us have forgotten, or may never have consciously known, who we are. Therefore, we have no idea of our potential.
Taking time out to reflect on who we truly and deeply are, enables us to understand what we stand for, what we believe in and what we value. This underpins our decisions and choices and effectively drives our life. Often this is outside of our awareness, like a hidden power moving us in a direction that is not consciously of our choosing. When we dig deep and reconnect with our core self, it gives us insight and self-awareness; it informs our traits and characteristics: are we kind; are we generous; are we fun; are we strong?
• What if we are so much more than we think we are?
• What if where we have drawn our boundary of self is in the wrong place, and we could extend it hugely or remove the boundary completely?
• What if we have the ability to create who we are moving towards — that is different from who we have been?
• Who is it that you are now and who are you becoming?
• Are you determining your trajectory or is life pushing you in a direction that is not of your choosing?
For some people, their sense of self-worth is so low that they believe they are not enough, or faulty. Chances are they spend their lives trying to prove their worth, their significance. They link their sense of self to achievements and possessions. They look for other’s approval. They may