5 Tips for Reaching Your Full Potential

There is no universal magic potion that will instantly solve all of your problems on the way to becoming the best version of yourself you could ever be.

So the only thing reading this post can achieve is to create that initial spark you need to push yourself in the right direction, discover your capabilities, challenges and strive towards your goals.

But fear not – therein lies the beauty of the journey!

The challenges and hardships are those that will build your capacity for greater achievements and overcoming your current setbacks on the road to both personal and professional success. However, there are a few ways you can shape the right mindset that will allow you to reach your potential.

1. Follow the 20% rule.

The famous Pareto Principle is a deceptively simple, yet effective tool you can use on a daily basis to decide which of your actions yield to greatest results.

According to this rule, the 80% of consequences can be ascribed to only 20% of causes – so in fact only a minor portion of your efforts in every aspect of your life (20%) is responsible for allowing a major part of your overall success (80%).

If you are able to identify those actions that fall into the 20% category, you can flip the scales to your advantage by devoting most of your energy to them in order to boost your success.

For instance, if most of your professional clients come from your presentations, and you only have time for one per week, you need to delegate other, less fruitful tasks to others in your team and devote most of your time to pitching in order to gain more traction in the market.

The same can be applied to your life.

If your personal happiness comes from spending time in nature, and you currently go to a hike only once in every couple of months, then introduce a weekend getaway scenario. It will allow you to detox your mind, relieve stress and replenish your energy to become happier, more fulfilled. Hence, more inspired to other game-changing steps.

2. Get the hell out of your comfort zone.

If you like the cushiony, feathery feeling of staying on the safe side of things, then perhaps it’s time to reassess your priorities.

Will it make you happier to never find out your true abilities, or to get out into the world and take the leap of faith, primarily in yourself? However, there’s a difference between a blind jump into the abyss of unknown and taking a calculated risk.

When you master the fine art of assessing a risk and plucking up the courage to in fact take one, you will open numerous doors for yourself. Once you spot the opportunity, you can inspect it from every direction, account for many possible outcomes, weigh your potential loss, decide whether the potential success is worthy of potential failure, and then you can seize the chance.

Risks are invaluable lessons in life. They will teach you how to become better at assessing opportunities, to become a more prominent, valued figure, to improve your tolerance for making mistakes, and to overcome your fears.

Not to mention that some will be your stepping stones towards a better future.

3. Embrace failure.

While we’re at the topic of risks, even playing it safe can sometimes lead to failing miserably. The mindset of a successful individual always strives towards the best possible outcome, but their perception of failure is not a purely negative one.

In order for you to embrace failure as a natural part of the process, you need to stop perceiving your efforts as a method to avoid failure, but to achieve success.

Although this might seem like a minor change, it in fact has a major impact on your behavior.

So, the next time you make a mistake, which will inevitably happen, look at it as a learning opportunity instead of a punishment.

4. Stay educated.

Much like there is no universal solution to all of your problems, there is no unique way to obtain the necessary knowledge for your profession and personal development.

Success often depends on continuous curiosity, digging for new sources of information, and most importantly, questioning everything you come across.

Some people are keen on formal education, in which case online information exchanges such as those available on Thinkswap are a perfect way of prepping for your university and discovering the most effective strategies to make the most of your education.

Online courses, real-life experience and other learning forms are also great ways to stay on the forefront of your field of interest, which will be one of the key elements in reaching your ultimate potential.

5. Use other’s perspective.

If you can learn from books, seminars, mistakes and your own introspection, you can also open up your mind to learn from others. Their input can become crucial in identifying your “weak spots”, finding the right way to overcome them, and keeping your eyes open for other gaps in your attitude and behavior.

Sometimes, all it takes is some constructive criticism, a piece of friendly advice based on personal experience, or positive feedback that allows you a glimpse into how someone competent perceives your potential and your skills.

Everyone’s path towards fulfillment is a different meandering road brimming with surprises and hurdles. But if there were no challenges, there would be no progress. So embrace all the lessons life throws your way and enjoy the endless journey of outgrowing your current self one empowering choice at a time.

About The Author

This is a guest post by Nate Vickery, a business consultant and an online author. He is mostly engaged in providing advice to small business owners and entrepreneurs. Nate is also the executive editor at Bizzmark Blog.

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