Understand and Unlock Your True Potential

In today’s crazy fast paced and rapidly evolving professional landscape, realizing and harnessing your true potential is not only a personal goal but also a key factor for success of you and your workplace. Each one of us possesses unique talents, skills, and capabilities waiting to be unlocked. By understanding and tapping into our full potential, we can not only excel in our careers but also experience a profound sense of fulfillment and purpose. In this blog post, we will explore understanding your potential (a small feat in and of itself) and strategies and techniques to help you unlock your true potential and unleash the power within you in the workplace. But first, a story, one you’ve probably heard before but from another angle.

The compliment conundrum

I have always struggled with compliments. They make me incredibly uncomfortable, and I quickly grasp for ways to get out of the spotlight and get the focus somewhere else, anywhere else. I go deep into this in a few blog posts but for our purposes today, let’s just take it at face value that it was true (to some extent still is) and explore why.

When I would get any sort of feedback, positive or negative, my natural inclination is to retreat into my head and pour over it. I try to understand why my actions made that person feel the way they did, how my choices impacted others, and what that will mean for them and me moving forward. Self-reflection is always a good place to start for unlocking your true potential, however, not the way I was handling it. When the feedback is constructive, this is a great way to look at it. It helps me really understand where a misstep may have been or how this situation called for a different choice. When I get a compliment though, it feels a little awkward to dissect it in the same way (I did eventually learn how). I didn’t actually believe I did well so trying to understand it and how what I did impacted others was uncomfortable.

Let’s be honest, awkward and uncomfortable are understatements. If you’ve read the prior posts you know I used to just burst into tears when I’d get a compliment. Thus, I would avoid them at all costs.

How did avoiding the compliment hinder my growth?

Because I wanted to avoid the feedback, I avoided a lot of developmental opportunities. I did the work, shared it, and got out. I wasn’t able to get any sort of feedback, compliment or constructive, because I was avoiding it at all costs. More than that, I was removing myself of situations that would have allowed me more opportunities and more projects.

I couldn’t simply show my stuff when someone needed help on a cool new project for a couple reasons. First, I was avoiding people who thought I did well. Then, I was taking measures to hide my involvement in the projects I was working on so they may not even know what I was capable of. I couldn’t set goals for what I wanted to do next because I wasn’t really sure what I was doing well and what needed improvement. I mean, I knew big picture what worked but because I was skipping all the feedback I didn’t have the nuanced detail to make changes or double down on what was working.

By avoiding the feedback, I was afraid of I was avoiding all feedback that could have helped me to grow. That avoidance was a snowballing web of impact to my potential overall.

What changed?

Eventually a mentor shook me out of this mess and made me understand how self-destructive my practice was. Am I still uncomfortable with compliments, you bet. But I’ve learned what I was missing by avoiding them and how it was hindering my potential in all other areas of my career. Avoiding feedback of any kind will lead you down a similar path. One thing that was particularly helpful to me was understanding from that mentor that I didn’t have to actually accept and apply all of the feedback. I only needed to receive it. If you want to better understand how to receive feedback, I created a guide for you to walk you through each step so you can confidently take it in, without taking it on. Now, let’s explore what you can do to unlock your potential and how feedback is tied in.

What can you do to unlock your true potential?

Self-Reflection:

The journey to unlocking your true potential begins with self-reflection. That is, essentially, giving yourself feedback. Take time to introspect and understand your strengths, passions, and values. What excites you? What skills do you excel at? By gaining clarity about your true self, you can align your career choices with your innate abilities, leading to increased motivation and productivity.

Set Ambitious yet Attainable Goals:

Establishing clear goals is crucial for unlocking your potential. Define both short-term and long-term objectives that push you beyond your comfort zone. While setting ambitious targets, ensure they are realistic and attainable. Break them down into smaller, actionable steps to make them more manageable. Track your progress, objectively, consistently and effectively to see your best results.

Continuous Learning and Skill Development:

Never stop learning. Embrace a growth mindset and actively seek opportunities for continuous learning and skill development. Attend workshops, enroll in online courses relevant to your field, or join new or growing projects. Expand your knowledge and acquire new skills to enhance your professional competence. This will open doors to new opportunities. Your work within those opportunities will unlock new dimensions of your potential if you receive and apply the feedback you’re given while in them.

Embrace Challenges and Take Calculated Risks:

Stepping outside your comfort zone is essential for personal and professional growth. Embrace challenges as opportunities for growth rather than obstacles. Learn from all of them. Take calculated risks and be open to new experiences. Overcoming obstacles and facing adversity not only builds resilience but also unlocks hidden abilities and strengths you might have never discovered otherwise.

Cultivate a Supportive Network:

Surround yourself with individuals who inspire and support your journey to unlock your true potential. Build a network of mentors, colleagues, and like-minded professionals who can provide guidance, constructive feedback, and opportunities for growth. Engaging with a supportive network nurtures personal and professional development, expands your horizons, and encourages you to explore your potential to the fullest. These people will give you all sorts of feedback, drink it in. You don’t have to apply it all but these are the people to receive it from.

Foster a Growth-Oriented Mindset:

Adopting a growth-oriented mindset is crucial for unlocking your potential. Embrace failures as learning opportunities and view setbacks as stepping stones to success. Cultivate a positive attitude towards challenges and see them as chances to acquire new skills, expand your knowledge, and develop resilience. Embracing a growth mindset allows you to tap into your innate potential and unleash your full capabilities.

Unlocking your true potential in the workplace is a transformative journey. It starts with receiving feedback and requires self-reflection, setting goals, continuous learning, embracing challenges, fostering a supportive network, and adopting a growth-oriented mindset. By implementing these strategies, you can unlock your hidden talents, exceed your own expectations, and propel yourself towards a fulfilling and successful career. Remember, your potential is limitless, and by tapping into it, you can unleash the power within you and make a significant impact in the workplace and beyond.