ME OUT LOUD
Making Your ‘Potential’ Kinetic
Literally
‘‘You have potential.’’
At some point in our lives, we've all heard it before.
Perhaps yours was from a close friend after seeing your intricate sketch of a wrinkled-old-man or maybe it was the school principal’s final remark on your straight-A report card.
Be it in arts, socials, or sciences (following the conventional Nigerian schooling), we all have that ‘spark’ that sets us apart from others.
Mine is most evidently in writing and, well, communicational humor (this sounds like a much better way of putting ‘weird-videos-creator’).
To be honest, I always felt a sort of pride after having my potential called out.
I equaled people telling me I was creative or super smart or had really awesome hair (which I do by the way *hair flip) to actually MAKING A GENUINE IMPACT with that value I had to offer.
Validation from others started getting to my head and making me feel I had arrived at my destination.
Until I realized I hadn’t actually STARTED the car! And my ‘potential’ had been exactly that for the past decade—potential!
This writeup is for everyone else like me, everyone who’s equaled validation to actual accomplishments.
We all who need to get in the driver's seat, buckle the belt, and get our potential kinetic!
HOW TO GET KINETIC BOOTCAMP
Quip 1: YOU are your goal
As mentioned in my very first article, the first step to every journey is knowing your destination — your goal.
I recently saw a post about how many of us ‘young’ people (I’m in my early 20’s as at the time of writing this) have this unnecessary pressure about ourselves — pressure from family, pressure from social media, pressure from the world — there seems to be this unhealthy race against...well...pretty much everyone else!
I don’t know who needs to hear this but…
If your finish line is dependent on someone else’s race, you’d always end up in second place (wow, that sounded very smart I’m quoting me).
Anyway, your primary destination — your number one goal — should be being better than the person you were yesterday.
Attaining the best version of yourself should be the foundation and purpose of everything you set out to do.
With that being said, what aspects of you would you like to grow?
Which ‘potential’ of yours would you like to flourish?
Got it? Well now...
Quip 2: Brand It Till You Can Stand It
This was meant to be a ‘‘fake it till you make it’’ quip but I like my originality better (Gold star for creativity).
When I say ‘brand’ your potential, I really mean BRAND your potential.
You are your spark's number one ambassador.
You need to know the in's and out's of having it work.
The nuts and bolts of your potential's functioning.
You need to understand every bit of yourself, of your spark, and constantly work on being bold enough to represent it.
So read it, watch it, practice it, walk it, talk it, stand it, brand it...be IT!
Quip 3: The Brainwash Method
That's right!
You can Dr. Frankenstein it! (Fun fact: Frankenstein has always been the Doctor and not the monster).
You have the brains of over a hundred people at your disposal.
On your WhatsApp contact list, your Facebook page, your Twitter account, your neighborhood!
A hundred people you could condition to letting know what you're about.
I'd say the most powerful way to get kinetic with your spark is by controlling the content you display.
I could make you believe I'm anything simply by utilizing the power of my social media platforms and conversations I constantly engage in.
I could condition your mind to think Strange Planet comics, ‘FUNtent’ creator or creative writer whenever you hear my name.
In fact, I’m doing it right now!
Quip 4: Take action
Reading motivational books, watching TED talks, posting content…
Talking the talk without actually walking the walk is analogous to sitting on a rocking chair; your back and forth motion gives you the feeling of progress when in reality, you never left the spot.
Knowing all of Brian Tracy’s books by heart without actually putting the lessons to work would get you right where you started — nowhere!
I’d say the way I took action with my potential was to first define my ‘general’ goals (these are the big stuff, let’s say be a writer), break them down into itty bitty steps (write an article every week), bring those steps to my day (write at least 500 words every morning), and just get started...
So, pick up that paintbrush.
Write that article.
Upload that video!
As world-renowned athletics brand –Nike says, ‘‘Just Do It!’’
Note: The Potential Killer
I feel I wouldn't be doing much justice to this piece without talking about everyone's number one obstacle — Fear!
My goodness, it's always been fear!
Fear of being too little.
Fear of doing too much.
Fear of getting overwhelmed by your success.
Fear of being underwhelmed by it.
Well here’s a reminder that, more often than not, your fear of what could happen ends up making nothing happen.
And that everyone you're looking up to now is always very afraid (much more than you think really), the only real difference is that they got better at silencing their doubts and continued to show up despite their feelings.
This step isn't to teach you how to stop being afraid (to be honest, even I haven't totally figured that out yet) but to let you know the more you do, the better you get at doing, and the quieter your fears become.
‘‘To feel fear doesn’t mean you’re a coward. Boldness is taking action in the presence of fear—do it afraid!’’–Joyce Meyer
You DO have potential my friend, but so does pretty much everyone else on the planet.
The only thing that truly sets you apart is what you do with that spark.
Quit underutilizing it as a mere glow stick when it could light up bright, beautiful fireworks in the sky!
The best version of you has so much to offer, so quit standing in your way and...
(Marrying Nike's slogan with Meyer's quote)
JUST DO IT AFRAID!
