When I was a child my parents would go to parent teacher conferences. They would come home and say- the teacher loves you but you aren't working uo to your potential...
I used to hate that.
My potential?- What did that mean?
I was not an over achiever by any stretch of the imagination- and frankly no one really put any pressure on me to do better. I was never really challenged.
As an adult I felt that I was working hard, but when my mediocre efforts were not rewarded in the way I thought they should be, I could not understand why.
I had a huge sense of entitlement and was disappointed a lot.
As an adult I felt that I was working hard, but when my mediocre efforts were not rewarded in the way I thought they should be, I could not understand why.
I had a huge sense of entitlement and was disappointed a lot.
At times I was even rather indignant.
My spiritual awakening and personal accountability dealt me many very difficult observations about myself that were painful to acknowledge.
Our society has created a generation of entitlement, where there is little effort. It takes work and accountability to create the success that most of us want.
I passed up, and was overlooked for many opportunities because of the illusion of my self importance. Seeing that much success or failures have been in direct result with the effort and consistency to which I applied myself was a changing day.
You get what you give.
So, the phrase 'not working up to my potential' translates into what the Universe knows I am capable of , physically, spiritually and emotionally; if I should choose to accept the opportunities presented to me and exert effort.
I didn't understand that if I took a step forward in the right direction, the Universe takes two and I get propelled forward much faster. That my forward movement is matched with that from my 'helpers' on the other side. That I'm not doing it alone.
Dare to live up to your potential- I know you can do it, the question is do you?.
Marianne Goldweber
Thought for the day;
To awaken each morning with a smile brightening my face;
to greet the day with reverence for the opportunities it contains;
to approach my work with a clean mind;
to hold ever before me, even in the doing of little things, the ultimate purpose toward which I am working;
to meet men and women with laughter on my lips and love in my heart;
to be gentle, kind, and courteous through all the hours;
to approach the night with weariness that ever woos sleep and the joy that comes from work well done -
this is how I desire to waste wisely my days.
2 comments:
Wow. That hit me hard. I had the same experience. They love you, but...Always left me wondering how do they (teachers) know what I can or can not do. Maybe that is my highest potential, and is it not good enough for them? Looking back now, did this set me up for self-doubt in my adult life?
Criticism alone without compassion and investment through encouragement will destroy self esteem.
Children need people who are invested to encourage them to stretch outside their comfort zone.People who don't settle for mediocre from themselves.
Heroes.
I was a child, I was not clear on what potential was, and if I'm not working up to it, why aren't 'you' as the observer to my lack of effort, inspiring and helping me achieve it? Lovingly demanding more from me? Because it's easier to criticize than to get involved.
There was a lot of criticism, but no one no one was making an effort to help me change it.
In addition to the fact that what they were saying about me was really about them- THEY lacked the commitment to live up to their potential as teachers, mentors and parents...they did not exert effort...
Pretty interesting....
You comment is correct- yes we may not have work up to our potential but neither did the mirrors we were looking into.
As an adult, I believe now that if I'm willing to notice something is amiss, I need to be part of the solution to remedy it.....to love and encourage, inspire, not just through my word, but through my actions.
You are great, so don't settle for good enough, no matter what they tell you.... :)
Post a Comment