topic Re: Have you lived up to your potential? in Community Chat

Have you lived up to your potential?

GingerPeach — Fri, 13 May 2016 21:59:48 GMT

I've read here where some of you, whether retired or still in the working world, have shared your backgrounds in education and in your professional and volunteer fields. So many of you seem to have accomplished what you set out to have your lives become.

I feel that I have a lot of potential left. I'm not saying I'm unhappy, just that there could be more.

I'll figure it out, I know. I'm not writing this because I want anyone to feel sorry for me.

It got me to wondering whether others have felt like this and what you did about it, if anything, or how important it was to do something or was it more important to be content with what exists now. The latter is not a poor choice, after all!

Re: Have you lived up to your potential?

GCR18 — Fri, 13 May 2016 22:07:55 GMT

I don't think I've lived up to my potential, but I haven't done anything about it. I don't plan to do anything with my work life but may with my personal life.

Re: Have you lived up to your potential?

tansy — Fri, 13 May 2016 22:12:42 GMT

On a late Friday afternoon this question is too deep for me to ponder😳

I probably won't tackle it on Monday morning either😊

Good luck on your quest, @GingerPeach.

Re: Have you lived up to your potential?

Vivian — Fri, 13 May 2016 22:15:31 GMT

I've been retired since 2008 but feel very satisfied that I had an excellent career. I worked for my alma mater, helping students who were in academic difficulty. My husband said I saved souls. In many ways I think he was right. I feel blessed that I helped so many young people. I'm still in touch with some of them. I am blessed to have had such a rewarding career.

Re: Have you lived up to your potential?

jaxs mom — Fri, 13 May 2016 22:15:54 GMT

I actually did accomplish my number one goal in life.

Re: Have you lived up to your potential?

ladyroxanne — Fri, 13 May 2016 22:25:07 GMT

difficult topic. i had more than one area of potential and don't feel i did my best.

Re: Have you lived up to your potential?

Jaspersmom — Fri, 13 May 2016 22:29:03 GMT

Too often we equate reaching one's potential as something related to a profession or career. Why not consider how to live up to your potential as person? I had a wonderful and fulfilling career, but now I work towards being the best person I can be.

Re: Have you lived up to your potential?

151949 — Fri, 13 May 2016 22:30:00 GMT

I'm sorry that I was never able to have a child but it wasn't due to anything I could have done anything about. Career wise I definitely achieved my goals. I was a bedside nurse in critical care for 42 years, I never had any desire to grow into any management positions. I liked what I did and I liked that I felt confident I was very good at what I did. I got accomodations from doctors I worked with, and always got good performance reviews. Sadly for the last 5 years of my career I had to switch to dialysis for health reasons and I hated every min. of it.

Re: Have you lived up to your potential?

LTT1 — Sat, 14 May 2016 11:56:19 GMT

@GingerPeach@jaxs mom@Vivian@tansy@GCR18

What an interesting post @GingerPeach and thoughts to ponder.

My response would need to be considered a little longer before it would be thorough, but two items come to mind:

1) When a very good friend and I used to walk every single day, I asked her if she felt she would leave "something" of value behind in this world. She responded that she thought my thinking was "morbid." (!) I don't -- I think it's normal.

2) Well, just start thinking about serious stuff and you will get your "wish" if your life was anything like mine! HAHA I was forced by life circumstances to get a job -- and teaching was it! With this career I got my wish!

Being a part of my students' lives gave me a feeling of fulfillment.

Relationships with our child and my DH are fulfilling. But teaching was something outside my inner circle. It is difficult to explain; not every career provides a sense of this.

I will come back later and explain about my retirement potential!❤️❤️❤️❤️

Re: Have you lived up to your potential?

Winkk — Fri, 13 May 2016 22:31:31 GMT

I don't know. I've always had to work because I was a single Mom. I always had good jobs but I never really thought about my potential, I just needed a paycheck. But, that was a long time ago.

Thinking back about it now I somewhat reached my potential. I never had any great desire to do one thing. I'm content with the way my life has developed.

Re: Have you lived up to your potential?

Mothertrucker — Fri, 13 May 2016 22:32:55 GMT

I have not realized my potential...There is no bigger handicap in life than a great potential.....

Re: Have you lived up to your potential?

GingerPeach — Fri, 13 May 2016 22:33:05 GMT

@Jaspersmom wrote:
Too often we equate reaching one's potential as something related to a profession or career. Why not consider how to live up to your potential as person? I had a wonderful and fulfilling career, but now I work towards being the best person I can be.

I certainly agree with this, @Jaspersmom. And have no qualms about that part of life. I have no qualms about the professional part of life either.

It's not a black/white or either/or condition, actually. Each affects the other.

Re: Have you lived up to your potential?

YorkieonmyPillow — Fri, 13 May 2016 22:35:59 GMT

I don't really think along those lines anymore. I did the best I could at the time.

Re: Have you lived up to your potential?

hopi — Fri, 13 May 2016 22:36:17 GMT

@GingerPeach

Living up to your potential or living with purpose - no one can know what their full potenial is but do the best you can is the way to go.

Be grateful to be alive and well.

Re: Have you lived up to your potential?

deepwaterdotter — Fri, 13 May 2016 22:38:46 GMT

I hope not. I'd like to think that I have many things yet to accomplish before I take my last breath.

Re: Have you lived up to your potential?

GingerPeach — Fri, 13 May 2016 22:39:14 GMT

@Mothertrucker wrote:
I have not realized my potential...There is no bigger handicap in life than a great potential.....

Well said, @Mothertrucker

But all of a sudden you've got me thinking: "Handicap" as meaning a hurdle or impediment, or "handicap" as in golf where they add a few points to someone's score since they're so good already. I know those are quite similar but just enough different to cause me to ponder.

So, maybe "pondering" too much is a kind of handicap? No, that's too early to call, perhaps.

Re: Have you lived up to your potential?

Noel7 — Fri, 13 May 2016 22:39:14 GMT

A qualified yes. I achieved everything I wanted and more, including having a wonderful family. I've had a full life and had incredible adventures. Known and learned from internationally known mentors, but...

What used to be bouts of medical things I could handle as they came up turned out to be lupus and at one point I was stopped in my tracks. So life is different now but I still have a wonderful family and loving friends. I focus on continued learning and having fun.

Thank you to some wonderful people here who have contributed to life's enjoyment

Re: Have you lived up to your potential?

ECBG — Sat, 14 May 2016 04:48:15 GMT

My goal was to work with teenagers who "needed someone". Since my high school counselors only filled out college applications

(we didn't even know their names! Not like today!), I majored in an area that would let me work with my passion for color and let me be dealing with nurtureing and discussion within the frameworks of the area I was teaching.

Happily, I did find that area and it also included the chemistry that I did well in. I had students at my door in the morning and afternoon and when students were having hard times and in treatment situations, I was listed as a family member so I could keep up our relationship.

Former students came and brought me babies and gradeschool children which was wonderful!

I stepped out after 36 (20,000!!! students) years because it looked like we might not get to keep our full time medical after we left.

Many students complained and parents called but I had to go.

Re: Have you lived up to your potential?

hoosieroriginal — Fri, 13 May 2016 22:52:44 GMT

For many years I was one of the top paid legal secretaries in San Diego - starting out at a small law firm in a smaller town years earlier working for $2.50/hr., but what I learned from the attorney I worked for was priceless. He taught me everything and that's why I did so well in later years. I think I reached my potential. I always felt my work was one of my greater accomplishments, unlike my personal relationships, which were a total failure.

Re: Have you lived up to your potential?

Desertdi — Fri, 13 May 2016 22:56:46 GMT

Apparently not. My mother's greatest "dream" was for me to become a dental assistant. I never heard the end of her complaining how I failed by not becoming one. Instead, I worked in legal, accounting, and politics. Later in life, I worked nights in a resort front office so I could be home during the day to cater to my mother's needs.