Many people feel that the world is made out of objects and tools. This is true to a degree. However, thinking everything around you is simply matter is not how you act. You act as if you inhabit a world full of potential. This is why when someone tells you ‘you’re not living up to your potential,’ you will like graciously either accept that fact or get defensive. No matter how you react, you know what the person meant by calling you out.

Why is this? Well, it shows that we all know how to develop ourselves in the world. We might not actualize our potential, but we know that we can. You might not be the smartest, most physically gifted person, or the most fortunate in terms of your starting point, but pretending that your life has no potential is something that goes against the very laws of the universe. We might have more potential than we could ever actualize – in fact that’s the truest fact in this article.

Are you making the best of yourself? We wouldn’t blame you if you’re not, it’s hard to do so. Sometimes you can have blinders on regarding your total progress and development. If you feel yourself suffering from this, consider reflecting on the following.

What’s Your Professional Life Like?

Are you in the career you want? Or have you fallen into a certain discipline out of necessity? Did you take a job to pay the rent, but find it’s stifling your spirit. It’s fine to do things we don’t like in order to gain funding, in fact it’s childish to refuse that perspective. However, once you do have the means to, it can mean the world to you to make the most of what you have at your fingertips.

For example, what are you skilled in? Could it be worth heading to college instead of working, or complete a further masters in master lean manufacturing, business development or PR? People often have much more than the intimidating confines of the job market allows them to express, and so diversifying your skillset is almost a must if you’re to squeeze the most out of your daily life. Of course, sometimes it might mean having the courage to drop out and paint full time, or drop out of teaching and work at an animal sanctuary. Only you can follow what’s in your heart, and with the right ability to form contacts and imbue yourself with knowledge in your spare time, anything is possible.

How Is Your Mind Functioning?

Now, professional development will always help you stay in the game and keep your mind active at all times, which is healthy. However, it can become easy to stress out over menial things, or develop a sense of bitterness over difficulties that challenge you. It can also be relatively common to develop senses of difficulty regarding mental illness. This all depends on your lifestyle. If you’re not getting enough sleep, you have a terrible diet or no exercise, or generally have personality issues you are avoiding, it can be difficult to continue.

Also, mental illness can be a tricky beast. If you feel yourself suppressing difficulties to function, it can sometimes explode messily later on. It’s important to continually keep your mental health in order, and to understand what specialist checkups to receive. We mention this because often a healthy mind is one that naturally pursues with honest health, instead of abusing focus study helpers or stretching yourself too thin in pursuit of your goals. If you hope to truly actualize yourself, you must be the best person you can be, and then move into your tasks, rather than hoping the latter will guarantee the former.

With these in place and supporting each other, you can certainly make tremendous progress towards your self-development.