Nine Steps to Help You Develop Your Potential

Go into any bookstore and you will find a big selection of self-help and personal improvement products.  Most everyone (and I'll bet everyone reading this) wants to improve.  We know we need to get better, and we want to get better. We may want to improve our personal relationships, our business capabilities, our ability to be disciplined, our desire to juggle four chain saws, or any of hundreds of other things.  In that book store you can find books to help you do any of those things!

In many cases though, those books start half way through the process.  After writing the last chapter about identifying our potential I realized that identification of our potential, while critical, isn't the complete answer.  It is only the first step.

If we want to reach our potential, we must start by identifying our greatest areas of potential.  With that knowledge, we must take a step-by-step approach to making that potential reality in our lives.

It is no different than a business identifying its core strengths in order to best capitalize on the opportunities they see.  When we start our personal improvement program with identified strengths or potential, we ignite our personal rocket – and begin our trip to greater heights and achievements.

Here then is a step-by-step process that you can use to convert your potential into results!

1. Identify it.  I've already helped you do that.  Whether you have followed those steps in the last chapter or are just aware of a skill you want to develop, this is a necessary first step.

2. Claim it.  You must believe in your heart that you have untapped skill and ability in this area.  Once you have claimed it, you must proclaim it by telling yourself (preferably out loud) that you ARE assertive, you ARE a swimmer, you ARE supportive of others. (Fill in your own skills and potentials!)

3. Scope it.  Next you need to think about what part(s) of you life you want to apply this new skill or ability in. Take time to determine the areas of your life where you will use this enhanced skill.

4. Target it.  Why do you want to develop this potential?  How will you and/or those around you benefit from the development of this potential? What is your goal?  Answering these questions will help you stay the course when you get discouraged.  Write these reasons and your ultimate goal down and read them often.

5. Plan it.  A plan will help us achieve most anything more rapidly.  Wouldn't you like to reach your potential sooner than later?  Then make a plan!  Determine what you need to know and how you will learn it.  Schedule time on your calendar.  Think about the situations you want to practice in.  Write your plan down and remember to include timelines.  This is a real plan.  While it may not be as elaborate as a business plan, it is every bit as important.  This is your plan!

6. Start it.  Get started already.  You might actually start as early as step 2, but I include it here because the scoping, targeting and planning is important too.  Whatever you are trying to develop will require time and effort.  The toughest step though is often the first one, so get started!

7. Support it.  You may need to find support from many people and in many places.  One way is to have a mentor.  If you know someone who excels at what you are trying to develop, ask them to mentor you.  You can also get mentoring from people indirectly, by reading about their approaches, thought processes and ideas.  (This is one great reason to read biographies and autobiographies.)  Get support around you too.  Find people close to you who will support your efforts and encourage, not discourage you.  Identifying your support system early on helps you get started.  Having the support will help you get past the toughest times during your process.

8. Practice it.  You won't reach your potential in one try or in a week.  I recently read a page on the web that was promoting a workshop called Building a Million Dollar Practice.  The tagline is what was memorable.  It read "Hint – it isn't about the Million Dollars."  That tagline tells the story – it is about the practice! Practice builds our skills.  Practice broadens our experience.  Practice creates new habits.  Practice makes permanent.  Perhaps that greatest key of all to developing our potential, is disciplining ourselves to practice.

9. Be grateful for it.  When you receive a gift from someone you likely send a thank you note.  Being grateful for the gifts of our potential is just as important.  By being grateful we begin to unlock even greater opportunities to use the potential we have nursed into skill, experience, and habit.   It isn't too late to start.  Reaching our potential has nothing to do with our age, situation or past.  Using this process will help you to unleash the potential you identify to help you reach your professional and personal goals and objectives. 

© 2004, All Rights Reserved, Kevin Eikenberry.  Kevin publishes Unleash Your Potential, a free weekly ezine designed to provide ideas, tools, techniques and inspiration to enhance your professional skills.  Go to http://www.kevineikenberry.com/uypw/current.asp to read the current issue and subscribe.  Kevin is also President of The Kevin Eikenberry Group, a learning consulting company that helps Clients reach their potential through a variety of training, consulting and speaking services.  You may contact Kevin at toll free 888.LEARNER.