Did you ever take a moment, alone and undistracted, to sincerely ask yourself: “Does my life feel meaningful and aligned with my fundamental values? Am I really fulfilled? Am I passionate about what I am doing? Am I using my full potential?”
Find It Out for Yourself
If you have never asked yourself these questions, I invite you to do it right now. Take a moment and seriously consider them. It is essential to be honest with yourself, to be as nuanced as possible, and to be open to the possibility that there is more to this inquiry than you initially might think.
It can also be insightful to wonder: “Is my fulfillment unconditional, coming from a place within, or is it mainly triggered by external, impermanent aspects of my life? How would I feel if any of these vanish: my health, my friends and family, my job, my social recognition, or my financial security? What about my more direct sources of pleasure like sex, food, entertainment, parties, or drugs? Will I still be fulfilled then? And if not, what does that say about the nature of my fulfillment?”
Since we cannot objectively measure feelings, this investigation is only about intuitively assessing where we are on the spectrum of our own potential. Rather than comparing ourselves to others, we focus on our individual capabilities.
Do you think there could be room for improvement?
Why Even Bother?
Some might wonder why we should even make all these efforts and spend our days philosophizing about abstract questions or working on ourselves, although we are actually doing fine. It might seem like a waste of time and energy. But do you honestly think so?
Could it be that deep down, you would indeed love to change something about your life or yourself? And that the reason you are not doing it is more intricate than just “I do not want to” or “I do not feel it is necessary”?
Could it be that the actual reason for this internal resistance against personal growth is that it is often challenging for us to get out of our comfort zones? And that we would rather distract ourselves than face the uncomfortable truths? That we would rather go the easy way than put in the effort to work on ourselves?
There is clearly no need to force this. If you are perfectly happy with your current life, you probably should not spend your time with questions like these. And even if you are not perfectly happy, but still do not want to change anything about it, it is obviously also completely understandable.
However, if you do feel there is more to discover, I encourage you to continue this investigation. Because if we want something in our lives to change, if we want to explore our full potential, it helps to first build the foundation and find out why exactly we should even bother. As long as we do not figure out a convincing reason to take this endeavor more seriously, it will be significantly more difficult to free ourselves from all the limiting beliefs and toxic habits that hold us back in life.
Going Beyond Our Resistance
One of the biggest obstacles in this pursuit of personal growth is that we often resist the actions we know would be good for us. We resist facing the challenges that would help us move forward because we think it is easier or more convenient to do so. But is it true? Are we not struggling sometimes despite being in our comfort zone? Or are we perhaps even struggling because of that?
Sometimes we might have to motivate ourselves to get going. To get over the internal resistance towards change. And start working more towards our long-term fulfillment instead of only pursuing short-term pleasures. Although it might seem difficult in the beginning, it can often turn out to be easier than expected. And the longer we keep building momentum, the simpler it gets over time.
The Importance of Commitment
If you are willing to go even deeper into this inquiry, ask yourself:
“Why am I not working on this more seriously? Could it be that the mastery of my fulfillment is something I have to invest a lot of time in? Something I have to learn, like every other field of mastery? Maybe there is information about best practices, about traps to avoid, and about ways to approach this that I never heard of before? If I want to realize my potential in life, why not make it one of my primary commitments? Why not try to do everything in my power, everything possible with my specific life circumstances and unique predispositions, to achieve that?”
These questions are not meant to create an unrealistic expectation or an additional desire that leaves us disappointed when not being met. It is not about chasing something we are missing right now. It is about creating a direction in life. Something to strive towards that makes us optimistic and passionate. Something that motivates us. While we still embrace the life we have right now and make the best of our current situation.
What We Can Do Now
The first step we can take now is to work on being more committed. Because as we keep the commitments we make, no matter how small they are, we establish integrity. This reminds us that we can indeed take responsibility for our life and proactively change it. Instead of blaming external circumstances for our problems. The only thing holding us back is our own limiting belief that we cannot or should not do it. Thus, let us now take these matters into our own hands. And promise to ourselves that we will give our best to stick with it.
So I invite you – let us try out something different and open ourselves up to ideas and perspectives that are new to us. Let us be open-minded and committed to going even deeper into this investigation, and let us embrace this opportunity wholeheartedly. If we want something in our life to change for the better, we have to seriously consider a new paradigm.
Being the Change We Want to See in the World
Let us pursue our growth not only for ourselves but for everything and everyone around us. The person we are and the life we live radiate into this world. Every little decision we make has an impact. Everything in this world is interconnected. Sometimes it seems like one person cannot change much, regardless of whether it is about the environment, about society, or any other topic dear to us. But if every one of us is doing a part, going one step at a time, focusing on our own potential instead of what is happening outside of our circle of influence – day by day, we can collectively create a more harmonious, sustainable future for us all.
So if any of that resonates with you, I invite you to continue this internal investigation for yourself. Build your own foundation for a deeper inquiry. Come with me on this journey of exploring life’s potential – and take part in this process yourself.
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