Too Great to Stand Still

"What will you do next?" He asked.
"I will chase the sun," she said. "There is no other option."

--

It isn't that difficult to pick out someone's strengths. Whether in professional work, personal life, or passions, the things we are really good at are usually obvious. This is what makes it easy for us to enjoy the activities in which we are successful. These are our assets. This is what we bring to the table in collaborative efforts. This is how we contribute to our teams and tribes.

Our assets are obvious, and it is easy to get comfortable in that space. Sometimes, we even fight to stay rooted in the places where we know it will be safe and easy to push out success.

What happens when you pull out further, though? When you expand the picture beyond the frame? Or, even better, when we extrapolate ourselves?

This is where potential lives.

In the inertia of our lives, it is easy to fight for sameness. To stay in that job or relationship that allows us to have known success. Even with all the unknowns in life, this is the safest space to be. It is easy to think I will stay here, nurture my assets and strengths, and remain comfortably and predictably successful.

So what happens when we decide to move outside that? To tap into our potential? To see the potential in others and offer them a chance to expand?

This is where growth lives.

The trouble is that potential isn't as obvious as our current strengths. It takes vision, strength, and faith to make decisions that push us to take risks and develop our true selves outside the boundaries of what we currently know. Growth takes searching and it takes depth. Often, it feels uncomfortable and even painful. 

Many times, others don't see potential. We aren't offered the opportunities or support we need to chase the better versions of ourselves. We get tricked into thinking that comfort or longevity should be valued over the pain to transform our potential into reality. The fear of change can be paralyzing. So sometimes, we stand still.

This life is long. We need to make choices that are hard, choices that are bigger than our current selves. If you can see the potential in yourself, you need to chase it. If you see potential in others, you need to push them to see it too. When this happens, we realize we are too great to stand still.