How Far are you willing to go?
No matter how great your vision, ideas, or plans are, if you do not expose or work on them, they are as good as nonexistent. How far are we willing to go for our dreams? Do we merely have ideas and talks? What about our knowledge regarding these dreams? How much do you know about your dream, or do you simply desire to be influential? Have you considered the possibility of never reaching that dream? Are you prepared to defend your dreams from dream killers?
These are questions many don't contemplate before pursuing their dreams. In his book Unlock Your Potential, Dr. Myles Munroe teaches how to unleash what lies within each of us, which he calls potential. He defines potential as the unexposed, untapped, hidden dormant revelations that lie beneath the accumulated dust and grime of many years. This dust represents the neglected recognition of our inherent capabilities. Some people discover their potential late, while others erect barriers against it. No trespassing is the sign they put on their potential.
Our potential makes us unique, as no two people are created the same by God. In the first chapter of his book, Dr. Myles outlines keys to releasing your potential:
Knowing Your Source: Just as a tree cannot reach its full capacity away from the soil, a person cannot reach their full potential if they are away from God, who created and endowed them with potential.
Knowing Your Purpose: You cannot expose something you don't understand.
Maintaining the Right Environment: Who do you associate with?
Work: Dreams without work accomplish nothing.
Dr. Myles also discusses the enemies of potential:
Standards of the World: Using different standards than those God set can prevent your potential from being unlocked.
Fear: Fear is manipulative. Those who fear trying will never know what they could have accomplished.
Opinions of Others: External opinions can stop you from pursuing your potential.
How far are you willing to go for your vision? Dr. Myles describes two stages of defending your potential: guarding and protecting.
Guarding (Preventive): This involves preparation while the possibility of an attack is present but before the threat is active. Know everything about your dream so you can stand firm, even when no one else believes in it.
Protecting (Defensive): This involves active defense in the midst of trouble. The responsibility for this defense lies with the holder of the potential, not with God. In Genesis, God didn't ask the angels to protect the garden; He asked Adam to do it.
Expect Opposition, You Carry Treasure
Expect opposition; it will come in many forms, including self-doubt, mockery from friends, and disobedience.
Have a Plan: Don't wait for God to do the work for you. God helps those who help themselves. Dr. Myles emphasizes the importance of taking initiatives. If you merely sit, pray, and wait for God to act on your behalf, you will never progress. Make plans and take steps, even if they are imperfect. God will bless your efforts. This is why many people, especially Christians, never unleash their potential; they expect God to do what they must do themselves.
Feed and Cultivate Your Potential: Potential alone doesn't guarantee performance. Yes, you may have the potential to be a great business person, but what do you know about business? What do you spend time listening to? Ensure it informs your potential in business. When God created plants, He didn't let them grow until He had made man to cultivate and care for them (Genesis 2:5). Potential requires work to be released.
Get Knowledge: Ignorance can destroy you. You can't aspire to be a business woman without knowing anything about marketing. Get informed, read books, follow relevant programs, and learn.
Three Dimensions of Potential:
The Body: Take care of your body. Eat healthily, exercise, and rest. Without a healthy body, you will go nowhere.
The Soul: Be mindful of what you listen to. Avoid mental junk. Those who have solutions to the world's problems cultivate their minds to reach into the deep wells of their possibilities and pull out what the world needs. Seek wisdom (Proverbs 20:5) and discipline your will, as it is the decision-maker.
The Spirit: Understand and trust your Creator. Communicate with God.
In conclusion, Dr. Myles asserts that everyone possesses a treasure within that needs to be released. Whether it is released depends on us. We must work at it, as potential is realized through effort.
There is a lot to this book that I cannot possibly put in details. I would let you go through the book yourself. What You listen or read transforms your mind, and what transforms your mind influences your thoughts and eventually informs your decisions. This is a life changing book.You should check it out.