Potential

• “There is an inexhaustible supply in the Universe. Begin to be aware of it. Take the time to count the stars on a clear evening, or the grains of sand in one handful, the leaves on one branch of a tree, the raindrops on a windowpane, the seeds in one tomato. Each seed is capable of producing a whole vine with unlimited tomatoes on it. Be grateful for what you do have, and you will find that it increases.”  You Can Heal Your Life (Louise Hay) Page 114
• “It’s a constant quest because we’re always raising the bar on ourselves. The better we get, the better we want to be. Part of us wants very much to live in our Zone of Genius. Yet at the same time, we’re tied down by forces around us. The people around us want us to stay in our Zone of Excellence. We’re a lot more reliable there.”  The Big Leap: Conquer Your Hidden Fear and Take Life to the Next Level (Gay Hendricks) Page 115  (Improvement, Risks, Jealous)
• “What was especially striking to me was that the professors envied the private-practice people, who in turn were envious of the professors. From the professors’ viewpoint, the private-practice people had it made, with their big salaries, plush offices, and absence of faculty meetings. To the private-practice crowd, though, the professors were the ones with the cushy jobs. They got a steady paycheck, free office space, short hours, and plenty of time to write. As the evening wore on, I listened to one tale of thwarted hopes after another. Finally, I was jolted by an insight: none of these complaints were actually caused by pigheaded bureaucrats, lack of parking spaces, ungrateful clients, or anything of the sort. In other words, none of these brilliant, well-meaning people were upset for the reasons they thought they were. Their complaints were all symptoms of not taking the Big Leap! From this perspective, every story took on a different meaning,”  The Big Leap: Conquer Your Hidden Fear and Take Life to the Next Level (Gay Hendricks) Page 117
• “After listening to a complaint, I would ask, “If outside influences like money or insurance companies or bureaucrats were not a problem, what would you really love to be doing?” I learned a lot from what each person told me. First, almost everyone could tell me clearly what they’d love to be doing. Their answers included things like: I’d love to have time to write the book I’ve been wanting to write. I’d love to create videos so more people could get access to the techniques I use. I’d love to have more of an impact in the world. What caught my attention, though, was the emotional tone behind those statements. Every time, the person’s face took on an expression of longing tinged with hope or burdened by despair. Longing is a persistent, lingering feeling of wanting something you can’t quite get or something you’ve judged unobtainable. If you think there’s still a possibility of attaining it, your longing is flavored by hope. If you think it’s unobtainable, your longing sinks into a bog of despair. Longing was what I was hearing in every one of those conversations.”  The Big Leap: Conquer Your Hidden Fear and Take Life to the Next Level (Gay Hendricks) Page 118
• “Yet it’s clear from Gallup’s research that each person has greater potential for success in specific areas, and the key to human development is building on who you already are.”  StrengthsFinder 2.0 (Tom Rath)  Kindle Location 201-2
• “Our natural talents and passions—the things we truly love to do—last for a lifetime. But all too often, our talents go untapped. Mark Twain once described a man who died and met Saint Peter at the Pearly Gates. Knowing that Saint Peter was very wise, the man asked a question that he had wondered about throughout his life. He said, “Saint Peter, I have been interested in military history for many years. Who was the greatest general of all time?” Saint Peter quickly responded, “Oh that’s a simple question. It’s that man right over there.” “You must be mistaken,” responded the man, now very perplexed. “I knew that man on earth, and he was just a common laborer.” “That’s right my friend,” assured Saint Peter. “He would have been the greatest general of all time if he had been a general.” This story illustrates a truth that is, unfortunately, all too common. Far too many people spend a lifetime headed in the wrong direction. They go not only from the cradle to the cubicle but then to the casket, without uncovering their greatest talents and potential.”  StrengthsFinder 2.0 (Tom Rath)  Kindle Location 345-55
• “God expects you to have enough faith and determination and enough trust in Him to keep moving, keep living, keep rejoicing. In fact, He expects you not simply to face the future (that sounds pretty grim and stoic); He expects you to embrace and shape the future—to love it and rejoice in it and delight in your opportunities.”  Broken Things to Mend (Jeffrey R. Holland) Kindle Loc. 791-93
• “If we were to take a three-year-old child and put him in the middle of the room, and you and I were to start yelling at the child, telling him how stupid he was, how he could never do anything right, how he should do this, and shouldn’t do that, and look at the mess he made; and maybe hit him a few times, we would end up with a frightened little child who sits docilely in the corner, or who tears up the place. The child will go one of these two ways, but we will never know the potential of that child. If we take the same little child and tell him how much we love him, how much we care, that we love the way he looks and love how bright and clever he is, that we love the way he does things, and that it’s okay for him to make mistakes as he learns — and that we will always be there for him no matter what — then the potential that comes out of that child will blow your mind!” You Can Heal Your Life (Louise Hay) Page 28
•  April 30th, 1995 – Sunday.  Quito Ecuador… “I just got finished thinking a bit.  For a good while before I was a little scared inside because I wasn’t being as obedient as I know I should’ve been.  I would think a lot of the scriptures, and how the men would always receive punishments or tough trials when they weren’t righteous.  They would receive these things to be reminded of the Lord & to be humbled.  I was always scared that something would happen to me to frighten me to repent or humble me to repent.  At times I even asked for an experience that would change my attitude, that would help me to drop a lot of my carnal desires & sins.  Well, the Lord did answer me.  Because Elder Norris told me that experience of Satan which helped to make a change for the better.  But I still wasn’t even close.  I still had an inner feeling and knowledge that I had to change even more.  Well, I kind of put it in the back of my mind, justifying my little sins – I mean, I was spiritually strong enough – Right??  Yesterday, right when I saw that poor kid dead in the street, a song entered my head that said “Do you hear me?  I can feel you near me.  It’s the answer that I’ve been longing for.”  Seeing this boy woke me up.  It was the answer that I was needing.  It hurts me to think that I didn’t have the common sense or strength enough to repent for myself.  The Lord had to humble me through this experience.  It’s sad for me to think that one of the reasons for this kid’s death was to help me to re-evaluate my life and repent of the picky things that in my mind weren’t too big of a deal.”
• April 28th, 1995 – Friday.  Quito, Ecuador… “Elder Hanks & I had a good study.  I kind of realized how special we really are.  If you think of all the people that chose to be on Christ’s side are now living in millions of different worlds.  The strongest spirits were sent here to this world because this is where they sacrificed Jesus Christ.  This was the only world wicked enough to do it.  In this world, in the Last Days, the valiant were sent here to be able to live in the most wicked time.  The next most valiant would be the church members.  Out of all of these valiant spirits, only a few go on a mission.  They’re the chosen of the valiant.  If you could just imagine how special we actually are.  Then, on top of that, to be a leader among the chosen is something mind-boggling.  I don’t know what I did in the pre-existence but the Lord has blessed me a ton.  He has helped me want to be the best I can.  I have this deep desire to be righteous.  I want to be like the Apostles, just because they’re so righteous and so smart & so spiritual & so right.  I’m realizing little by little my potential.  I’m very far from it but I’ll keep striving for it.  I’m so glad to be an Elder, and I feel very privileged to be a leader.  Man, I pray that the Lord guides my words, thoughts & action.  I want to help Him & His work so bad.  I pray I can.  I love this work.  I’m blessed all day & every day.  Even during the tests.”  – Clinton Brown Missionary Journal
• “The inspiration of a noble cause involving human interest wide and far enables men to do things they did not dream themselves capable of before, and which they were not capable of alone.”  (Joshua Lawrence Chamberlaine, Gods and Generals [2003], 53)
• “To every man there comes…that special moment when he is figuratively tapped on the shoulder and offered the chance to do a special thing unique to him and fitted to his talent. What a tragedy if that moment finds him unprepared or unqualified for the work which would be his finest hour.”  (Winston Churchill)
• “In his book, The Farther Reaches of Human Nature, Maslow describes the key steps to attaining self-actualization: experiencing life “vividly, selflessly, with full concentration and total absorption”; making choices from moment to moment that foster growth rather than fear; becoming more attuned to your inner nature and acting in concert with who you are; being honest with yourself and taking responsibility for what you say and do instead of playing games or posing; identifying your ego defenses and finding the courage to give them up; developing the ability to determine your own destiny and daring to be different and non-conformist; creating an ongoing process for reaching your potential and doing the work needed to realize your vision. fostering the conditions for having peak experiences, or what Maslow calls “moments of ecstasy” in which we think, act, and feel more clearly and are more loving and accepting of others.”  Eleven Rings: The Soul of Success.  Phil Jackson and Hugh Delehanty.  Page 124
• “Daily we meet moments that steal our self-esteem.  They are inevitable.  Each day we are reminded that we don’t have certain talents, that we make mistakes.  That we don’t excel in all things.  And amidst all this, it is easy to believe that we don’t quite measure up in the great scheme of things, but are inferior in some secret way.  Underrating ourselves is not only painful but is downright dangerous.  For we limit the range of all possibility.  We are the offspring of Heavenly Parents.  Created with great personal care.  Our hearts, our souls & minds have potential beyond our greatest imagination.  We can become anything we want if we just remember who we are & if we do not choke off our power by brooding over some small fault, or by feeling inferior.” – Paul H. Dunn
• “The scriptures teach us that in doing this, Jesus “considered” them.  As we shared in some of your ward conferences, Mark tells us that before Jesus answered a young man’s question about what he needed to do to have eternal life, Jesus “beheld and loved him.”  In reference to this passage, Elder S. Mark Palmer said: “A vivid image fills my mind of our Lord pausing and beholding this young man. Beholding — as in looking deeply and penetratingly into his soul, recognizing his goodness and also his potential, as well as discerning his greatest need. Then the simple words — Jesus loved him. He felt an overwhelming love and compassion for this good young man, and because of this love and with this love, Jesus asked even more of him.” – President Scott Smith, San Clemente Stake Conference, June 13th, 2021
• “Elder Jeffrey R. Holland told of a young man who was the brunt of his peers teasing during his school years. Some years later he moved away, joined the military, received an education, and became active in the Church. This period of his life was marked with wonderfully successful experiences. After several years he returned to his hometown. However, the people refused to acknowledge his growth and improvement. To them, he was still just old ;so-and-so; and they treated him that way. Eventually, this good man faded away to a shadow of his former successful self without being able to use his marvelously developed talents to bless those who derided and rejected him once again. What a loss, both for him and the community!” Ensign, 2016, General Women’s Session, I Will Bring the Light of the Gospel Into My Home