Limits to Human Potential

Limits to human potential are almost always psychological. Physically most of us are born with the capability to do all the same things. We could all be elite athletes, we all have the ability to be a world leader, everyone could get up every morning with a burning desire to engage in activities that will take us beyond the mediocre.

So why isn’t everyone living their dream? Why are people frustrated with their life? Why is it that people get overweight, financially broke and have limited physical and material resources? The answer is psychological conditioning. We all start with the same lot in life, it’s just that some people decide to believe different things, they decide to actually take action towards being the person they want to be and having all the resources and capabilities they need.

No one is born with this mind-set. No one is born with outstanding abilities. We start out naked with only our bare instincts to guide us. Every outstanding person of great achievement and skill has had to learn it.

The Frustrating Aspect of Human Behaviour

As I said, limits to human potential are almost always psychological. It is a combination of beliefs, values and reference experiences that determine what you believe you are capable of. When someone says to me “I just didn’t get the same opportunities”, I don’t express sympathy. This may come across as harsh but it doesn’t help anyone to agree. Everyone has the same opportunity in life. Some people have the advantage of money, others have the advantage of responsive genes to a particular sporting endeavour, while others have an aptitude towards mental activities such as science disciplines.

So here’s an example of what frustrates me about human behaviour. I have worked for many years as a fitness trainer and strength and conditioning coach. What I tend to do is provide the best coaching practises available to help people reach their full potential. So if someone wants to attain elite fitness, I apply my knowledge and coaching skills, they just need to supply to effort to the equation. Pretty simple in theory. I mean I can even guarantee that if someone just follows the instructions I give they will achieve elite results in whatever it is they are striving for. I can even guarantee this to elderly people with osteoporosis.

Having said all that, even though I can provide this world-class coaching, it is only about 10 percent of people that actually reach the peaks of their own potential. Why? Well sometimes I make the guarantee, I provide the coaching but the person starts making excuses. They generally miss sessions, they tell me that they’re too old, they have bad joints, they’re too tall, too short etc. No amount of convincing from me will persuade them otherwise. I can even show proof of others and they will work around that to find another excuse.

What people then tend to do is just go through the motions with a half-arsed effort. They get half-arsed results and then they further perpetuate the belief that they are different and they just can’t do it. They end up mediocre no matter what external influences and resources there are.

So it’s not a matter of resources or ability, it’s always internal. It always comes down to belief, reference experiences, values and application.

Overcoming Limits to Human Potential

I bet you’ve been there right? You have held a belief that something is beyond you. You believed that you were too old, too young, didn’t have the money or the time or whatever. You might have even started all pumped up saying you would find a way. Then a bunch of things got in the way and you believed you weren’t capable, that it just wasn’t feasible. Maybe you worked at something for years and it didn’t work out. So these were your limits to human potential right? WRONG!

Your limitations were entirely psychological, and here’s why; there are literally infinite combinations of ways to achieve anything. There are also infinite ways to fail. When you are sensitized to failing then the combinations that lead to failure are the ones your brain is trained to see, these are the ones you pay attention to on an unconscious level. The optimal combinations of resources, events and skills are there, they aren’t a secret, you just have to be able to notice then implement them. Simple.

So here’s a basic way to get started…

• First begin noticing and acknowledging all your abilities, all the things you do well. Notice opportunities, even ones that you can only abstractly see. Notice anything that you have at your disposal to get the job done. Pay attention to it and only focus on things that are a positive resource.

• Make a list of resources. What I mean is sit down and write down every single resource and advantage you have. Spend a good solid hour just writing without putting much thought into it. Just keep the pen moving.

• Begin making excuses. Huh? By excuses I mean good ones. You have tricked yourself into your current limitations through current excuses, now it’s time to do the same thing but in the opposite direction. Every time you do something that doesn’t work out, make an excuse as to why it actually moved you closer to your goal. If you lose all your money then convince yourself that this was intentional so that you could test out a method that didn’t work so you could rule it out. Something like that anyway. It can be total fantasy. The rules are, simply don’t let any negative experience happen without coming up with a reason as why it was an advantage to have experienced.

• All of the above three things are designed to condition your brain to notice opportunity and advantage. Now it’s time to actually put your new focus to use. The only difference is that this time you won’t just go through the motions and then sabotage yourself. This time you are going to do everything within your power. “I’ve tried everything” is rubbish. You have tried everything within your own comfort zone, but not every possible combination. This time do all the things you have put off, all the outrageous ideas you thought would work but let others talk you out of. If you did everything within your power what would happen? I mean if you really strived even when you didn’t feel like it, what do you think the result would be? Do it. I guarantee that you will have what you want.

Limits to human potential are nearly always psychological. There is always a way, you can always develop the skills and gather the resources, without exception. If you’re old you can still be super fit and without illness and injury, if you are too young you can still have enormous influence and power, if you’re white you can still win the 100 metres at the Olympics.

Limits to human potential are chosen, they’re not imposed. What is imposed is all imposed by you. Every limitation you have is a result of you creating a belief or accepting other people’s reference experiences as gospel.

What are you truly capable of? Limits to human potential are all in the head. It is up to you what your limits to human potential are.

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