Harnessing a stream
Potential is the capability that is not yet in existence or unrealised capacity. Reality on the other hand, is the state of things as they actually exist. The existence of potential does not necessarily lead to reality. A stream of water can have potential energy to light and power up a community through hydro-electric power, but if no one can harness that energy through a dam, the reality is that it is just a stream of untapped water whose value is limited. The Kariba Dam is one of the largest hydro-electric dams in the world at 128 metres and is built on the Kariba gorge between Zimbabwe and Zambia. It was built at an estimated cost of $480 million with 86 lives lost during construction. Around 57 000 Tonga people and 6 000 animals (under Operation Noah) were affected by the construction of this dam. However after all is said and done, the dam was completed in 1977 and currently supplies power to two countries, Zimbabwe and Zambia.
Diamonds in the rough
A diamond field is a piece of ordinary land discovered through extensive exploration followed by extraction, processing and polishing of rocks to obtain desired priced diamonds. Rough diamonds are obtained from digging and extracting them out of rock and then cutting and polishing them to become high value gems which can be traded internationally. It can be said that a piece of land with diamonds underneath has the potential to earn a country $1 billion, but if the apporpriate investment is not acquired and used on the land to beneficiate the rock, the reality is that it is a piece of ordinary land with a value much lower than the forecast $1 billion.
The personal link
Personal value is limited unless there is a process of harnessing and creating critical mass to focus strength towards something of greater value. A process of exploration of oneself, extraction of value and use of same in adding value to various areas of life to generate income. Exploration to find out what passion one has and what makes them tick. Finding out those things one can do with ease, excellence and for the benefit of others. Inherent passion as well as that gained through training and skills development. Digging and extracting hidden talent within and then taking it through the cutting and polishing process of trimming unwanted remnants and only leaving the shining, high value diamond that carries high value in the market. Many people are said to have potential, but not everyone becomes the reality they could. Moving from potential to reality is not a passive process, but an active one which requires constant effort, sacrifice and carries costs to perfect an art or a skill needed to rise from ashes to aces. The reality is that we are all created with potential to become more. We are created as streams that can power communities, however for some it remains potential. Moving from potential to reality takes effort and hard work as well as focus and vision. There will be casualties in needed unsettling changes, opportunity costs of time, lost friendships and other luxuries lost, but there will be greater value gained at the end. Will you move from potential to reality today, from a stream to a dam powering two countries, and from a rock to a diamond in the sky as Rihanna sang? I got news for you, it will not come easy.
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Hi Welli. There certainly can be a wide gulf between potential and fulfillment. Perhaps the worst thing we can say about someone is that they have great potential; ..... and always will because they lack the vision or drive to harness it
ReplyDeleteIn soccer I like the way those scouters go about looking for potential and actually develop and harness it. Most of the great soccer stars are tapped potential.
DeleteOh this reminds me of my father. To him the worst sin was not working up to your potential. His view was that the person most short changed was yourself...and the things you might offer to a world at large!
ReplyDeleteWe always have something to offer in whatever we do, but I have seen that due to varying reasons, some people would rather withhold, even thinking that they are "fixing" those to whom they withhold, but as you rightfully say, they are short changing themsevles. There is always someone with an option for that which is with held.
Delete..one could then conclude then that theory should be "practicalised" and concepts contextualized though deliberate, "hands-on" effort if dreams are to be ever achieved. 'Remains sad that the graveyard then becomes the reluctant reservoir of un"tap"ed potential. truly sad as one reflects some more.
ReplyDeleteDreams are passive, achievement is active. Waking up and getting down to practicalising those dreams is more important than just dreaming. There are many reluctant resevoirs of untapped potential Dr Hogs and the reflection goes on as much as the beat goes on.....
DeleteTeachers often write on children's report cards that they aren't working up to their potential. Most children don't. Most adults don't. It may take a lifetime to reach it.
ReplyDeleteI respect teachers who realise potential and notify parents so that something can be done about it. It is during those formative years when potential can already be guided correctly.
DeleteWe adopted a developmentally challenged boy when he was seven and at that time he couldn't speak so we could understand him. Today he is working full-time, living on his own in his own condo and has a very active social life with Special Olympics. This handicapped boy has grown up to be a contributing member of society who has fully lived up to his potential, liked by many and we are very proud of him.
ReplyDeleteLenie
This is quite an inspiring and relevant story Lenie thanks for sharing. And I salute you for that challenging initiative you undertook. I can imagine some of the lessons you learnt. Would be good to have you on my facebook page for this blog where you can share some of your lessons learnt.
DeleteThat's a very motivating post, especially for me as I feel like I am at a crossroads of my life. I have the potential to do so many, but obviously I can't do everything, so I need to choose and make one of those dreams a reality. I just don't know which one yet. How do you know which dream holds the most potential?
ReplyDeleteThis morning I was just thinking about how when you enter a supermarket, you fill up that basket/trolley with things you want, but only pay for things you need and leave the rest by the till sometimes. My advise would be for you to look at your resources (time, finances, talents, passion, goals) and tie them down to the things you want to do. This should narrow down your dreams to specific ones. Potential divorced from feasibility is also not workable. Work on those that are most practical and feasible given your situation and circumstances, unless you can collaborate and create synergies with other people to realise those that seem impossible. I hope this helps.
DeleteIsn't potential a name that is assigned by someone else to someone. I believe it is and therefore eliminates the potential that an individual assigns upon himself. For sure there are scenarios where an individual clearly messes up when he shouldn't have or was befallen with bad luck; both of which could stunt potential. But all in all shouldn't potential be measured by an individuals happiness in life.
ReplyDeleteYou are being quite philosophical there Tim. You make a great point on the relationship between potential and happiness. I would say that there is a trade-off between working on realising potential all your life risking the likelihood of disappointment at failing to realise it against contentment and happiness within untapped potential. I think though that most times, being happy means you have realised your potential according to yourself and not according to how others view the potential. Therefore there is potential from my point of view and potential in someone else's view and the two can be totally different.
DeleteIt's so difficult to realize our own potential, and yet so easy to point it out in others. I did that all the time as a teacher as I looked for ways to connect with students, and I do it now as I edit other people's books. When it comes to my own writing, progress and potential are often at odds with each other.
ReplyDeleteI like that point Jeri, how hard to realise our own but easy to point out to others. So true in the same way it is easy to sit in the stands and criticise a sportman who is losing but if you are asked to go down in the field and play, you may do worse. What I like about you is that you always critique yourself against others by asking them to comment on your work. This makes you realise your potential better.
DeleteWelli, I've come to really look forward to your posts, and I especially enjoyed this one. It's interesting to me that a stream does not realize it's potential until you put a dam in its way, and a diamond does not become a gem until great force is applied to it. What we see as an obstacle may in fact be what creates our greatest value.
ReplyDeleteThanks Meredith for the affirmation. Yes indeed an obstacle could be the single thing that is going to create value. Nothing comes easy in life and so hard work remains a great personal value to hold.
DeleteAgain a great post! i like the way you link things. We certainly have lots of potential in us.. All it takes is little push to bring out those untapped potential.
ReplyDeleteThanks Tuhin
DeleteI would freak out if I found a diamond field. That would be awesome! Great way of linking all your ideas together. I find that its progress not perfection. As long as I steadily keep working towards my goals and being a better human being, then I feel good about myself. Great article. =)
ReplyDeleteThanks Crystal, you could be sitting on a diamond field right now, so watch it. Finding a diamond is field is better than realising it was there all along but you did not see it. That is how I view potential, sitting on a diamond field.
DeleteRealizing or seeing our own potential is so difficult. I think it's because we can't see our own or our progress as well as others can. I find that we need to seek progress and take heart in all that we accomplish. If we can do that we just might reach our potential.
ReplyDeleteWhat a trip to find a diamond field and it was a pretty awesome way to link your ideas. Great stuff this. :-)
Yes Susan, other people most certainly see our potential more than we do. Hence you find people being told they could be this or that and they modestly refuse saying they can never be, because they just do not see it for themselves. Thank you.
DeleteI think I'm most dissapointed in myself when I don't meet my potential. the same applies to how I feel when my children don't meet theirs. It just feels like a waste.
ReplyDeleteI have been realising lately that I have more potential than I thought I did when i was younger. And I aim to unleash potential in many areas of my life in the coming months.
ReplyDeleteI feel that we all bring something to the table and learn from life experiences. We all have potential and it is a matter of unleashing it and make it happen. It is the same in business we know what the potential the business has in succeeding but it is putting in force and making it work is what is challenging.
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