Hi Everyone!
A recent post in singles reminded me that I have been wanting to ask you all about this topic for a long time.
As singles, many of us choose to work on our careers as we await God's plan for us. Do you often worry that you may not be living up to your potential? Do others tell you that you could "do more" with your life? If you feel pressured to "succeed", do you put most of this pressure on yourself, or is it because of what others around you say?
I was thinking about this as I read an article in Psychology Today (https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/growing-friendships/201111/lifting-the-burden-potential; if anyone is interested) and remembered a friend of mine whose house is filled with "Baby Einstein" products for her two kids. (It seems to be a vicious cycle that begins with parents who are pressured to play classical music to their babies in the womb and choose foods that boast about having "brain-boosting" properties.)
In my own life, I remember a fellow student scoffing at me because I chose to start out at a local community college. He told me, "Why would you do something like that when you could just walk into a big-league university?" Um, no thank you! I had no interest in the added pressure and expense. And for Pete's sake, I wasn't even the highest-scoring kid in the class!
Ironically, I personally just saw the community college as the wisest decision. I could knock out all my basics locally for $32 a credit hour (at the time) and had a scholarship that paid for my books, so this saved a TON of money vs. moving away to a 4-year school right off the bat.
At the same time, several other people (including at church) told me that one of my family members had paved the way for a career path and all I'd have to do was follow in their footsteps, and I'd have it made.
But in my heart, I was never interested in any of this, and found that I am not the kind of person who could force myself into doing what other people thought would be the best way to use my "potential".
I truly believe I've found my own "potential" through a lot of trial and error (probably more error than trial.) Ironically, I feel most comfortable with traits normally frowned up in our competitive society, such as the fact that I enjoy assisting OTHER people in getting to where THEY want to be, without feeling the constant pressure to climb up he ladder myself. When the people I assist get to their next level, God just seems to send me to assist someone else.
One of my favorite Bible passages is Exodus 1:21, which talks about the Hebrew midwives who assisted the Israelite women in childbirth: "And because the midwives feared God, He gave them families of their own." I believe that I am called to be the midwife/assistant--I can't do it FOR you, but I can HELP you in your quest to see the birth of something new in your life.
I'm not interested in being the CEO, but I'll work my hardest to be the loyal, dependable assistant who cares helping you meet YOUR career goals. I may not be the one with the most power or money, nor do I want to be (which I know our society looks down upon), but I aml content. And I personally feel my potential was reached when several other managers asked me to leave the position I was holding and come work for them.
Because I believe God wants me to be loyal to the person I'm called to in whatever situation I'm in, I've always stayed with the person I believe God assigned me to until He moves me to another place.
How about the rest of you?
* What are your thoughts on "potential" and how to reach it? (This could be about your potential or someone else's, such as your kids.)
* What kinds of pressures are you facing in reaching your potential?
* What is your definition of your potential vs. others' definition of what you are supposed to achieve?
* What do YOU feel is your "true potential", and how will you achieve it?
A recent post in singles reminded me that I have been wanting to ask you all about this topic for a long time.
As singles, many of us choose to work on our careers as we await God's plan for us. Do you often worry that you may not be living up to your potential? Do others tell you that you could "do more" with your life? If you feel pressured to "succeed", do you put most of this pressure on yourself, or is it because of what others around you say?
I was thinking about this as I read an article in Psychology Today (https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/growing-friendships/201111/lifting-the-burden-potential; if anyone is interested) and remembered a friend of mine whose house is filled with "Baby Einstein" products for her two kids. (It seems to be a vicious cycle that begins with parents who are pressured to play classical music to their babies in the womb and choose foods that boast about having "brain-boosting" properties.)
In my own life, I remember a fellow student scoffing at me because I chose to start out at a local community college. He told me, "Why would you do something like that when you could just walk into a big-league university?" Um, no thank you! I had no interest in the added pressure and expense. And for Pete's sake, I wasn't even the highest-scoring kid in the class!
Ironically, I personally just saw the community college as the wisest decision. I could knock out all my basics locally for $32 a credit hour (at the time) and had a scholarship that paid for my books, so this saved a TON of money vs. moving away to a 4-year school right off the bat.
At the same time, several other people (including at church) told me that one of my family members had paved the way for a career path and all I'd have to do was follow in their footsteps, and I'd have it made.
But in my heart, I was never interested in any of this, and found that I am not the kind of person who could force myself into doing what other people thought would be the best way to use my "potential".
I truly believe I've found my own "potential" through a lot of trial and error (probably more error than trial.) Ironically, I feel most comfortable with traits normally frowned up in our competitive society, such as the fact that I enjoy assisting OTHER people in getting to where THEY want to be, without feeling the constant pressure to climb up he ladder myself. When the people I assist get to their next level, God just seems to send me to assist someone else.
One of my favorite Bible passages is Exodus 1:21, which talks about the Hebrew midwives who assisted the Israelite women in childbirth: "And because the midwives feared God, He gave them families of their own." I believe that I am called to be the midwife/assistant--I can't do it FOR you, but I can HELP you in your quest to see the birth of something new in your life.
I'm not interested in being the CEO, but I'll work my hardest to be the loyal, dependable assistant who cares helping you meet YOUR career goals. I may not be the one with the most power or money, nor do I want to be (which I know our society looks down upon), but I aml content. And I personally feel my potential was reached when several other managers asked me to leave the position I was holding and come work for them.
Because I believe God wants me to be loyal to the person I'm called to in whatever situation I'm in, I've always stayed with the person I believe God assigned me to until He moves me to another place.
How about the rest of you?
* What are your thoughts on "potential" and how to reach it? (This could be about your potential or someone else's, such as your kids.)
* What kinds of pressures are you facing in reaching your potential?
* What is your definition of your potential vs. others' definition of what you are supposed to achieve?
* What do YOU feel is your "true potential", and how will you achieve it?
