Full potential

[Adahn]

Does anyone feel that they're not living up to their full potential? In classes such as Math and Science, I find I am challenged, but I can still pull of an "A" if I do what is necessary. I'm mainly talking about classes involving writing and English. I'll admit, I have to put time into the courses, but I don't have to do squat with effort. I can throw around whatever fancy words I wish, and intrigue any teacher enough to get an "A". That grade is supposed to stand for excellence, but I find it too easy to achieve. Everything I've ever written in my life was "enough" to get an "A", but it all seems meaningless, and I know I can do much, much better. I've thought about writing things, and it helps ease my mind a little (Thanks OB:)), but I know I am no where near my best. I think I'm more left-brained (logical) than right-brained (creative), because that is the direction we are pushed throughout our lives at school. Now I'm faced with alot of ideas and thoughts that are right-brained, and I don't know how to channel them. Perhaps I'll whip something up over at the poetry board. Well, that's all I need to get off my chest for now, and I would be happy to hear anyone else's thoughts on the matter.

[BabyGirl]

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by Adahn [/i]
[B]I can throw around whatever fancy words I wish, and intrigue any teacher enough to get an "A". [/B][/QUOTE]

[color=deeppink]Funny how that always does the trick :)

I just recently received an A+ on an assignment turned in three days late. And it wasn't even good. It really boggles me as to how some of the sh** that I turn has a turnaround grade of an A.

No English teacher ever gave me below an A as a final grade, and that was all the way through high school. I know that I'm a better writer than a majority of people, but I know what you're saying, Adahn, about how you don't feel challenged at all. I know that I can write stuff last minute and it can be utter bull**** and I'll still earn high marks.

Doesn't exactly make me try too hard :p[/color]

[terra]

I know what you mean as well. High school was pretty easy for me, particularly senior year; I went to a small school, so grades practicaly were by reputation by that time, and I didn't have to put any effort into anything.

(Small rant on the same thing BabyGirl just quoted -- I hate when people think a lot of vocabulary words equal a good piece of writing. I think this usually isn't the case. Not that you can't have a great piece of writing that has tons of huge words in it, of course, but nor do you have to have a bunch of six-syllable words in your piece for it to be good.)

That aside, college has changed that for me. College is probably about as hard as you make it. People here can definitely get by taking all easy classes, and they'll come out with a decent major and go on living their lives. Others take classes that challenge their minds and expand their knowledge base, which is probably a much better way to use the education, no matter what degree you end up with. I suppose I'm saying that if you plan on going to college, you'll probably be able to find a lot more challenges there, as long as you look for them. (And ... you might even find challenges without looking for them ... I know I have :p.) With those challenges, you'll be able to stretch your potential further and see just how far it goes.

If you're not planning on going to college, I'd guess you just have to find ways to challenge yourself, perhaps through writing like you suggested.

[Adahn]

Oh, I'm definitely going to college. Thanks for enlightening me with respect to the difficulty in college. I probably will take the challenging courses that deal with writing. I do hope that classes in college allow broad topics where I can explore what interests me in order to realize the true extent of any talent or ability I posess. Also, it makes me feel better that I don't have to spend time challenging myself now. AP Bio is so much work :(.

[Semjaza]

I've not lived up to my full potential since probably 4th grade, and then a few years of high school after that . I went to a Catholic school after that, which I hated. I then went to a High School that I loved, where I did rather well overall. Then went to another High School that I hated, where I stopped trying.

In college now, I'm a bit better... but considering the classes I miss, the stuff I put off until the last minute, the stuff I turn in late and everything else... No, I'm nowhere near my full potential. I'm probably at about 50% on average.

[future girl]

O, I always feel like I should try really hard in English, like I should impress the teacher and when I do a half assed job and get an A (which lately has been more often than usual) I feel disappointed in myself. This year, I've been slacking off because I don't feel I have to prove myself for the teacher, but in 11th grade I used to try so hard and that A always meant so much more than the A's I get now. *sigh* Mr. Walpole was a cool little man. . .The teacher I have now is just there, y'know. . .Meh

[Mitch]

[size=1] What is potential? Something that you've always had? Something that you fight to gain? Think about that.

This topic really doesn't interest me personally.

I don't try as hard as I can at school. What's the point? Scholarships. I suppose. But I don't care. I'd rather be going to all classes all about writing and nothing else. But I can't do that now, can I?[/size]

[Krademon]

Well you all seem to be able to pull in an A easily. I worked pretty hard for my english class and got around 85\100 for all my for, an a grade is 80+. I don't spend all my time working so Iprobably could do better.
My problem is that I don't find all areas of math interesting so my grade kinda drops there.
I really love making things so I'm probablt left brain oreantated. I think alot of perople don't really push themselves in classes and just choose acredited (meaning you got the skills in that class but not a Uni entrance score). I chose 6 T classes and some of the were hard (especially top level math!....I dropped down one though so it's K).
But yeah not everyone puts the effort in and I think that if I don't feel like I'm using my full potential, how must they feel?

[Lady Asphyxia]

[size=1]I don't think I'll ever reach my full potential, and I never want. If I do, what do I have to strive for? I mean, why try when you know you can't do any better?[/size]

[James]

[color=#707875]I don't think I've come anywhere close to my full potential.

For me, I know that I can write a report and get an A+ without effort. But if they ask me to make a 3D model...then I'm in trouble. lol

In any case, I think that the only way I can achieve my full potential is to be doing something that I am passionate about.

For example, I think I'm more likely to produce better work if I'm doing something for myself as opposed to doing something for a client. If I'm doing something for a client, I'm working to [i]their[/i] standard and desire. I don't enjoy that. In that way, on a creative level, I can be very selfish. I enjoy fulfilling my own project briefs far more than those of other people -- even if they are giving me a cool project.

I guess that's also because I like to have ownership over what I produce. I don't want to make something and then forget about it and "hand it over", as it were. Of course, there are always exceptions (like if I'm doing something for a friend), but for the rest of the planet...no. lol

So *shrug*, I guess that under those circumstances, I can't really achieve my full capability.

And also, I think that I change and evolve over time. My methods, my aesthetic tastes...everything about me changes to some degree. It's a constant learning process. I might reach my full potential now right this minute -- but in five years, I might look back and say "Wow, what I'm doing now is so superior to that old junk!"

In that sense, I may never reach my full capability. I think that the only time I'll really know where I hit my peak is when I'm 90 years old or something. lol You know...when I'm too old to do anything creative/mentally stimulating anymore. Then I can look back and point out where my highest points were.

[/color]

[Baron Samedi]

I probably don't use my full potential all the time. I procrastinate, and don't focus all the time. But seriously, as Semjaza mentioned elsewhere, kids are kids. We are [i]not [/i]supposed to be working all of the time. We need some relaxation. I am 14, and in an extension English and SOSE thing, but I don't focus as much as I should. I get pretty good marks, from, as you said Babygirl, putting in fancy words. I know that I need to buckle down and start to work harder though, especially as I am in Year 10 next year.

[Guest rich]

Next year will be my senior year at highschool so I really need to knuckle down in the work department and not be attracted to my t.v screen instead of doing my homework. Potential wise, I know I can accomplish what I set out to do as long as I'm focused.

[Charles]

I won't ever reach my full potential--most of us never will in a literal sense. Intellectually speaking, human potential is almost a limitless well. There are so many avenues of knowledge that can be explored and so many distractions to lure us away from them.

Physically, I'm not particularly interested in exposing myself to the grueling training regimen it would take to perfect my body. Unless I was able to do it on a professional level, it would just be impossible because there wouldn't be enough time in the day.

When it's all said and done, however, when you can look in the mirror and be satisfied with yourself--the people you've met, your career, the things you've done--and you wouldn't trade it for anything else, then it's possible to fill your full potential for happiness, I think. That's probably what's important, what you choose to take with you in life.

[Artemis]

I go to a realitively tough Catholic high school. I'm not worried about college being hard b/c everyone I've talked to has said that it's easier than our high school. However, even here I sometimes don't feel challenged enough. Anything math related comes incredibly easy to me. (I'm wishing I could've gotten started on the classes sooner and be taking Calc 2 this year.) Physics is boring for me b/c we have to go so stinkin' slow for the stupid jocks who decided to take it. :rollseyes: I suppose I've had to work for some of my grades, but after the fact it always feels like I could have put more into it. I know that sophomore year English was way below my level. (As much as I love Mrs. Fox, there's something wrong when you take your English syllabus home and your mother brings out a red pen to correct the grammar.) That class didn't require any effort from me. She just "loved" anything I wrote.
As far as the potential thing goes, I guess I kinda feel guilty when I'm not at least reaching towards it. I want to see what I can do and keep going deeper. Perhaps the more we strive towards our potentials the higher they become... just a thought.

[Adahn]

I have a personal flaw that makes me limit myself. I do what is considered excellent by others. I would go deeper into a subject, but I don't have to. I will always do what is amazing for others, unless I decide to write something to impress myself. Perhaps I will do this, but first, I must read the greatest piece of writing on earth.

[Drix D'Zanth]

Well, I think people can look at their potential in more than one aspect. We could look at is as, everything has happened the way it has, and nothing could change the fact. For instance, you are slow because you didn?t spend time running, but if you could?ve gone back into the past, who is to say that you wouldn?t have done it any differently? Secondly, you could approach it with a very proactive mind, "I?m going to choose what goals I want and work towards them."

Man's main task in life is to give birth to himself, to become what he potentially is. The most important product of his effort is his own personality. There are countless ways of achieving greatness, but any road to achieving one's maximum potential must be built on a bedrock of respect for the individual, a commitment to excellence, and a rejection of mediocrity.
I don?t think it?s [I]achieving[/I] your potential that matters, it?s the journey to achieve the potential that is far more rewarding.

[Brasil]

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by Drix D'Zanth [/i]
[B]I don?t think it?s [I]achieving[/I] your potential that matters, it?s the journey to achieve the potential that is far more rewarding. [/B][/QUOTE]

Good point he makes here.

Case in point. Star Wars Galaxies.

Mastering professions is a goal of the game, and there are a lot of professions to choose from (Bounty Hunter, Pistoleer, Creature Handler, Doctor, to name 4 of the 20).

I'm 2 blocks away from Master Doc, and once I get Master, my Doc field is done. I don't have a need for medical xp, don't have a need for Apprenticeship Points in my Doc field, so attaining the highest potential of Doc means nothing if I don't decide to interact with other players.

As Drix said, and as I am saying here, "Achieving means nothing if you don't have anything else to use that potential with. The journey is where the fun is at." That's how it is with life, and in development in Galaxies. Building, learning, journeying. That's the point. Enjoy yourselves (ok, not in that way, hehe, but you get the idea). Don't worry about achieving total potential, because you'll make yourself miserable in the process.

I was talking to a few British guys some years ago. They said something that really stuck in my mind:

"If you've got one foot in tomorrow, and one foot in yesterday, you're goin to piss on today."

That sums it up. Focus in on the now. I quote Charlton Heston in Planet Of The Apes:

"We are here and it is now. Get that through your head and you'll sleep better."

Live for today, concentrate on the now. Tomorrow is tomorrow, 5 years from now is 5 years from now.

Yep. See ya everyone.

PoisonTongue

[Heaven's Cloud]

[color=indigo]I know that I have yet to even attempt to?well?attempt to reach my full potential at any meaningful life task. I think this is because I am still unsure of what area in life I want to pursue, I guess I am really just not [i]passionate[/i] about anything yet. And, if you are going to attempt to strive to reach your full potential, I believe that effort should be directed towards something that you truly enjoy doing.

A good example of a person striving to reach their full potential is Baby Girl. She is incredibly passionate about her photography and she is taking the necessary steps to unlock her full potential?

?so I guess what I am saying is, don't worry about not putting forth all the effort you are capable of unless you are truly passionate about something?[/color]