Seven skills that will help reach your full potential

Seven skills that will help reach your full potentialSeven skills that will help reach your full potentialDo you sometimes feel like youre wasting your potential? And do you also feel unsure about how you can even reach your full potential?If so, youre like any other ambitious rolle who wants to make the best of his/her life. Because to me, thats what reaching your potential means.We all have limited time on our hands. Some live longer than others. But you and I both know that its not about howlongyou live, its aboutwhat you dowith the time youre alive.Its about leaving everything on the table and making sure you live up to your inner drive. Look, when I talk about reaching your potential, Im not talking about what other people or society thinks we should do with our lives.When you chase empty goals and objects, you become restless. Instead, chase yourownpotential and forget about everything external. Become the best part you can be. Thats the only honorable aim there is.Ive studied people who committed their lives to chase their full potential. Not only famous people like Muhammad Ali, Helen Keller, Thomas Edison, Malcolm X, or any other person who made an impact on the world.Ive also learned many lessons from normal people I know personally. People who learn every day, give it their all, keep growing and get closer to their full potential.What does it take to do that? How can we do it too? I identified 7 skills that almost all of these great people had in common. Here they are.1. Self-awarenessYou must be comfortable with who you are and what you are. Dont try to be something youre not. And dont try to change yourself just because others tell you to.Instead, know who you are. And if you dont know, find out. Read, write, think, talk. Thats self-awareness It only requires you to be aware of your thoughts.And when youre self-aware, you automatically learn more about who you are - which is called self-knowledge. But it all starts with being aware. No awareness? No knowledge.Ive made a list of20 questionsyou can use to improve your self-awareness. Use it to improve this skill.2. LeadershipFirst, focus on yourself. Fix your own problems. Become a stable person who you can rely on.When you do that, focus on inspiring others to do the same. The best way to help others is to teach them to rely on themselves.Sick and narcissistic people want to make people dependent on them. Leaders teach others to be independent. How? By setting a good example. Theres no better way to lead.3. WritingBetter writing leads to better thinking. And better thinking leads to better communication. Better communication leads to better results in your career.What? I never thought writing was that important When you get good at one thing, it will help you to get better at other things. You see?It was only when I started writing that everything clicked.When you become a better writer, you can easily express yourself and start making connections.That will improve your caree r in ways you never imagine.4. MindfulnessMy definition of mindfulness might be different than yours. To be clear, Im not talking about meditation, yoga, or Zen Buddhism.Im talking about being a calm and mindful person. A person whos in control of their thoughts and emotions. A person whos solid as a rock. A person who others can rely on.But achieving that inner peace requires much training. I dont think we can ever fully master this skill. But by practicing control over our thoughts, we can get better.My favorite way to become more mindful is being present. The more Istayin the present moment, the more mindful I am. The aim is never to be lost in thoughts. Its to be here.5. ProductivityThe funny thing about mindfulness is that people assume living in the present removes your drive to achieve your goals.The reverse is true. The more present I am, the more desire I feel to improve my life. And how do you improve your life?You already know it. I dont have to tell you that work is the only way to achieve things. Thinking about achieving your goals will not do anything real for you.Become a person whos productiveevery day. Make use of your time. Dont just waste it on watching tv, hanging out with your friends, gaming, or any other mindless routine activity.Know how to get the most results in the least amount of time.Thats the ultimate aim of productivity skills.6. PerseveranceSome days, I want to give up. You know why? Because some days you dont see any results in your life. You work, work, work, and you getnothingin return.For years, I studied and worked without seeing any results. No recognition, no money, and no rewards. Just me, plowing ahead.But one day, after years of work, I started seeing some results. I got better at what I did, felt more confident, and started earning more.But if I didnt persevere, I wouldnt get any of those things. Thats why I dont quit on striving for betterment. And neither should you. Ever.7. ExcellenceI half-assed many things in my life. Lets just get it over with, was my motto. I was soimpatientthat I hardly did anything well. I just put in the minimum effort. Hence, I was never the best at anything.But then I realized that excellence is a skill. Look at Robert Greene who took 6 years to write another book. Or Lebron James who worked out during every off-season of his career. Or Helen Keller who published 5 books, despite being deaf and blind.But this is also true for successes that dont get attention in the media. Look at the top salesperson in any given organization who arrives early and leaves late every day. Or the mother who sacrifices nights out and dinner parties to raise her kid with all of her attention and love.Thats called excellence.No matter what you do. Do it the best way you can - or not at all. If you want to reach your full potential, thats the quickest route. Its also the hardest. But that shouldnt be a surprise to you.