Your Worst Nightmare

Your worst nightmare is 20 years from now … when the person you are meets the person you could have been. That is a chilling thought, meeting the person you could have been. That phrase should be a sobering fear to all of us. Regret comes from realizing what we could have done but didn’t.

Reaching your full potential requires an attitude of always wanting to "become something more". It’s all about growing, improving, and changing to become a better version of yourself. Oh, how I like that phrase … become a better version of yourself. Now we’re talking. It’s the desire to go beyond where you are now and reach your full potential. How many times have you heard: “to succeed you must challenge yourself, step out of your comfort zone, and learn from your mistakes?” Too many times to count, but most people still settle for average.

A recent study found that college-educated English-speaking people have a vocabulary of about 17,000 words.  At 8 years old, a child has over 10,000 words in their vocabulary, which equates to learning 1,250 words per year. Then, from 8-years-old to middle–age, we pick up another 7,000 words, but after we reach 40, we learn 5 new words per year. 1,250 words per year to 5 is AWFUL. We basically quit stretching our knowledge, expanding our intelligence, and learning new skills.

To become more, you have to reflect on who you are, recognize your weaknesses, and work on them. It’s about becoming aware of who you are and who you want to be.

"Becoming something more" is a continuous journey of self-improvement; realizing that the pursuit of growth is a lifelong path. By staying committed to improving, you become more than you were before, and each step brings you closer to your full potential. It’s about getting better little by little.

I have a dear friend who is a periodontist. To become one, you have to complete four years of college, four years of dental school and then complete a three-year residency in periodontology. He was determined to become the best dental surgeon he could be, so he decided to work on his non-dominant hand, to make it as good as his dominant hand. For one year he did everything with his non-dominant hand; he brushed his teeth, fed himself, wrote notes, and assembled toy models you glue together. To say he struggled is an understatement. May I suggest tonight, you brush your teeth with your non-dominant hand and see how well it goes.  But he kept at it and his patients reaped the benefits.

The process of becoming something more requires self-reflection, acknowledging weaknesses, and facing them head-on with determination. This journey can be daunting, as it calls for vulnerability, a willingness to fail, and the courage to try again. However, each failure brings with it valuable lessons that pave the way for progress.

The journey of becoming something more is never complete. We should always be evolving, always growing. 

As I have said countless times in my speaking engagements … “Your only true security in life is YOUR ability to perform.” Do something every day to make you better.