Human potential

We all have a ton of potential, how do we best make use of it? Here's a short list of methods I've come up with:

1. Passion - It helps greatly if the thing you're trying to be good at is also something you're passionate about, as it makes it seem a lot less like work and we want to spend more time doing it, whether singing, or fitness, or cooking, etc...

2. Effort - We have to put in the work, some of us more than others.

3. Opportunity - Many famous people became that way because someone noticed their potential and took them to the next level. Shania Twain's first CD was okay, her second was historical, and it's because she was noticed by a top notch producer in between the two who could bring out her potential much better than the producer before.

Anyway, I've always been intrigued by those who have lived amazing lives and have always wondered how they got there, how did they reach their potential. Do you have any thoughts?

JC Callender said:

We all have a ton of potential, how do we best make use of it? Here's a short list of methods I've come up with:

1. Passion - It helps greatly if the thing you're trying to be good at is also something you're passionate about, as it makes it seem a lot less like work and we want to spend more time doing it, whether singing, or fitness, or cooking, etc...

2. Effort - We have to put in the work, some of us more than others.

3. Opportunity - Many famous people became that way because someone noticed their potential and took them to the next level. Shania Twain's first CD was okay, her second was historical, and it's because she was noticed by a top notch producer in between the two who could bring out her potential much better than the producer before.

Anyway, I've always been intrigued by those who have lived amazing lives and have always wondered how they got there, how did they reach their potential. Do you have any thoughts?

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I don't agree with some of your premises.

I think that the idea that we all have a ton of potential is simply incorrect. There is a whole spectrum of potential ranging from 0 potential (babies born with conditions that won't allow them to live long past birth would be the perfect example of this) to nearly unlimited (highly intelligent and talented individuals born into wealthy white families with many connections). There are countless people whose abilities are mediocre at best. So, to account for that, I think we need to add "talent" to your list. If you don't have talent in something, you aren't going far in that field no matter how hard you try, how much you love it, or how much opportunity is afforded to you; you just don't have what it takes (sure, there are exceptions to this. But there are exceptions to every rule).

I also disagree with the whole idea of the deification of outliers. There is nothing that makes Shania Twain more admirable than a good stay at home mom or a successful business woman. Life isn't about achieving a great deal of fame, money, or success in certain fields.

Having said that, I think what you propose here is helpful to people who are pursuing something. So, I would add to your list, in addition to talent, goal setting.

5. Goal setting - This is the ability to plan, strategize, and set goals which will ensure that your passion and effort are directed towards achieving your goals and aren't being wasted. If you want to be a successful country music artist, for example, you are very unlikely to achieve that while living in a small town in North Dakota; at some point you're going to need to come up with a strategy to either move to Nashville, start touring bigger cities, get a successful Youtube channel going, or something...

CrabCake said:

I don't agree with some of your premises.

I think that the idea that we all have a ton of potential is simply incorrect. There is a whole spectrum of potential ranging from 0 potential (babies born with conditions that won't allow them to live long past birth would be the perfect example of this) to nearly unlimited (highly intelligent and talented individuals born into wealthy white families with many connections). There are countless people whose abilities are mediocre at best. So, to account for that, I think we need to add "talent" to your list. If you don't have talent in something, you aren't going far in that field no matter how hard you try, how much you love it, or how much opportunity is afforded to you; you just don't have what it takes (sure, there are exceptions to this. But there are exceptions to every rule).

I also disagree with the whole idea of the deification of outliers. There is nothing that makes Shania Twain more admirable than a good stay at home mom or a successful business woman. Life isn't about achieving a great deal of fame, money, or success in certain fields.

Having said that, I think what you propose here is helpful to people who are pursuing something. So, I would add to your list, in addition to talent, goal setting.

5. Goal setting - This is the ability to plan, strategize, and set goals which will ensure that your passion and effort are directed towards achieving your goals and aren't being wasted. If you want to be a successful country music artist, for example, you are very unlikely to achieve that while living in a small town in North Dakota; at some point you're going to need to come up with a strategy to either move to Nashville, start touring bigger cities, get a successful Youtube channel going, or something...

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I agree that talent is part of it, which is why I under "Effort" I added "some of us more than others", but I could've elaborated better. And I agree that people who have serious mental disabilities are at an advantage, so therefore shouldn't have said "We all".

When discussing potential, I'm not using fame and fortune as a measurement, although I think many people are rich and famous because they're maximizing their potential. In Shania's case, since she's famously known as a musician and entertainer, I'm using her music and image, both of which were leaps and bounds better since her new producer took over, and I think most people would agree with me. And yes, goal setting is part of it. Shania grew up in Timmins, Ontario and ultimately moved to Nashville to get her career going.

JC Callender said:

We all have a ton of potential, how do we best make use of it? Here's a short list of methods I've come up with:

1. Passion - It helps greatly if the thing you're trying to be good at is also something you're passionate about, as it makes it seem a lot less like work and we want to spend more time doing it, whether singing, or fitness, or cooking, etc...

2. Effort - We have to put in the work, some of us more than others.

3. Opportunity - Many famous people became that way because someone noticed their potential and took them to the next level. Shania Twain's first CD was okay, her second was historical, and it's because she was noticed by a top notch producer in between the two who could bring out her potential much better than the producer before.

Anyway, I've always been intrigued by those who have lived amazing lives and have always wondered how they got there, how did they reach their potential. Do you have any thoughts?

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I have some more pragmatic interpretations:

1 - play nice with your friends

2 - avoid your enemies

3 - pay attention in school and learn all that you can

4 - do your homework

5 - stay away from dope, tobacco, glue, psychedelic mushrooms

6 - don't start boinking until you can support a family

7 - don't boink women that you would not also marry

8 - strive for scholarships and grants

9 - go to college and graduate

10 - find a topic that you like and make it your career

11 - go to grad school if your career requires it

12 - work hard and be perfectionist

13 - save money each month

14 - don't fall for organized religion but find something to believe in

15 - learn about philosophy and science and each of their limitations and don't turn either of them into a religion

16 - read about the 12 major world religions and pick one that you like but don't become a fanatic

17 - if you find a good woman marry her

18 - make raising your kid(s) one of your highest priorities

19 - be kind to animals

20 - help clean up the Earth

21 - help the police fight crime

22 - defend the constitution

23 - vote in all your elections

24 - pay your taxes don't cheat

25 - live within your means not up to your eyeballs in debt

26 - feed the hungry, clothe the naked, refresh the thirsty, visit the sick, afflicted, and imprisoned as much as you can.

Riveroaks said:

I have some more pragmatic interpretations:

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That's a list of tips, not exactly a method, and many of those don't actually make sense. For example:

Riveroaks said:

17 - if you find a good woman marry her

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So...either your list of tips is written for only half the population and not applicable to the majority, or you are expecting all women to be lesbians. Otherwise, how do you expect women to follow this advice?

Riveroaks said:

22 - defend the constitution

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Any constitution? or did you mean just the US constitution? Because in that case, your tips apply to only 2.6% of people at this point (that is the percentage of the population that is in the USA and male) (unless you want people the world over to defend the USA constitution).

CrabCake said:

That's a list of tips, not exactly a method, and many of those don't actually make sense. For example:


So...either your list of tips is written for only half the population and not applicable to the majority, or you are expecting all women to be lesbians. Otherwise, how do you expect women to follow this advice?



Any constitution? or did you mean just the US constitution? Because in that case, your tips apply to only 2.6% of people at this point (that is the percentage of the population that is in the USA and male) (unless you want people the world over to defend the USA constitution).

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I try not to give girls, ladies, women, or other females advice CC.

But if I did it would look like the following:

1 - play nice with your friends

2 - don't become a gossip or a liar

3 - pay attention in school and learn all that you can

4 - do your homework

5 - stay away from dope, tobacco, glue, psychedelic mushrooms

6 - don't start boinking until you find a man who can support you and both of you want to get married

7 - don't get married in your teens

8 - don't boink losers no matter how cute they look

9 - strive for scholarships and grants

10 - go to college and graduate

11 - don't put your career ahead of your marriage or of having children

12 - don't have kids out of wedlock

13 - love your children and teach them all the skills and learning that you know

14 - don't become a religious fanatic but find something to believe in

15 - probably the best place to find a husband is either in college or at church

16 - live at home until you get married, if you can

17 - if you must live away from home find a female roommate

18 - learn how to shoot a pistol and keep one handy with you at all times

19- don't go to bars, nightclubs, or other forms of night life -- the guys you will meet there are all losers

20 - when you find a good man definitely marry him

21 - make raising your kid(s) your highest priorities

22 - try to have or adopt a daughter

23 - be kind to animals

24 - help keep the Earth clean

25 - help the police fight crime by being watchful in your neighborhood

26 - walk your kids to school or to the school bus or drive them in your car and pick them up

27 - vote in all your elections

28 - file your tax returns jointly with your hubby

29 - live within your means not up to your eyeballs in debt

30 - stay in close touch with your extended family.

31 - once the kids are grown and on their own, attend grad school and then go back to work, or find a job not requiring refresher courses.

32 - don't be shy about running for public office because it is just all cheerleading anyway.

CrabCake said:

Any constitution? or did you mean just the US constitution? Because in that case, your tips apply to only 2.6% of people at this point (that is the percentage of the population that is in the USA and male) (unless you want people the world over to defend the USA constitution).

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Men should defend their own nation's constitution, correct.

Don't do what the Jews of WW2 Germany did ... just sit on your azz and do nothing as Adolf got more and more powerful.

Women and children should leave the country if that happens.

CrabCake said:

...


So...either your list of tips is written for only half the population and not applicable to the majority, or you are expecting all women to be lesbians. Otherwise, how do you expect women to follow this advice?...

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If women can't find husbands then I don't have any problem with them becoming L.

That's what the ancient Amazons of southern "Russia" did.

The Pope would not agree with me but I am not afraid to disagree with the Pope.

If at first you don't succeed......................................

The hell with it. :mrgreen:

set the bar high

not just for yourself, but your employees also

why?

even if you dont reach the "goal", you will have reached higher than you originally thought you could

i use the same technique on my employees....set the bar really high

most dont like it at first....but then they do everything they can to meet those "high expectations"

and when their review comes in, and they think they only hit 89% of their goal, i explain that is better than 95% of the other people out there

and we set new goals for the next year....as we talk about their raise

and yes....i set my goals higher each year also

gdgyva said:

set the bar high

not just for yourself, but your employees also

why?

even if you dont reach the "goal", you will have reached higher than you originally thought you could

i use the same technique on my employees....set the bar really high

most dont like it at first....but then they do everything they can to meet those "high expectations"

and when their review comes in, and they think they only hit 89% of their goal, i explain that is better than 95% of the other people out there

and we set new goals for the next year....as we talk about their raise

and yes....i set my goals higher each year also

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Steve Jobs set ridiculously high goals, and is infamous for asking the impossible out of his employees and actually getting them to deliver. Usually everyone is happy when all's said and done under those circumstances.

JC Callender said:

Steve Jobs set ridiculously high goals, and is infamous for asking the impossible out of his employees and actually getting them to deliver. Usually everyone is happy when all's said and done under those circumstances.

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I hope they don't consider them impossible....I know they think they are hard to hit

I was taught this by a really great manager eons ago....and I stole his way of managing people

I learned long ago, I don't need to reinvent the wheel....just do what has proven to work

My employees seem to work well under it....and have for a couple of decades

Not going to change it if isn't broke

gdgyva said:

I hope they don't consider them impossible....I know they think they are hard to hit

I was taught this by a really great manager eons ago....and I stole his way of managing people

I learned long ago, I don't need to reinvent the wheel....just do what has proven to work

My employees seem to work well under it....and have for a couple of decades

Not going to change it if isn't broke

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The employees thought it was impossible at first, but Jobs didn't. He willed them to do things they thought were impossible.

JC Callender said:

The employees thought it was impossible at first, but Jobs didn't. He willed them to do things they thought were impossible.

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It's amazing what those Syrian immigrants can do.

RAMOSS said:

It's amazing what those Syrian immigrants can do.

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Is that who raised Steve?

JC Callender said:

Is that who raised Steve?

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No, never the less, he is a child of a syrian refugee.

RAMOSS said:

No, never the less, he is a child of a syrian refugee.

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Who left to have him put up for adoption.

JC Callender said:

Who left to have him put up for adoption.

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Never the less, Jobs is the son of a Syrian immigrant, who worked as a restaurant owner

One of my favourite books on the topic:

Outliers: The Story of Success: Malcolm Gladwell: 2015316017930: Amazon.com: Books

Whilst it talks about the 10,000 hour rule and all that, my favourite part is when it breaks down the demographics of some of Americas most successful people. He demonstrates that if you were born as a man in the 1830's you're far more likely to be one of the wealthiest 50 Americans. Looks at how Jobs and Gates were born just 7 months apart. Why the most successful law firms in NYC were founded by Jewish people. He looks at troughs in population and the opportunities available to specific demographics. Really fascinating.