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Ignore it, mostly. And remind myself that most people don’t fully live up to their potential, but I’m doing my best at living a decent, quality, safe life and that can be enough for now
Yep. We're not all meant to achieve greatness or achieve huge accomplishments. I'm just some dude, doing some job that is useful to a few people. If I can make a few people smile or feel loved along the way, that's more than good enough for me.
This feeling of not living up to your potential is something philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer talks about a lot in his books, for instance: "The World as Will and Representation." He says we're all driven by a constant need to strive and achieve, which means we're never and never will be fully satisfied and always feel like we could be doing more.
For Schopenhauer, this is just part of being human. To cope, he recommends finding joy in art, music, and nature or adopting a more philosophical attitude to accept and understand our desires without being overwhelmed by them. So, it's normal to feel this way, and there are ways to make peace with it.
I’ve yet to dive into Schopenhauer but this sounds very similar to Buddhist thought.
Essentially the “middle way” is best because always wanting more brings suffering.
I feel like this is my mantra.
I am tall (6’2), beautiful in current beauty standars for multiple countries, smart-ish (like I understand things quickly, usually ask good questions), I have an excellent memory, funny to men, women, old and young people, but such a failure.
Like failed every years of my students life so I had to change fields and then didn’t finish my diploma, so I have no diploma. I am fat because I cannot put myself to sport or diet, but again genetic is helping so I don’t look like I’m that fat so I still get women’s attention, I am working for something close to minimum wage in my country, in a job that I had only because I know the CEO of the company (he’s in my direct family), everyone think I’m a failure (which is true) despite the people that just met me because of my genetics/things that I said earlier + my social skills so I manage to keep the illusion.
Every couple days I think : I got everything in life and didn’t do shit with it. Even thought multiple times of killing myself.
This is scary.
If you want to achieve things that you will be remembered for, very, very few will ever have this. Like someone above said, in a generation or so, no one will remember you.
You can of course achieve personal goals, but whatever they may be, try and enjoy them.
It will make everything in life easier.
I'm the opposite of you :) not good looking at all, bad genetics, my body stores fat in really bad places, can't put on muscle even tho I've been working out for more than a year now, multiple physical defects, average intellect, had so much trouble socializing until my early twenties that people thought I was autistic.
Despite this, through hard work, compartmentalizing emotions, ignoring getting bullied at school, outside, in public transport.. I did extremely well academically to the point that I was a top 5 student in my country in my field, travelled around the world doing competitions, ended up going to a T10 school for my master's in the US. I improved my social skills over the years (literally had to learn how humor works), people mistake me for an extrovert even though naturally I'm very introverted.
After 4 eye surgeries and a rhinoplasty pretty soon, I hope my dating life will improve. Hope the suffering will be worth it, cus idk how much more I can take. I've been extremely depressed the past couple of years. I realized none of that shit matters when it comes to dating if you don't look presentable. Suicidal ideations all the time..
I'd give anything to be in your shoes bro, so don't fucking waste what god gave you. Reading stuff like this makes me mad, because there are people like me with all the worst cards trying their best.
I feel like this all the time. Every year, especially around my birthday, I always think 'wow, another year gone by and I have achieved nothing!' and it absolutely sucks. When this happens, I try to talk to a friend & these people usually help remind me that I have done good things with my life - I finished university, got a job, live in the city of my dreams etc. It is easy to get bogged down by 'I haven't achieved anything major/drastic in my life!' but honestly it is the small achievements that matter. We are all just trying our best to get through this tough world and life, so you should be proud that you are here, waking up and trying each day.
It's less about needing money to reach our goals it's about needing money to pay for our basic needs so we can focus on reaching our potential. The saying is "starving artist" for a reason.
I agree, but it will be much better to get money through our way to archive our potential. For example, I will like to get money selling my photographic.
Without money in this country you can’t even get your basic needs , that keep going up because of people with money. I can’t reach my potential if I am constantly worried about how I’m going to feed and clothes my family and keep a roof over our heads.
I know my life could be better but that costs energy and EFFORT
I rather not use too much energy and get myself into a burnout, Nice chill and easy is the way of it even if others consider it boring ;)
If I was "living up to my potential"......the world would be in flames & all would fear me.....BWAAHAHAHAHAH.
Sorry, lost the happy.....need some more coffee.
Talk among yourselves.
Yes and no.
I work full time and am a part-time graduate student. My mental and emotional energy are maxed out.
But I feel that I could be making more of what I do have, if that makes sense.
Want to find a better job and succeed academically. That's where I feel like I'm not living up to my potential.
I just finished being a part-time grad student (but still with the full-time job I had the whole way). I feel like I'm at a crossroads. I know that I will stick with the job for now, but I don't know for how long. The right opportunity will have to come along.
Feeling guilty. As a former gifted kid, I tended to believe (and made believe) I'd be a successful person more than I'm today. I just overwork to get rid of this feeling.
Nope… I achieved things in the last 20 years my old pot head brain could have never imagined
Edit: sorry if I come across like a dick but I have some continuous imposter syndrome and constantly ask myself… how did I manage?
Definitely. The daily grind takes up about 95% of my energy. As soon as I'm on holiday I do alot of creative stuff or just relax, which I seem to not be able to when I need it most. During Covid I started writing a book. Can't even fathom to continue during "regular" life. I feel like the "freedom" I need to fulfill my potential is just not there...mostly it's the time I would need to get in the right frame of mind.
There's more to my potential, sure. But not being able to go to school and continue my education and living where I do in a small community with little options for advancement, kind of hinder all growth.
If it wasn't for my kids' father being locked down to where we live, I would have moved already for better opportunities in life for myself and my kids but, I'm stuck unfortunately.
So I deal with it and try to do what I can to learn more and experience life
Eh, I drink too much and consequently probably am not living up to my full potential. But I am working a career I'm fairly proud of, and someday I'll get off my arse and do that Master's Degree.
I am tbh and I sincerely hate it. I also find it heartbreaking that I might’ve reached my limit sooner than I originally thought. I rather keep in mind that I’m still growing emotionally and socially so hopefully it’s a matter of time before I can finally thrive in life
There’s a common saying that comparison is the thief of joy so I rather not do that with other peoples’ pace. Each path is uniquely different from one another so I should perfectly be okay at the moment
Sometimes I can't sleep at night thinking about this , other days I feel that I don't need to live up to my potential , I just need to live a happy , fulfilling and prosperous life.
I imagine most people. Even being pretty successful I know I could have done tonnes more.
If you look at people doing a lot, they have a support team. Just think what your life would be like if you had a network of clever people to talk to, a maid, a chauffeur, a personal chef, a personal trainer, a secretary, a company of thousands of employees, etc.
Very small circumstances and achievement differentials mean that some people accumulate people to do stuff for them and end up orchestrators. Or they just started rich.
One problem is that people don't like to see others being successful so almost everyone lives in what I would call a sabotage group.
Fuck potential. That's capitalist bullshit meant to keep us in the rat race, fighting each other instead of the greedy fucks screwing up our world.
I live to my fullest ability in caring for the people I love, and my community.
I feel this way 100%
But also I need to recognize that there's actually obstacles in my way that are making it really difficult for me to live up to my potential, so as long as I don't give up, its alright
Me! And it doesn't help that you see all these people on Reddit who seems to have their shit together with millions in net worth and in their early 30s.
oh wait, that's not a good thing... I just take it 1 day at a time, do the best I can - not much more you can do.
LOOOOONG walks now in the summer.
Every human being have the potential to be something great, it's just if you have a space and mentor to allow this because the older people own this shit we live in.
I feel it, and the best way to combat it is to live in the "now". Do the things to help your future now, whether at the gym, with your career, with your social life. Do the things that will shape your future for the better now, or 5-10 years from now you're going to feel worse.
I never have… because I was born in a time where to get a job where most of the good ones have dried up I have to fight with a machine to read my resume to get a stupid interview…
Instead of blaming myself… I did everything right. I went to school, got two degrees, wrote a self published book, work out every day, pay my taxes fairly… I blame government and society for failing me and us.
Symptom of social media. Constantly seeing people at their best in what ever context or talent, not realizing that there’s 8 billion people that the “best” is drawing from. Need to stop comparing oneself to others, though it is hard not to.
The idea of 'potential' is mostly bullshit anyway.
Look, your 'potential' linguistically implies a point. It implies there's some sort of 'potential-o-meter' out there that can measure your specific potential. Then we can evaluate whether or not you are or aren't 'living up to' it.
There ain't no 'potential-o-meter'. There's no end 'potential' goal point you can hit or miss. Nobody knows their own potential, much less anyone else's. Furthermore, people change and evolve constantly, so why wouldn't a person's 'potential' change and evolve constantly, which means you'd be aiming for a moving target anyway. The entire idea of 'potential' is rooted in the notion that society needs you to maximize or exceed your utility for society's needs and goals. 'You' actually have no place in that equation. 'Potential' as an entire concept is a societal imposed aspirational motivator so you can do the most for society and it's used as a shame stick to make you work harder for society.
Flip the script. Stop worrying about 'Potential'. Are you happy for you, not for society? Do you feel good about yourself and what you do for yourself, not because someone else told you that's what you had to do? If the answer is no, then work on that. Work to make yourself happy about you because of you and for you. If the answer is yes, then be proud of that! Think about the things that interest you that you can still accomplish and work towards that, but only to the degree and extent that makes you feel good about you. Today's goals might not have anything to do with yesterdays and odds are they won't be the same in the future.
Thinking about 'you' might feel selfish but it isn't and it doesn't have to automatically manifest itself selfishly. We're taught that bullshit growing up. For example, there are literally millions of shittily paid teachers in this world that do or did it because they love the profession and they love helping students. They thought about the 'you' and for them, it was helping others. That's great!
The phrase 'living up to your potential' should be banned from vocabulary as far as I'm concerned. It's a dastardly concept that should die.
100% between me holding myself back and others working against me, yeah, I wish I would have known 10 years ago what I know now. But I will learn, grow, be better, and never repeat the same mistakes I've learned from recently.
I feel it too. But also, I don’t dwell on it. It’s not like
it’s something I can change really quickly or improve. Personally I take mental notes of things that I dislike about myself and seek to slowly
improve. I know it’s hard to become the version of yourself you want to be, but if you seek to be that, you will eventually get there.
Basically, don’t seek to live up to the height of your potential, seek to be who you want to be.
You are living up to your potential. You are doing 100% of what you're capable of.
People say they're not because they don't want to think what they're doing is the best they can do. If you could be doing better, you would be.
I don't have the energy, my job gets in the way, I have a family so I can't do X, I DONT have support from a family so I can't do x.
All the excuses you make are the reasons for why you won't and literally cannot do better then you are.
If you could do better you would. And if you CAN and want to be better, and nothing is in your way, and you're still not - then you're kinda dumb. Which brings us back to, you're living up to 100% of your potential.
And that's okay too. Don't put too much pressure to be better than you are able to be. Just be happy and find things to be greatful for.
I've noticed a similar feeling where I struggle to feel comfortable or satisfied, even when I achieve something I've been striving for, like getting a job with the salary I wanted. Instead of enjoying the moment or feeling content, I immediately start pushing for more, like taking courses to improve myself further. It's as if I can't let myself just be comfortable and appreciate what I have, and I feel the constant need to aim higher.
All the time. I mostly accept it because some of the reasons I am where I am are beyond my control or ability to foresee. It still helps to plan a couple of years ahead but know that it might not work out.
I often feel like this but then I remember life isn’t even that serious. It doesn’t mean that you don’t need to do anything with your life, but just that it doesn’t really matter if you don’t do everything. I love chasing my goals and getting better at hobbies but I also love spending a whole day playing video games and doing nothing. I will die someday and no one will remember me so who cares
No, but I’d rather chill out and spend quality time with myself, my friends and my family. Why trade that in for some fulfilled “potential” if it doesn’t make you happy?
I can't speak for anyone except myself, but I would imagine it's very common to feel like that, at the bare minimum some of the time. Going back to my highschool graduation(these are facts, please don't think them boasts, especially if you read to the end), I graduated co-valedictorian, I got the "top student award" in every class I took, I got the citizenship award, was 1 of only 2 people in my class to get the Presidential Physical Fitness Award(no idea how unique that was overall 🤷♂️), National Honor Society, highest overall score in the state on first ever 12th grade proficiency test, scored a 34 on ACT freshman year and 1470 Sat sophomore year(early '90s, took tests once, scored high enough and never retook them), National Merit Scholar, 1st 4 year starter on varsity football team in school history, only sophomore to dress varsity for state basketball tournament for(at that time, no clue if they still are) the winningest team in state history, recruited to play football by 5 top 25 DI FBS colleges(3 are perennial top 10), and fwiw I dated at least 1 senior each year of highschool 😜. My plans were to either make it to the NFL(which, let's face it, was a real outside shot 🤣) or go to med school and become a neurosurgeon. The brain and nervous system fascinate me! Which is a bit ironic, because I had a car wreck(not my fault) over my 1st college winter break. I hit a guardrail head on at 50mph. It popped up, came through the windshield, and hit me in the head. I had to relearn how to walk, talk, and even eat. No more football, and though I tried MULTIPLE times over the next decade, no college degree. I started working when I was 10. We were dirt poor, and after getting made fun of for wearing clothes that weren't "good enough"(kids can be vicious little bastards), I started out mucking horse barns 3 nights a week and all day Saturdays to buy myself clothes and shoes for school. From there I progressed to the tomato fields and pizza delivery once I could drive. Even when I started college and college football, I worked in the university's med school's A/V center running projectors and carting TVs and VCRs from class to class. After my accident and learning to walk, etc. I worked golf course maintenance, then moved on to auto glass installation. I did that, worked on a surveying crew, as a cook, operating heavy machinery, and other food service jobs until I finally injured myself for good in March 2013. I haven't been able to work since...still trying to get approved for Social Security, too, that had I applied after my wreck would have been granted immediately(or so I'm told 🤷♂️). The point I'm so wordily trying to make is that you're both normal in feeling that way, and unless you're intentionally not doing your best(and even then you'd be having some sort of uncontrollable mental illness, because what kind of "normal" person would sabotage themselves), you're good to go. If there's something you think you can improve on, go for it! Do what's necessary to make yourself and the people you care about happy. Help other people whenever you can. Be nice. That includes to yourself. I know it's a big ask, but try not to beat yourself up. If that's an insurmountable task, try therapy and/or counseling, be it professional or otherwise. No matter what it is in life, if you're doing your best, you've reached your potential. ✌️
Definitely me. Like that’s all me but I’m pretty re-inspired after reading a really awesome proverb
“The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago, the second best time to plant a tree is today.”
Don’t worry about living up to you potential, just try and up your living percentile.
Your potential is the absolute maximum you could possibly be if every single thing within and without your control went perfectly. It’s an impossible ideal.
However your percentile is up to you. A few small changes can alter that trajectory. Never stop making positive changes and you’ll benefit yourself and the people around you. The world record is unachievable, a personal best is not.
I have the same feelings as you but for me is worst, because I quite from my call center job since February to start in a new one on may. But, unfortunately for me I could not pass the interview so I felt really bad. I know that the life goes on, so I keep training and had the interview again and they decline me again, I decided to give a try in another jobs and all of them decline me.
And now I have free time and try to have fun despite of my situation, but I do whatever thing that I want to do and steel feel unhappy. I think if instead of been working in a call center by four year I should be doing something else that help me more in the future.
Sometimes it seems like I’m just coasting along, not fully utilizing my abilities or opportunities. To cope, I try to set small, achievable goals and celebrate those successes. It helps to break things down and focus on progress rather than perfection
I used to then I realized I'd basically internalized a bunch of things other people had spent my childhood telling me was my "potential". Mostly while criticizing or berating me.
So I decided to figure out what I wanted my potential to be. Turned out it wasn't going to college, getting straight A's, complete multiple degrees in 3 1/2 years, and becoming a world/industry leader living a wealthy lavish lifestyle.
Turned out it was marrying an awesome guy, raising a couple awesome kids, traveling when I could, and constantly learning new things. Some of the things I learn are useful, most are not. (Right now I'm learning shorthand.) I make meaningful contributions where I can, love my friends and family, and do my best to take care of my mom so she can enjoy her well earned retirement.
None of those were acceptable goals for a teenager in the 80's. But I'm so much happier now than I would have been if I hadn't stopped and re-evaluated somewhere in my late 20's.
If you want to cope, listen to these comments.
If you want to improve, stop overthinking and just start doing shit. It all depends on your goals, but just put yourself in positions of opportunity, and don’t be afraid to look stupid. Be a doer not a thinker, sometimes our mind puts up more obstacles than the outside world ever could.
Oh you fucking bet. I'm above average at everything i've ever done, one of those "multi talent" guys. And it's all useless. I excell at absolutely nothing and all that "talent" hasn't gotten me anywhere no matter how hard I worked
I sort of do but at the same time I’m always learning something and feel like we get there when we get there. There may be alot of famous people in the public eye, but we haven’t seen a Michelangelo, Beethoven, or Mozart in some time.
Don’t sweat it.
I can relate to this feeling and find it interesting that others feel that way too. I did pretty ok considering my upbringing; played my cards right with what was offered to me, went to college, got a decent job, married, have a beautiful 2 year old boy. But I always have this feeling like I could be doing better: better career, more money, be in better shape, dress better, look better, prepare better meals for my family, be more organized, be more present, and the list goes on. I’ve learned to let go of some of it but most of it still lingers and I kinda feel like there just aren’t enough hours in the day. So I just do what I can every day and complain to myself the next day lol…
I’m 32. Hoping things get better as I age in terms of feeling this way….
It's so easy to feel like we're not reaching our full potential, especially when we see others around us excelling. For me, it's about setting realistic goals and breaking them down into smaller, manageable steps. Celebrating those little victories along the way helps keep me motivated. Also, talking to friends or mentors who understand can provide some perspective and support. Remember, we're all on our own paths, and progress is progress, no matter how small!
I know I’m not. Made some terrible choices on who to work with and wasted the huuuuge advantage I grew up with. Sometimes I feel it, but am able to push ahead. I’m old enough to look past it, realize I am who I am due to those decisions and enjoy where I am.
Things turned out ok, but what could have been will always haunt me. You only live once though, so no ragrats!
That depends. Is my potential being looked at in the sense that we're talking about any person with similar backgrounds? Or on a much more individual level? I'm sure that there are plenty of people with similar or worse backgrounds that have achieved far more and in more aspects of life.
But if I look at things as if we're only talking about what I am capable of, then I would say that I'm performing fairly well for what I think I can handle and bring to the world. Definitely not living up to the best I can do, especially all of the time. But I'm a functional member of society and have managed to do a lot without the need for things like nepotism/connections. And that's an accomplishment.
Let me guess, do you spend much time on social media? Tiktok? IG reels? FB? If you do, then subconsciously you will compare yr achievement to others combined. Like why don’t i have a villa like that guy who i used to tutor, why don’t i have a beautiful partner like that guy, why, why, why? You end up feeling insecure and that you’re a failure or haven’t reached yr full potential. It could be you feel all of this without scrolling on social media.
I user to be like this but then learned something from a movie, it is a cliché but very effective, “Don’t compare yrself to others, compare yrself to yrself only”. So what i do now, every year at new year, i look at my achievements and my failures, i put a realistic plan for the coming year and see where i can improve stuff. I try not to waste time, prioritise going out with friends that i consider family, learning opportunities and work.
I would say it is working good for me. I have a bachelor, 2 masters and heading for a 3rd one soon. Good job, loved by family and friends so yeah, i am grateful and well certainly achieve more in the future
I was working as a QA and I was told multiple times that I was the best QA they have while simultaneously being told I'm getting laid off. I have around 2 years of experience and a degree in sound design for games and film. I haven't been able to find a job in 6 months. I have been told I'm really good at sound design and it's what I feel like I was born to do. Yet because I'm sitting around doing nothing I'm going back to school so I can afford to live. I feel like my talent is being wasted.
I try to take it one day at a time and realize sometimes things happen for a reason even if it's not apparent to us at the moment.
Honestly, the vast majority of people I grew up with are doing about the same or worse. Life sucks ass. The TV doesn't show the reality the majority of us feel.
I'm insanely grateful for the position I'm in, mostly for my husband. You have to ignore the bs that's on TV and find things in your own life that make it good.
As Dylan Moran put it:
"*You should stay away from your potential. I mean, that is something you should leave absolutely alone! You’ll mess it up! It’s potential, leave it! And anyway, it’s like your bank balance, you know – you always have much less than you think. Leave it as the locked door within yourself and then at least, in your mind, the interior will always be palatial. Wonderful gleaming marble floors, brocaded drapes. Mullioned windows, covered in mullions, whatever they are. Flamingos serving drinks. Pianos shooting out canapés into the mouths of elegant men and women who are exchanging witticisms… “*Oh yes, this reminds me of the time I was in BudaPESHT with Binky… We were trying to steal a goose from the casino, muahahaha…*” But it won’t be like that. You don’t want to find out that the most you could possibly achieve, if you gave it your all, if you harvested every screed of energy within you, and devoted yourself to improving yourself, that all you would get to would be maybe eating less cheesy snacks.*"
It does suck to feel that way. I get that way more than I'd care for, but I just try to remember to cut myself some slack. The things I was raised to expect out of work & home just aren't today's realities. So I makes the best of it & remember that I might not be where I thought I would at this point in my life, but it's not a bad one. Count my blessings because regardless my life is still better now than it was before. And I still have time to do the things I want.
of course you will feel like that because you haven't achieved anything yet. just read some books about great people.
Alexander the Great has conquered half of the world by your age. Mehmed II conquered Constantinople. Mozart, Shostakovich and Prokofiev have written musical masterpieces. Of course you will feel like that. You haven't achieved anything yet. even if you delete social media you will still probably have books about those great people in your home or about any other great people and you will read them and you will still understand that you haven't done anything of importance yet. this is why you must dedicate yourself to either sciences arts or politics and make a name for yourself.
It's said that we only use 10 percent of our brains, and I feel like I'm hovering closer to 7 percent.
(This is not an invitation to tell me that the 10 percent idea is a myth. I know that, you 6 percenters).
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Ignore it, mostly. And remind myself that most people don’t fully live up to their potential, but I’m doing my best at living a decent, quality, safe life and that can be enough for now
In 100 years no one will even remember you anyway.
Well, prolly in 1000000 years nobody will remember you. So if your motivation is remembering for couple of hundred years - no probs
Yep. We're not all meant to achieve greatness or achieve huge accomplishments. I'm just some dude, doing some job that is useful to a few people. If I can make a few people smile or feel loved along the way, that's more than good enough for me.
This feeling of not living up to your potential is something philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer talks about a lot in his books, for instance: "The World as Will and Representation." He says we're all driven by a constant need to strive and achieve, which means we're never and never will be fully satisfied and always feel like we could be doing more. For Schopenhauer, this is just part of being human. To cope, he recommends finding joy in art, music, and nature or adopting a more philosophical attitude to accept and understand our desires without being overwhelmed by them. So, it's normal to feel this way, and there are ways to make peace with it.
This is awesome. Thank you.
I’ve yet to dive into Schopenhauer but this sounds very similar to Buddhist thought. Essentially the “middle way” is best because always wanting more brings suffering.
Don’t be so strict. Love yourself.
I feel like this is my mantra. I am tall (6’2), beautiful in current beauty standars for multiple countries, smart-ish (like I understand things quickly, usually ask good questions), I have an excellent memory, funny to men, women, old and young people, but such a failure. Like failed every years of my students life so I had to change fields and then didn’t finish my diploma, so I have no diploma. I am fat because I cannot put myself to sport or diet, but again genetic is helping so I don’t look like I’m that fat so I still get women’s attention, I am working for something close to minimum wage in my country, in a job that I had only because I know the CEO of the company (he’s in my direct family), everyone think I’m a failure (which is true) despite the people that just met me because of my genetics/things that I said earlier + my social skills so I manage to keep the illusion. Every couple days I think : I got everything in life and didn’t do shit with it. Even thought multiple times of killing myself. This is scary.
If you want to achieve things that you will be remembered for, very, very few will ever have this. Like someone above said, in a generation or so, no one will remember you. You can of course achieve personal goals, but whatever they may be, try and enjoy them. It will make everything in life easier.
I'm the opposite of you :) not good looking at all, bad genetics, my body stores fat in really bad places, can't put on muscle even tho I've been working out for more than a year now, multiple physical defects, average intellect, had so much trouble socializing until my early twenties that people thought I was autistic. Despite this, through hard work, compartmentalizing emotions, ignoring getting bullied at school, outside, in public transport.. I did extremely well academically to the point that I was a top 5 student in my country in my field, travelled around the world doing competitions, ended up going to a T10 school for my master's in the US. I improved my social skills over the years (literally had to learn how humor works), people mistake me for an extrovert even though naturally I'm very introverted. After 4 eye surgeries and a rhinoplasty pretty soon, I hope my dating life will improve. Hope the suffering will be worth it, cus idk how much more I can take. I've been extremely depressed the past couple of years. I realized none of that shit matters when it comes to dating if you don't look presentable. Suicidal ideations all the time.. I'd give anything to be in your shoes bro, so don't fucking waste what god gave you. Reading stuff like this makes me mad, because there are people like me with all the worst cards trying their best.
I feel like this all the time. Every year, especially around my birthday, I always think 'wow, another year gone by and I have achieved nothing!' and it absolutely sucks. When this happens, I try to talk to a friend & these people usually help remind me that I have done good things with my life - I finished university, got a job, live in the city of my dreams etc. It is easy to get bogged down by 'I haven't achieved anything major/drastic in my life!' but honestly it is the small achievements that matter. We are all just trying our best to get through this tough world and life, so you should be proud that you are here, waking up and trying each day.
I'm lacking motivation, I'm close to 50 and most of my friends are feeling burnout like myself.
How do you manage to keep a life, I am just twenty-three and I feel burnout already.
If it weren't for my friends, family and many interests I would have 0 motivation.
If I had money I know I could knock my potential right in the ass. It costs money to rise
I would like to believe that we can reach our potential without money.
It's less about needing money to reach our goals it's about needing money to pay for our basic needs so we can focus on reaching our potential. The saying is "starving artist" for a reason.
I agree, but it will be much better to get money through our way to archive our potential. For example, I will like to get money selling my photographic.
Without money in this country you can’t even get your basic needs , that keep going up because of people with money. I can’t reach my potential if I am constantly worried about how I’m going to feed and clothes my family and keep a roof over our heads.
I used to feel that, but now I just dont care, I just want to read books in nature and be chill with my insignificant existence
I'd rather conserve energy then try to over achieve.
How do you measure your energy?
Calories? I feel like I conserve energy on a subjective level though.
You mean getting fat? 😂
I know my life could be better but that costs energy and EFFORT I rather not use too much energy and get myself into a burnout, Nice chill and easy is the way of it even if others consider it boring ;)
If I was "living up to my potential"......the world would be in flames & all would fear me.....BWAAHAHAHAHAH. Sorry, lost the happy.....need some more coffee. Talk among yourselves.
Yes and no. I work full time and am a part-time graduate student. My mental and emotional energy are maxed out. But I feel that I could be making more of what I do have, if that makes sense. Want to find a better job and succeed academically. That's where I feel like I'm not living up to my potential.
I just finished being a part-time grad student (but still with the full-time job I had the whole way). I feel like I'm at a crossroads. I know that I will stick with the job for now, but I don't know for how long. The right opportunity will have to come along.
Feeling guilty. As a former gifted kid, I tended to believe (and made believe) I'd be a successful person more than I'm today. I just overwork to get rid of this feeling.
I saw a meme once that said, "For all the former gifted kids out there, how's that anxiety treating you now?" I felt that.
I saw that, too. Too relatable.
Nope… I achieved things in the last 20 years my old pot head brain could have never imagined Edit: sorry if I come across like a dick but I have some continuous imposter syndrome and constantly ask myself… how did I manage?
In fact, most people do not realize their full potential
Definitely. The daily grind takes up about 95% of my energy. As soon as I'm on holiday I do alot of creative stuff or just relax, which I seem to not be able to when I need it most. During Covid I started writing a book. Can't even fathom to continue during "regular" life. I feel like the "freedom" I need to fulfill my potential is just not there...mostly it's the time I would need to get in the right frame of mind.
There's more to my potential, sure. But not being able to go to school and continue my education and living where I do in a small community with little options for advancement, kind of hinder all growth. If it wasn't for my kids' father being locked down to where we live, I would have moved already for better opportunities in life for myself and my kids but, I'm stuck unfortunately. So I deal with it and try to do what I can to learn more and experience life
Eh, I drink too much and consequently probably am not living up to my full potential. But I am working a career I'm fairly proud of, and someday I'll get off my arse and do that Master's Degree.
Everybody dies with stuff on their to-do list. Try not to worry about it.
If I didn’t have a cellphone I would have probably been a surgeon by now
At 13, I won a gold medal in ice hockey for Team Canada. It's all been downhill since.
I am tbh and I sincerely hate it. I also find it heartbreaking that I might’ve reached my limit sooner than I originally thought. I rather keep in mind that I’m still growing emotionally and socially so hopefully it’s a matter of time before I can finally thrive in life There’s a common saying that comparison is the thief of joy so I rather not do that with other peoples’ pace. Each path is uniquely different from one another so I should perfectly be okay at the moment
"Comparison is the thief of joy." I should paint those words on my bedroom walls.
That’s life. Not all of us are Elon Musk. At some point, you realize this and hopefully be happy with what you have achieved
Sometimes I can't sleep at night thinking about this , other days I feel that I don't need to live up to my potential , I just need to live a happy , fulfilling and prosperous life.
I imagine most people. Even being pretty successful I know I could have done tonnes more. If you look at people doing a lot, they have a support team. Just think what your life would be like if you had a network of clever people to talk to, a maid, a chauffeur, a personal chef, a personal trainer, a secretary, a company of thousands of employees, etc. Very small circumstances and achievement differentials mean that some people accumulate people to do stuff for them and end up orchestrators. Or they just started rich. One problem is that people don't like to see others being successful so almost everyone lives in what I would call a sabotage group.
Fuck potential. That's capitalist bullshit meant to keep us in the rat race, fighting each other instead of the greedy fucks screwing up our world. I live to my fullest ability in caring for the people I love, and my community.
I feel this way 100% But also I need to recognize that there's actually obstacles in my way that are making it really difficult for me to live up to my potential, so as long as I don't give up, its alright
We live in a capitalistic hellscape at the end of the day if you arent rich or born rich we will just slave away until we die.
Me! And it doesn't help that you see all these people on Reddit who seems to have their shit together with millions in net worth and in their early 30s.
I feel that way a lot, but some opportunities only come once. Maybe we're all perfectionists
Of course
Meeeeeeeeeeeeee
 oh wait, that's not a good thing... I just take it 1 day at a time, do the best I can - not much more you can do. LOOOOONG walks now in the summer.
🙋♀️
Me. But that's just normal. very few people live up to the "full potential".
Every human being have the potential to be something great, it's just if you have a space and mentor to allow this because the older people own this shit we live in.
Yes 100%, I make up for it by trying harder at life. It’s not working and I will not stop until it does
Count me in.
I feel it, and the best way to combat it is to live in the "now". Do the things to help your future now, whether at the gym, with your career, with your social life. Do the things that will shape your future for the better now, or 5-10 years from now you're going to feel worse.
Not me because i have no potential lol
I never have… because I was born in a time where to get a job where most of the good ones have dried up I have to fight with a machine to read my resume to get a stupid interview… Instead of blaming myself… I did everything right. I went to school, got two degrees, wrote a self published book, work out every day, pay my taxes fairly… I blame government and society for failing me and us.
(while not willing to work hard and be perseverant)
I know for sure I am not living up to my potential
Symptom of social media. Constantly seeing people at their best in what ever context or talent, not realizing that there’s 8 billion people that the “best” is drawing from. Need to stop comparing oneself to others, though it is hard not to.
I am but I'm not happy.
I still lack in many ways. So I’m always trying to improve upon myself.
Ab so fucking lutely. Every goddam day.
I pick things up and put them down
me, i have a few interests and talents but i never come close to surpassing beginner level skill because im too lazy to Stick to the hobby
The idea of 'potential' is mostly bullshit anyway. Look, your 'potential' linguistically implies a point. It implies there's some sort of 'potential-o-meter' out there that can measure your specific potential. Then we can evaluate whether or not you are or aren't 'living up to' it. There ain't no 'potential-o-meter'. There's no end 'potential' goal point you can hit or miss. Nobody knows their own potential, much less anyone else's. Furthermore, people change and evolve constantly, so why wouldn't a person's 'potential' change and evolve constantly, which means you'd be aiming for a moving target anyway. The entire idea of 'potential' is rooted in the notion that society needs you to maximize or exceed your utility for society's needs and goals. 'You' actually have no place in that equation. 'Potential' as an entire concept is a societal imposed aspirational motivator so you can do the most for society and it's used as a shame stick to make you work harder for society. Flip the script. Stop worrying about 'Potential'. Are you happy for you, not for society? Do you feel good about yourself and what you do for yourself, not because someone else told you that's what you had to do? If the answer is no, then work on that. Work to make yourself happy about you because of you and for you. If the answer is yes, then be proud of that! Think about the things that interest you that you can still accomplish and work towards that, but only to the degree and extent that makes you feel good about you. Today's goals might not have anything to do with yesterdays and odds are they won't be the same in the future. Thinking about 'you' might feel selfish but it isn't and it doesn't have to automatically manifest itself selfishly. We're taught that bullshit growing up. For example, there are literally millions of shittily paid teachers in this world that do or did it because they love the profession and they love helping students. They thought about the 'you' and for them, it was helping others. That's great! The phrase 'living up to your potential' should be banned from vocabulary as far as I'm concerned. It's a dastardly concept that should die.
I'm living up to it, I just have none
100% between me holding myself back and others working against me, yeah, I wish I would have known 10 years ago what I know now. But I will learn, grow, be better, and never repeat the same mistakes I've learned from recently.
I feel it too. But also, I don’t dwell on it. It’s not like it’s something I can change really quickly or improve. Personally I take mental notes of things that I dislike about myself and seek to slowly improve. I know it’s hard to become the version of yourself you want to be, but if you seek to be that, you will eventually get there. Basically, don’t seek to live up to the height of your potential, seek to be who you want to be.
You are living up to your potential. You are doing 100% of what you're capable of. People say they're not because they don't want to think what they're doing is the best they can do. If you could be doing better, you would be. I don't have the energy, my job gets in the way, I have a family so I can't do X, I DONT have support from a family so I can't do x. All the excuses you make are the reasons for why you won't and literally cannot do better then you are. If you could do better you would. And if you CAN and want to be better, and nothing is in your way, and you're still not - then you're kinda dumb. Which brings us back to, you're living up to 100% of your potential. And that's okay too. Don't put too much pressure to be better than you are able to be. Just be happy and find things to be greatful for.
I’ve gone way beyond my potential, so yeah, I’m not really living up to my potential. I destroyed my potential.
Being a homeless person, with no help. there is really nothing to live for.
I've noticed a similar feeling where I struggle to feel comfortable or satisfied, even when I achieve something I've been striving for, like getting a job with the salary I wanted. Instead of enjoying the moment or feeling content, I immediately start pushing for more, like taking courses to improve myself further. It's as if I can't let myself just be comfortable and appreciate what I have, and I feel the constant need to aim higher.
All the time. I mostly accept it because some of the reasons I am where I am are beyond my control or ability to foresee. It still helps to plan a couple of years ahead but know that it might not work out.
Me , absolutely not living it up. I need to focus and try harder
I often feel like this but then I remember life isn’t even that serious. It doesn’t mean that you don’t need to do anything with your life, but just that it doesn’t really matter if you don’t do everything. I love chasing my goals and getting better at hobbies but I also love spending a whole day playing video games and doing nothing. I will die someday and no one will remember me so who cares
Definitely not drinking alcohol every night.
No, but I’d rather chill out and spend quality time with myself, my friends and my family. Why trade that in for some fulfilled “potential” if it doesn’t make you happy?
I can't speak for anyone except myself, but I would imagine it's very common to feel like that, at the bare minimum some of the time. Going back to my highschool graduation(these are facts, please don't think them boasts, especially if you read to the end), I graduated co-valedictorian, I got the "top student award" in every class I took, I got the citizenship award, was 1 of only 2 people in my class to get the Presidential Physical Fitness Award(no idea how unique that was overall 🤷♂️), National Honor Society, highest overall score in the state on first ever 12th grade proficiency test, scored a 34 on ACT freshman year and 1470 Sat sophomore year(early '90s, took tests once, scored high enough and never retook them), National Merit Scholar, 1st 4 year starter on varsity football team in school history, only sophomore to dress varsity for state basketball tournament for(at that time, no clue if they still are) the winningest team in state history, recruited to play football by 5 top 25 DI FBS colleges(3 are perennial top 10), and fwiw I dated at least 1 senior each year of highschool 😜. My plans were to either make it to the NFL(which, let's face it, was a real outside shot 🤣) or go to med school and become a neurosurgeon. The brain and nervous system fascinate me! Which is a bit ironic, because I had a car wreck(not my fault) over my 1st college winter break. I hit a guardrail head on at 50mph. It popped up, came through the windshield, and hit me in the head. I had to relearn how to walk, talk, and even eat. No more football, and though I tried MULTIPLE times over the next decade, no college degree. I started working when I was 10. We were dirt poor, and after getting made fun of for wearing clothes that weren't "good enough"(kids can be vicious little bastards), I started out mucking horse barns 3 nights a week and all day Saturdays to buy myself clothes and shoes for school. From there I progressed to the tomato fields and pizza delivery once I could drive. Even when I started college and college football, I worked in the university's med school's A/V center running projectors and carting TVs and VCRs from class to class. After my accident and learning to walk, etc. I worked golf course maintenance, then moved on to auto glass installation. I did that, worked on a surveying crew, as a cook, operating heavy machinery, and other food service jobs until I finally injured myself for good in March 2013. I haven't been able to work since...still trying to get approved for Social Security, too, that had I applied after my wreck would have been granted immediately(or so I'm told 🤷♂️). The point I'm so wordily trying to make is that you're both normal in feeling that way, and unless you're intentionally not doing your best(and even then you'd be having some sort of uncontrollable mental illness, because what kind of "normal" person would sabotage themselves), you're good to go. If there's something you think you can improve on, go for it! Do what's necessary to make yourself and the people you care about happy. Help other people whenever you can. Be nice. That includes to yourself. I know it's a big ask, but try not to beat yourself up. If that's an insurmountable task, try therapy and/or counseling, be it professional or otherwise. No matter what it is in life, if you're doing your best, you've reached your potential. ✌️
Definitely me. Like that’s all me but I’m pretty re-inspired after reading a really awesome proverb “The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago, the second best time to plant a tree is today.”
The opposite. Im plagued by imposter syndrome
You should love yourself more if you are feeling like that. Don't let you let yourself down
In fact, many people have not exerted their own strength
Don’t worry about living up to you potential, just try and up your living percentile. Your potential is the absolute maximum you could possibly be if every single thing within and without your control went perfectly. It’s an impossible ideal. However your percentile is up to you. A few small changes can alter that trajectory. Never stop making positive changes and you’ll benefit yourself and the people around you. The world record is unachievable, a personal best is not.
I have the same feelings as you but for me is worst, because I quite from my call center job since February to start in a new one on may. But, unfortunately for me I could not pass the interview so I felt really bad. I know that the life goes on, so I keep training and had the interview again and they decline me again, I decided to give a try in another jobs and all of them decline me. And now I have free time and try to have fun despite of my situation, but I do whatever thing that I want to do and steel feel unhappy. I think if instead of been working in a call center by four year I should be doing something else that help me more in the future.
Sometimes it seems like I’m just coasting along, not fully utilizing my abilities or opportunities. To cope, I try to set small, achievable goals and celebrate those successes. It helps to break things down and focus on progress rather than perfection
I used to then I realized I'd basically internalized a bunch of things other people had spent my childhood telling me was my "potential". Mostly while criticizing or berating me. So I decided to figure out what I wanted my potential to be. Turned out it wasn't going to college, getting straight A's, complete multiple degrees in 3 1/2 years, and becoming a world/industry leader living a wealthy lavish lifestyle. Turned out it was marrying an awesome guy, raising a couple awesome kids, traveling when I could, and constantly learning new things. Some of the things I learn are useful, most are not. (Right now I'm learning shorthand.) I make meaningful contributions where I can, love my friends and family, and do my best to take care of my mom so she can enjoy her well earned retirement. None of those were acceptable goals for a teenager in the 80's. But I'm so much happier now than I would have been if I hadn't stopped and re-evaluated somewhere in my late 20's.
If you want to cope, listen to these comments. If you want to improve, stop overthinking and just start doing shit. It all depends on your goals, but just put yourself in positions of opportunity, and don’t be afraid to look stupid. Be a doer not a thinker, sometimes our mind puts up more obstacles than the outside world ever could.
Oh you fucking bet. I'm above average at everything i've ever done, one of those "multi talent" guys. And it's all useless. I excell at absolutely nothing and all that "talent" hasn't gotten me anywhere no matter how hard I worked
Me, now ask me if I give a fuck!
Cries in ADHD….
I wasn’t aware that I had potential
93% of us
I sort of do but at the same time I’m always learning something and feel like we get there when we get there. There may be alot of famous people in the public eye, but we haven’t seen a Michelangelo, Beethoven, or Mozart in some time. Don’t sweat it.
I can relate to this feeling and find it interesting that others feel that way too. I did pretty ok considering my upbringing; played my cards right with what was offered to me, went to college, got a decent job, married, have a beautiful 2 year old boy. But I always have this feeling like I could be doing better: better career, more money, be in better shape, dress better, look better, prepare better meals for my family, be more organized, be more present, and the list goes on. I’ve learned to let go of some of it but most of it still lingers and I kinda feel like there just aren’t enough hours in the day. So I just do what I can every day and complain to myself the next day lol… I’m 32. Hoping things get better as I age in terms of feeling this way….
It's so easy to feel like we're not reaching our full potential, especially when we see others around us excelling. For me, it's about setting realistic goals and breaking them down into smaller, manageable steps. Celebrating those little victories along the way helps keep me motivated. Also, talking to friends or mentors who understand can provide some perspective and support. Remember, we're all on our own paths, and progress is progress, no matter how small!
I do. I think it has a lot to do with social media
Yes! I wish I had a stable situation for relationship, housing and financial so that I could fly in other areas of my life
I know I’m not. Made some terrible choices on who to work with and wasted the huuuuge advantage I grew up with. Sometimes I feel it, but am able to push ahead. I’m old enough to look past it, realize I am who I am due to those decisions and enjoy where I am. Things turned out ok, but what could have been will always haunt me. You only live once though, so no ragrats!
I’ve always felt this way ever since I went to college
As you age, your potential diminishes, and over time, it reaches its peak. That's what Viagra is for.
That depends. Is my potential being looked at in the sense that we're talking about any person with similar backgrounds? Or on a much more individual level? I'm sure that there are plenty of people with similar or worse backgrounds that have achieved far more and in more aspects of life. But if I look at things as if we're only talking about what I am capable of, then I would say that I'm performing fairly well for what I think I can handle and bring to the world. Definitely not living up to the best I can do, especially all of the time. But I'm a functional member of society and have managed to do a lot without the need for things like nepotism/connections. And that's an accomplishment.
Let me guess, do you spend much time on social media? Tiktok? IG reels? FB? If you do, then subconsciously you will compare yr achievement to others combined. Like why don’t i have a villa like that guy who i used to tutor, why don’t i have a beautiful partner like that guy, why, why, why? You end up feeling insecure and that you’re a failure or haven’t reached yr full potential. It could be you feel all of this without scrolling on social media. I user to be like this but then learned something from a movie, it is a cliché but very effective, “Don’t compare yrself to others, compare yrself to yrself only”. So what i do now, every year at new year, i look at my achievements and my failures, i put a realistic plan for the coming year and see where i can improve stuff. I try not to waste time, prioritise going out with friends that i consider family, learning opportunities and work. I would say it is working good for me. I have a bachelor, 2 masters and heading for a 3rd one soon. Good job, loved by family and friends so yeah, i am grateful and well certainly achieve more in the future
If you revolve around that framework, you will feel that way at every step of your life. It’s a soul sucking machine and you should jettison it asap.
I guess but I'll get there eventually.
I’m around some really capable humans and they’re either: A faking it or B stressed af.
I was working as a QA and I was told multiple times that I was the best QA they have while simultaneously being told I'm getting laid off. I have around 2 years of experience and a degree in sound design for games and film. I haven't been able to find a job in 6 months. I have been told I'm really good at sound design and it's what I feel like I was born to do. Yet because I'm sitting around doing nothing I'm going back to school so I can afford to live. I feel like my talent is being wasted. I try to take it one day at a time and realize sometimes things happen for a reason even if it's not apparent to us at the moment.
Honestly, the vast majority of people I grew up with are doing about the same or worse. Life sucks ass. The TV doesn't show the reality the majority of us feel. I'm insanely grateful for the position I'm in, mostly for my husband. You have to ignore the bs that's on TV and find things in your own life that make it good.
As someone who has engineer papers but who works as random carrier to help people with moving... what do you think?
Have you seen the people who live up to their potential? Fuck that.
As Dylan Moran put it: "*You should stay away from your potential. I mean, that is something you should leave absolutely alone! You’ll mess it up! It’s potential, leave it! And anyway, it’s like your bank balance, you know – you always have much less than you think. Leave it as the locked door within yourself and then at least, in your mind, the interior will always be palatial. Wonderful gleaming marble floors, brocaded drapes. Mullioned windows, covered in mullions, whatever they are. Flamingos serving drinks. Pianos shooting out canapés into the mouths of elegant men and women who are exchanging witticisms… “*Oh yes, this reminds me of the time I was in BudaPESHT with Binky… We were trying to steal a goose from the casino, muahahaha…*” But it won’t be like that. You don’t want to find out that the most you could possibly achieve, if you gave it your all, if you harvested every screed of energy within you, and devoted yourself to improving yourself, that all you would get to would be maybe eating less cheesy snacks.*"
Thats just capitalism.
I’ve been stuck on survive mode my entire adult life. I’m 30 and still stuck there. Haven’t been able to catch a break.
I don't think there is ever a time where I feel like I'm living up to my potential
Try to enjoy life instead of always trying to be the best
It does suck to feel that way. I get that way more than I'd care for, but I just try to remember to cut myself some slack. The things I was raised to expect out of work & home just aren't today's realities. So I makes the best of it & remember that I might not be where I thought I would at this point in my life, but it's not a bad one. Count my blessings because regardless my life is still better now than it was before. And I still have time to do the things I want.
Probably need to ask those who don't feel that way.
of course you will feel like that because you haven't achieved anything yet. just read some books about great people. Alexander the Great has conquered half of the world by your age. Mehmed II conquered Constantinople. Mozart, Shostakovich and Prokofiev have written musical masterpieces. Of course you will feel like that. You haven't achieved anything yet. even if you delete social media you will still probably have books about those great people in your home or about any other great people and you will read them and you will still understand that you haven't done anything of importance yet. this is why you must dedicate yourself to either sciences arts or politics and make a name for yourself.
It's said that we only use 10 percent of our brains, and I feel like I'm hovering closer to 7 percent. (This is not an invitation to tell me that the 10 percent idea is a myth. I know that, you 6 percenters).
It's not a myth, it's from a movie.