Your Unique Potential

When I first read this Joseph Campbell quote, I thought about the career I chose to pursue when I was in school. I focused on that pursuit being the definition of my unique potential. I went away from the quote for awhile.... left the image sitting in a folder on my computer. When I returned to it, the words seemed somehow changed.

What truly changed was my reading of them. That very first line snags my mind with a wild image: "...never was on land or sea." As though what we seek is unique to each of us individually even if the basic job descriptions or life descriptions share the same wording.

When I consider the number of times I could have let my own uniqueness shine, I realize that I instead spent a chunk of time fading into anonymity. Why? Several reasons. One is that I am, at heart, an introvert. Being in the limelight does not come easily to me. Another is the fear of failure. In order to truly succeed at stepping into a fuller potential, there is a better than even chance of failure. Now I understand that 'failure' is simply a word with greater or lesser emotion attached to it. For me, it used to be greater. It's growing lesser with each passing season. I also was negligent of the possibility of success. What would it take? Was my dream, my desire, big enough?

An important lesson I've learned lately is that it is never too late to reach for a dream. I've been blessed with a number of course changes during my life. Currently, I'm heading for another. It's all good ~ and bringing me closer to becoming something that "never was on land or sea."

Have you reached your fullest potential? How unique do you see yourself being? Is there something more calling to you? Are you willing to head for your own course change? Where would that lead you?