Chris Mance II - Mental Skills Coach

Analyzing potential is a terrific way to evaluate a decision to quit or keep going.  Potential is having or showing the capacity to become or develop into something in the future.  Potential implies possibility.  It also implies the existence of undone work. What’s more, this undone work could either be a positive or negative indicator when deciding to quit or keep going.

It’s positive in situations when the person with potential is a beginner at something.  There is no better feeling than starting something new and having an expert say that you have potential.  The decision to make after getting this feedback is deciding if you want to invest in the work required to reach that full potential.

On the flip side, it’s negative when someone with experience is told that he or she has unfulfilled potential.  When someone with experience still has unfulfilled potential, then this implies one of two things.

1. A lack of effort, or
2. A lack of resources.

The decision to make after getting this feedback is deciding if you should quit or keep going.   You already put in a lot of time.  But If you put this time in without giving much effort, it only means one thing. It’s something you’re not passionate about.   On the other hand, if you put in effort without the resources, then you are likely very passionate.

Evaluating If You Should Quit or Keep Going

Keep going if you are a beginner and:

• You feel like you can or will get access to the resources you need to fulfill your potential or
• If you feel like you have the passion to keep giving effort. Meaning, your passion is enough even if you never get the resources you need to fulfill your potential

Keep going if you are a experienced and:

• This is an “aha moment” that creates a new passion.  This passion then enables you to give the effort needed to reach your potential or
• If you have the passion to give effort with no resources and you are content with the possibility of never reaching your full potential

Quit if you are a beginner and :

• You don’t have passion and
• if you don’t have resources

Quit if you are a experienced and:

You still don’t have passion.  If you don’t have passion then why waste your time?