One of the most common things I hear from people is that they don’t feel they’re living up to their potential. And if you’ve ever thought this, please keep reading.

Because my thoughts on this are unconventional.

Despite my love of personal development, I am not going to offer you 5 ways to do more. Nor am I going to tell you my own strategies for living my best life and realising my own potential.

Instead, I want to ask you this:

What are you trying to prove?

I ask because 9 times out of 10, trying to live up to our potential is more about what others think about us, rather than what we want for ourselves.

It is about chasing the elusive, perfect version of who we could be instead of the slightly messy and sometimes awkward version of who we actually are.

Put bluntly living up to our potential is an unattainable goal. And more often than not, it’s shrouded in self-criticism and rooted in a fear of others judgement about us, rather than our own genuine desires.

So instead of focusing on living up to your potential, instead focus on this:

What would it take for me to create a life I love?

This question asks you to reflect on what will actually make you happy and proud of your life.

It’s not about achieving everything you can do. It’s about doing the specific things that give you a sense of purpose, enjoyment and fulfilment.

This question empowers us.

It allows us to imagine, create and live how we want to rather than constantly worrying that we aren’t living up to our potential or to others expectations.

Because the truth is, our sense of worth should not be tied to our achievements.

Our worth and our value is inherent in each of us.

So let’s focus less on our list of accomplishments or fulfilling our potential. And instead, let’s do more of what makes us happy, on our own terms.

Know someone who needs a reminder of their self-worth? Be a friend and share this with her using the links below and be sure to sign up for your weekly dose of inspiration and support.