Potential and the Unknown

When I was a senior in high school, I had a blue notebook with Martin de Maat's quote "You are Pure Potential" printed on the cover. 

I always loved the idea of being potential: infinite promise, endless possibilities. 

The feeling that I have enough light inside of me to illuminate the world; I only needed to access it. 

The idea that no matter what I achieve or how good I am, no matter how many times I'm knocked down or cast aside, I am, was, and will continue to be pure potential.

As I write this post, we are wrapping up 2013 and launching into 2014...

For me, 2013 has been a wonderful year full of new friends, new insights, and new adventures. While some of these "new's" have been simple additions to my life, others have required that I end certain chapters with a period (or, at least, a semi-colon). In this way, I have found myself transitioning from the life I've known to a life I'm creating.

While this is beautiful in concept, the truth is that there are moments when it feels uncomfortable. The unknown requires determination, faith, and patience. Determination to put in the work to achieve results. Faith that the work you are doing will bring you to a positive place. Patience to continue even when the results have not yet come. 
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We want security. Comfort. Guarantees. The unknown doesn't have any of that—but unknown is inherent in potential. Potential is the part of us we haven't yet discovered; the landmark we haven't yet reached.

Where I'm at in my life probably bears some similarity to where you are in yours.
 
If you are prepping for a standardized test, you are working to earn a score that you feel good about, but you haven't earned it yet.  You know that you'll apply to college, but you haven't been accepted yet.   You hope that you will gain admission to a school you love, but you haven't received the letter yet. You hope that you love it when you get there, but you're not there yet.

You're not there yet.

That's where potential comes in. Just because we aren't there yet doesn't mean we won't get there. We will. In the meantime, we must hold onto the determination, faith, and patience that will nurture us until we get there, along with the passion that propels us to want to achieve our goals in the first place.

Potential is uncomfortable, but it is also exciting. It means that good things are on the way. Even if they aren't here yet.

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