The Mentor Within: Unleash Your Potential Into The World

By Peter J Johnson

Within us there is the potential to become the best version of our own unique and wonderful self. Sadly, that potential is so often wasted - is now the time to 'unleash your potential into the world' ? And if not now...when?

This is the fourth book in the Calm World series. A series of books created to provide short ch

• Language: English
• Publisher: Project In Mind Limited
• Release date: Dec 14, 2020
• ISBN: 9781907105197

Book preview

Introduction

Within us there is the potential to become the best version of our own unique and wonderful self. All too often that potential remains dormant, or tethered, or unfulfilled, or wasted, only to surface as a remembered sadness late in life.

I have worked with many people in my coaching practice when the conversation starts to head in a direction that finds an ember still burning, deep within the past wishes of the client. After a little probing, and applying a gentle bellows to the buried past idea, the wish starts to burn brighter. An idea hatched and unrequited ambition newly rekindled.

I have found this too in my wider business services. Often with a chance conversation over a coffee, or when something surfaces in a meeting or development session. Perhaps where I have shared a story, a metaphor, to invigorate the thinking of weary executives.

The age at which this occurs for the person is irrelevant. Okay, if the person has a dream of competing in the 100 metres at the Olympics, and they are in their sixth decade, some realism needs to be accepted, yet if the person is looking to play the piano, they have a huge number of years in front of them to master the instrument. Or indeed countless other things.

No, the biggest thing that keeps this potential unleashed is their attitude.

People say ‘I don’t have the time’, when what they really mean is, I don’t find the time. As Arnold Bennet so eloquently wrote:

‘…we have, and we have always had,

all the time there is.’

Now if you were gifted a break from work of 4 months, every year, do you think that time would be useful to help you achieve something?

Well I have news for you – you could. You may ask how. Simply halve your TV time. That’s it; whoosh…like a gene escaping from the lamp, and gifting you your wish!

Reflect on the fact that the average TV viewing / Social Media / Gaming time in the western world is greater than 4 hours…a day. Are you really learning, growing, enjoying, even remembering the time spent (be honest)? Time can be found if you really want to make changes.

It would take some courage to stop the habit you have formed – you would need to commit to reducing time spent watching TV, and then invest this time unleashing your potential and working on your ‘thing’. That thing you would like to do, and have put off due to the perceived lack of time.

I will acknowledge for some people life is tough, there is truly no spare time when they are not exhausted just scraping by. If you are a child scavenging for food on a Brazilian rubbish tip, so you can feed your siblings, and sick single parent, you do truly have a tough, hard and time deprived life. Or live in a country where the regime supresses basic human liberty. For these people my heart hurts, as there is still too little I can do.

For those of us who have liberty, denied to so many, I believe it is our responsibility to at least make use of the opportunities others can only long for. Our ripple into the world may hopefully do some good, and lap against their shore.

But that is the cusp of the issue – IF you want to make changes. We hear people stating the things that they would like to do, and a year later they have done nothing. It is a wish, a dream and not yet made it to the status of a goal. A goal where things that would need to be done noted down, deadlines set, a plan created - and then action taken.

Sadly, in 2020 the world was hit with the coronavirus pandemic causing massive changes and restrictions to our movement. Imposed all with the aim of minimising the devastating impact of illness and loss of life.

I made the comment in an article that the world is spinning on a new axis. A true fact as the earth’s magnetic north does regularly change. But my comment was aimed at the way of life for most people has changed. I won’t detail the breadth and depth of change here, it is being recorded and reported elsewhere, on a frequent basis. Sadly, all too poorly.

I will note that many people grasped this changed time to take stock of their life, including their work, home and relationships. They have also used it to consider what they would like to do. The subtitle of Volume 3, in this Calm World series, made the point ‘stop holding on when you should let go’. A timely reminder that we have the power of choice.

A great exercise to undertake is to write down the following questions, on a piece of paper split into three:

What am I doing?

What should I be doing?

What would I like to do?

Seemingly simple questions. I would bet that once you start to do this exercise you may well find it digs a little deeper than you thought. You may find it opens up ideas, like the embers in the fire I mentioned earlier that may still have a glimmer, a glow, and some heat.

Now if the first part really makes you feel negatively uncomfortable – what are you going to do?

If the second part still induces some negative discomfort – what are you going to do?

If the third part makes you smile and your heart skip – what are you going to do?

We usually have enough time to do anything; sadly, not enough time to do everything, so some choices need to be made.

And whilst there are things that have to be done, that we may not currently enjoy, perhaps for many of those jobs a mindset shift would help. Is cooking merely a way to feed and refuel ourselves, or could it be an engaging creative pleasure enjoyed, by ourselves, in ‘our special time’? Or is it a time to share with others, where we can have a great conversation and treasure their company, whilst cooking? Shoe cleaning could be considered a chore yet I love cleaning my shoes, as I like the end result. It is not a job I would give to someone else either, as I like the pleasure of glimpsing my clean shoes when I am out, knowing that it was my effort that made them that way. I would add, I also feel the guilt when they are not so clean. A mind shift, a choice.

By stepping up a few levels with that series of three questions asked above, and working on them, there is the option living life on, and with, a purpose. Perhaps by focusing on the bigger things, such as our own vocation, hobbies or charity activities.

I would encourage you to review the three questions. My fee-paying clients have certainly gained value and focus. I hope you do too.

Now a few tips on how to use this book.

I hope the pages that follow, and the questions posed, may stimulate further questions that serve you well. Write your thoughts in the book – then crucially take action, ideally start straight away.

If the thought of writing in a book makes you shudder, like I have discovered it does for so many, you have my permission and encouragement to write, highlight or even tear out pages to pop into a pocket, purse or bag. Indeed, the biggest complement you can pay me is to make this book look used, worn and frayed around the edges. You can always get another copy!

The chapters in this book do not have to be read in order. Dip in and take an active part. Let the thoughts soak in, write a little, take action then return another day.

Now listen to your own Mentor Within…and ‘unleash your potential into the world’.

And do make contact if you think I can help.

Peter Johnson

[e-mail]

peterjohnsononline.com

In Elgar’s footsteps

With Christmas a fading memory, and the New Year due to start, it was a great opportunity to get some boots on my feet and go for a good brisk walk. Well, that was the original plan but as the weather had been so rainy, I decided that a gentle walk would be more enjoyable.

On this day in question though, the sun