Never reached my potential

[disintegration]

Does anyone else feel like this?

I see some of my peers in great careers, or having a great social life and I can't help but think that could have / should have been me.

I finished high school as top of the year a long time ago. In the social side of things I never really progressed thanks to a toxic combination of anxiety and depression. Idk, I'm just frustrated.

I'm 25 now.

 

[*Sammy*]

I'm also 25 and feel like this all the time. I do have a good job but as i'm only an assistant at the moment the pay sucks. I have no friends in the real world around me and people i knew from school and college seem to have it all...

I guess putting a positive spin on things tho. Your still young you have plenty of time to try new things and make new friends. Its what i keep telling myself anyway...

 

[Sci-Fi]

Yep everyday, just not sure what my potential was so I guess my answer should be no.

 

[el Jay]

Sounds exactly like me, except I'm 28. Still have no career prospects, am unemployed to top it off, and have nothing but a history of failure when it comes to figuring out what I want to do, or embarking on projects to try and mold a career. Literally nothing I've started in my 20s has been successful so far, unless you count my 2nd associate's degree (which hasn't done anything for me yet) or the fact my return to college for a bachelor's degree (still in progress) is going well. But just getting degrees isn't some magical formula for success, so despite them, I'm still as lost as ever.

 

[Ignis]

No, I've not reached my potential.... YET

I'm generally very negative when it comes to what I think about myself, but the one thing I do believe... I was put here to do something amazing. I was MEANT to die, and realistically; there's a good chance none of us should be here. Think of the ODDS that you were born.

We're all here, and humans as a species are capable of near limitless things.
So what if you see other people and they're doing a little bit better than you in terms of a career? You're 25. The way I see it, 50 odd years until you even think about retiring. That's 50 years to accomplish something amazing. You can definitely do it.

It's just a matter of everyone DISCOVERING that you have potential. Discover it within yourself, and others will see it too!
I know that one day, I will do something great. I know that I'll save lives, or I'll help someone, I'll change someones life or I'll change my own. I know, that I'll do something great,

I also know that everyone on this forum, everyone who has EVER doubted themselves will accomplish something amazing too. You'll all go far beyond anything you've ever imagined.
It's just a matter of finding what that something is.
Find what you're good at, find out what you love doing... Pursue it with all of your heart, and you'll accomplish great things.
Do what you love, and watch your passion drive you towards greatness.

I'm capable of great things. So is everyone here.
I believe in you all.

 

[9006]

Yes, very much so.

 

[Bob Arctor]

I think I'm a high potential/low functioning person. When I genuinely apply myself I tend to get good results, but I self sabotage a lot. It's difficult to imagine being consistently high functioning for any long period of time. I'm getting to the point now though where my motivation for a better life is growing stronger than the compulsion to self destruct.

Comparing yourself to others is an exercise in futility. It's like apples and oranges; they simply aren't you. Everyone is working with a completely different set of advantages and disadvantages. Maybe a more productive way of thinking would be to compare your life right now to what you would reasonably want it to be like in 5 years, and ask yourself if you're making the right choices to get you there.

 

[Hearmenow2012]

I generally get thoughts of wishing that my life was a bit more straightforward, however I know that there are people in worse situations so I don't want to complain too much. The career path that I have wanted to head down has pretty much always been unclear, but when I did know (sort of) what I wanted to do things didn't work out. I am trying to better myself though and I'm only 21 so I still have time yet. I have considered setting up my own business and I'm going to be starting a course soon to see if it is right for me.

I may reach my potential one day, but only time will tell.

 

[Peaches]

what is potential? In our society, it usually means potential to make money, but that is really not important at all, careers and even lots of social life maybe are not what your true self really needs or wants.

They say, when you find something to do that makes you truly and completely happy, it means that your potential lies in that direction.
I know this is not how it happens many times, we can many great writers who suffered all their life because they wrote amazing works but they hated what they were doing, same for scientists, so another question is: do I want to develop my intellectual potential, or do I want to develop my spirit/mind, and be happy? Difficult questions.

 

[ardour]

Fear of failure has something to do with people not applying themselves fully. Reaching your upper limits and finding that you're not as capable as you thought.

Having my below average intelligence confirmed is a major fear for me. It's easy to blame outside influences, but my social life at school was crap. From there on I was obsessed with getting friendships I never had, making up for lost time etc, + the frustration when this didn't happen that I didn't really focus on what I wanted to do for a career.

 

[onmyown1979]

I definitely feel that way, but now I feel things are slowly going in my favor. 25 isn't a bad age to feel like you haven't reached your potential, you still have alot of time. I'm 33 and I thought by this time I'd have a good paying job, a wife, kids and a nice house, lol. Currently I have two jobs in the same field, no wife prospects on the horizon and definitely no kids. I don't live in a town that offers alot of opportunity so I may have to leave to get the job and life that I want. I'm comfortable here but sometimes you have to make changes. Don't compare yourself to others but just keep working hard and stay focused

 

[Glowgirl]

Yes, I can definately relate. I landed in my job of being a court clerk because I needed a job after not getting into the university course I wanted, and I was only ever half to three quarters of a fit. It's taken me until mid life to find something that I really want to do, (that's studying for a degree in counselling) and to be in a position to do it. I think sometimes you've got to accept limitations for what they are, while at the same time keeping half an eye open for the possibilities that are in your situation. Check out different jobs, careers, courses etc and sooner or later you will probably see the avenue that's right for you.

 

[MTrip]

Does anyone else feel like this?

I see some of my peers in great careers, or having a great social life and I can't help but think that could have / should have been me.

I finished high school as top of the year a long time ago. In the social side of things I never really progressed thanks to a toxic combination of anxiety and depression. Idk, I'm just frustrated.

I'm 25 now.

*sigh* I can relate...and I'm more than 10 years ahead of you. Seeing others succeed while you don't have what they have, can be horribly depressing. All I can tell you is that you have time yet; if you make the best of it, keep your nose to the grindstone, & don't run into too much Murphy's Law, then you will eventually have some achievements to be proud of.

 

[lonelyfairy]

Yes, I really feel this way. I know I can be BETTER in so many ways, but something is always stopping me. I know I can lose weight, get more friends and be more active, but somehow I can never do that.