“You don’t get to choose how you’re going to die, or when, you only decide how you’re going to live now!” – Joan Baez
The best teaching on “Potential” I have ever heard was by the great preacher and teacher Dr. Myles Munroe, who has blessed many people even after his demise. I have seen myself stretch beyond what I could have counted for success and say, “Look, I have arrived!” I have discovered that I am still hungry for more because I know my vast, untapped resources. I always keep at least five years of personal goals upfront to motivate myself daily. Knowing there is something to accomplish every morning helps me approach life with dexterity.
What is it that you said could not be done? I want you to be encouraged by the milestone achievement of Alex Roca Campillo, 32 years old, from Catalonia, Spain. What is so special about this young man? He was the first person in the world with 76% cerebral palsy to finish a 42,195 km Barcelona Marathon race in 5:50:51, a lifelong dream.
How did he do it? Roca spent many years training for this moment. He first broke his lifelong dream into manageable goals of running seven half marathons before participating in the grand Barcelona Marathon. At the beginning of 2023, Roca participated in the Granollers Half Marathon, finishing in 2:45:16. In February, he had a personal best time of 2:38:28 after completing the Barcelona Half Marathon. Shortly before he ran the ambitious Marathon race, he was credited saying to the Spanish media El Mundo that “the limit is up to you, and if you want to achieve an objective, whatever difficulties you have, with attitude, willpower, perseverance, and resilience, you can achieve everything you propose. And if you do not achieve it, you will have given everything and must feel gratified.” What a feat! What an incredible story!
“Potential” is your latent power, which, despite the enormity of what you can do with it, will remain dormant until you decide to engage it productively. One of the best stories I have ever heard or read about human potential was from Dag Heward-Mills’s book titled The Art of Leadership. Here is the excerpt from the book as told by the pastor:
The Brain Seller
I remember the story of a man who went into a store to buy some brains. There were four different brains on sale. The salesperson was on hand to help the customer. The customer said, “I would like to buy the best brains you have.” The salesperson showed the customer what he had in store. He said, “These are the brains of a nation that invented airplanes, rockets, and satellites”. He continued, “These next ones are from a nation that invented televisions, video, telephones, radios, and stereo systems.” He went on, “This third set of brains comes from a nation that has developed beautiful cities, roads, bridges, rails, airports tunnels, etc.” He then showed the fourth set of brains. He continued, “This last set of brains are from a nation which has invented nothing and built nothing for itself.” This nation even has foreigners coming from outside to build roads and toilets. “I see,” he said, “How much are they anyway?” The salesman replied, “The first three brains are affordable, but the fourth set of brains is very expensive.” “Why is that? Why should they be so expensive when they have not been used to accomplish anything?” “Oh, that is simple,” the salesman replied, “Those brains are fresh, unused, and full of Potential. Because they have not been used for anything, all the Potential is still within.”
The story above is funny and a fundamental fact of life to learn from if we must realize the trapped Potential within us. As powerful as any potential might be, it is useless if not put to work. I need to sound it so loudly here that whatever you consider in life as your accomplishment ceases to be your Potential the very moment you attain it. It is no longer your Potential! You need to know that your Potential is still fresh and largely uncultivated. Therefore, the number one reality that confronts you and me every day is how we will live now before the future arrives. How do you live in the moment and for the moment throughout your lifetime? Let’s explore the subject further by asking ourselves, what is Potential?
Editor’s Note: An excerpt from my soon-to-be-published book “Creed to Grace Therapy” by Olusegun Osineye.
Author: Olusegun Osineye
Olusegun Osineye earned his Doctor of Ministry (DMin) in Transformational Leadership from Boston University. He's passionate about creatively adding value to the black race by utilizing life's simple philosophy for their flourishing.
