Potential. What a concept.
I spend my days with rooms full of Potential. Young people, bursting with energy, with passion and great ideas. So much potential in one place. But then what?
The potential of the average person is like a huge ocean unsailed, a new continent unexplored, a world of possibilities waiting to be released and channeled toward some great good. — Brian Tracy
As I learned all the way back in the day…
Potential energy, like the energy in a boulder perched on the peak of a mountain, is the energy stored in an object that could be released if acted upon by an outside force.* Potential energy is great; but it’s only potential.
What I’m looking for is Kinetic Energy. Kinetic energy is the energy an object has due to its motion. Our boulder is now rolling down the mountain, picking up speed, and has the ability to make a real impact on something–or someone.
Motion. It’s what converts potential to impact.
– So your great ideas are just dreams until you put them into motion.
– A vision for a better world is just a daydream until you start on it.
– Momentum can not build if you are standing still.
It’s simple science, but it applies to our lives as leaders, workers, pioneers, vision-casters, and strategists.
An object at rest tends to stay at rest. An object in motion tends to stay in motion. **
So put your shoulder into it, put your weight behind it, and push that boulder. Get started. Potential energy remains unused until someone decides to get started. You’ll be amazed at the impact you’ll have.
* For all of you science majors: I know it’s not an exact definition, but go with me here.
** Newton’s First Law of Motion. Now I’m really nerding out here.