I was told this morning that, among other things, I’m not living up to my full potential as a person. What exactly is your “potential” and how do you live up to it? (Disclaimer: I am admittedly a very negative person and don’t know that I could live up to my potential even if I knew what it was.)
Susan
Susan, I don’t know wtf it means.
(frustrated attitude stemming from a gnawing certainty that I’m not doing it either, with no clue as to how I could. maybe that means I am. which is kind of pathetic.)
It is something that only exists in the eyes of others.
I am proud to be an “underachiever”..or a “Slacker”, as my sisters call me.
I earn a living, have a good time, do no harm to anybody.
Pass that bottle over here.. as the Man once said.
Slan,
D. 
yes that means living by or above the standards of the person who’s telling you that and most often concens the Yankee dollar, euro etc. and lots of it. I’ve found that if you break wind whilst holding their gaze and not smiling, they won’t ever say that again.
Of course I am a slackers slacker
Hard core to the core and never a whore for money. 
This is the description given to me by the person who wants me to work on it:
“Potential is enjoying what you have in the moment that you have it and knowing that you wouldn’t change anything.”
If that’s part of it, I’m definitely not there since I usually would like to change something. I’d like it to be a little warmer today. Wish I had the day off (or I was retired)–I’m sick of working. You know, that kind of thing.
I was thinking of “potential” as talents, gifts, etc., of which I’ve been able to find none–thus also not living up to my potential in that regard. However, this individual says that’s not potential.
Susan
It means doing what your mother thinks you should be doing.
(or your Boss. Either way.)
Your accuser’s definition is definitely whack. Potential is what could be used but is not necessarily used. Whether you enjoy, or are satisfied with, yourself / where you are / what you have is a totally different matter.
I really dislike this “potential” line. As you can tell from others’ responses, it is really a thinly disguised personal attack, revealing the attacker’s dissatisfaction with you - as if you had some obligation to live up to their expectation.
Depending on your relationship with this other person, I would either:
a). kowtow and promise to do better
b). verbally disabuse them of the notion you owe their expectations as much as a fart in a windstorm’s consideration
c). punch them in the mouth.
Your mileage may vary.
djm
It means that someone wants you to feel guilty about not being what they think you should be.
To make manifest the glory of God is my fullest potential. It’s also your fullest potential. Marianne Williamson sums it up well:
That’s how I’d define it as well. I’m pretty sure the cosmos forgot to give me one of those special gifts which could be externally validated as potential, though.
Susan, I, for one, at least, really admire your paintings.
I don’t think she’s got my deepest fear straight.
No. It is not my fullest potential at all. It is not even an infinitesimal part of my potential. Feel free to subordinate yourself to your god, but leave me out of it, for I could as easily say
To make manifest the evil of Satan is my fullest potential. It’s also your fullest potential.
and have as valid a claim to the truth.
She’s got mine just right. Only I don’t fear for myself but for others. I’m so awesome that if one were to glimpse my potential they’d instantly self combust.
Of course none of you will believe me.
I wanna glimpse it. Please, please?
I actually don’t have any problem with the person telling me this…he/she genuinely feels he/she has found some answers to happiness in life and wants to share it with me. It’s someone very close to me and the remark was meant as a gesture of love, not criticism, in this case.
My greatest fear has been that no one will come to my funeral. I’ve taken care of this by giving my daughter strict instructions that there is to be no funeral. If only all our fears could be disposed of so easily!
I suppose we all have greater potential than we ever achieve…whether in talents, intelligence, kindness, happiness…just not sure I can drive myself to my full potential.
Susan
“Full potential” is one of the primary forms of abuse perpetrated by the public schools. I know “full potential” about killed me. It is something that Albert Einstein, Winston Churchill, and Thomas Alva Edison were plagued with as children, though they overcame it once they were out of the grips of the abusers.
If anyone tells you you are not living up to your “full potential” you can assume they are under Satan’s control, or possibly daemonically possessed.
Please don’t let “full potential” rob you of a proper burial service.
“Living up to potential” does seem to imply a social contract. If your boss
says you aren’t living up to your potential, it means that you are not doing
the amount or quality of work they expected when they hired you. If your
choir director thinks you’re not living up to your potential it might mean
that you aren’t volunteering for the solos that you could sing.
If there is no direct social contract involved, then you do have to wonder
what the person expects from you. They may perceive a lack of happiness
on your part and are willing to reduce your short-term happiness (by hurting
your feelings now) for a chance to increase your long-term hapiness. Or
they may have internal information which jeapordises your social contracts
with others. Or they could just be jerks who want to take you down a peg
because they are jealous. You have to assess these situations individually.
I may have the ability to be the best knife salesman there ever was, but if it
would not make me happy to do so, why would I want to live up to that?
Well, when someone hands you a line about how you’re not “living up to your full potential,” you have some questions to ask:
How would you know? By what standard am I being measured, and what am I being measured against?
What motivates you to tell me this? Does this represent you trying to justify something in your own life through me?
Why should I listen to you? Are you?–are you “living up to your potential?” How would you know? Who told you? Can that person and myself get together and have a little chat about you? 
I wouldn’t lose sleep over it. My take on it is that this person has suddenly undergone some life-altering experience–or some experience, more likely, that they hope is life-altering–and they are just so eager to share. 
–James
(Editted … no, perfected.)
djm