The Myth of “Wasted Potential”

(As viewed by a fifteen year old teen)

Okay so lets go with the oxford definition of the term ‘potential’-

Potential essentially means- latent qualities or abilities that may be developed and lead to future success or usefulness

Sounds familiar?

The internet has conveniently provided us with a plethora of blogs, reels, and what not. You are definitely accustomed to those customary “A day in my life” videos where an influencer portrays what exactly they do in a day and when i watch these, i’m left thinking of how different our routines are- waking up at the crack of dawn, eating healthy (those smoothies that look greener than my front yard) working out, skincare, studying, tidying the house, reading and you flip the camera, there’s me. A fifteen year old, trying to figure out where they get the 25 hours that i don’t get.

Teenagers such as myself, tend to fall to this trap and have no choice but to wonder,

‘what is wrong with me?’

‘what am i doing with my life?’

‘is this how its supposed to be?’

‘i feel so unaccomplished’

And i don’t blame you. I’ve felt like that for the longest period of time- it was honestly so demotivating to say the least. My friend (i would rather call her an aquaintance instead) literally accomplished everything she can ever do as a 15 year old- she has made a place for herself in the Guinness book of world records, she has been recognized by Harvard and YALE already (IK CRAZY), and when she tells me about all these, i’m just left staring, confused. Again- where does she get all this time from?

I am no stranger to staying awake till 3 am in the morning, questioning everything i’m doing wrong and I often used to cry myself to sleep when I think of all the things i could do and everything i could be- i think many can relate to this. People with fewer resources than me are doing unimaginable things i could only dream of. it’s like I have 2000 tabs open in my head and my brain just shuts down.

But what ive realised over countless sleepless nights is that you don’t necessarily have to be better than everyone else or achieve crazy stuff before you turn thirteen. You just have to come to an understanding with yourself that identity takes time- just like everything good. Perspective changes everything.

The fear of falling behind has everyone in a running wheel, no matter how much you try- it feels like you’re not getting anywhere. But in today’s competitive world, we are made to believe over and over again that if we want to get somewhere in life, we must get ahead of everyone else. And no, i’m not against that idea but we also need to realise that we only get one shot at this life and we choose how we spend it- living it the way you want to (not like how you see influencers pretending on social media) or working your bottom off until one day you stop and wonder- ‘is this all even worth it?’

You can be anything you want to be and not just what the society conditions you to be. As long as you stand by your moral values and not let anyone tell you what you should be- you’re fine.

‘Dr. (so and so) is a mother of three and a clinical phycologist’ does not have to be your identity. You’re allowed to be- YOU.

As the note-worthy line goes — “Yes, there are two paths you can go by, but in the long run- There’s still time to change the road you’re on” (insane ref).

The obsession with maximizing potential actually gives the contrary- it stops people from LIVING.

Social Media and the Performance of Success:

I’m forced to come to a conclusion that individuality simply does not exist anymore. Everybody is copying everybody. Everything on social media seems staged sometimes and it has increased tenfold ever since AI took over everyone’s -For you page. The same creators expressing their views on mundane topics, the same AI fruit version of splitsvilla, the same shmaltzy beauty content with unnecessary expenditures on exorbitant makeup products and skincare that you apparently “NEED TO TRY”.

So the stakes of being ‘performative’ are higher than ever, making us feel like everyone has got their lives figured out but this is far from the truth if I’m being plain. People discover passion at different ages and this is what shapes their career and personality as a whole. You dont have to start at 16 and you dont have to start at 17 or 18 either. You find your own pace and just go with it. Thats all there is to it really.

The difference between performing and achieving:

Does every moment in life have to be productive to hold value? The answer is an unmistakable “NO”

productivity is usually defined too…narrowly.

Society only celebrates money, fame , elite success and fame or academic achievements. Nothing more and nothing less. But potential can also mean creativity, emotional intelligence, resillience and perspective.

This productivity culture paves way to burnout and pressure and it is not in any way ideal for shaping our future.

Redefining potential is the way to get ahead along with honing our skills in areas of interest.

and most importantly we need to — LIVE.

Sometimes all you need to do is to take a deep breath and get off the phone for a day or two and this is proven to be the most effective way to stop running that invisible race. (this is certified by me :D )

You need to achieve great things and be better than everyone else to be accomplished.

you

are

enough.