Have you Realized Your Potential?
The start of a new year always ignites a spark in us to create change. Whether you believe in making a New Year’s Resolution or not, there is something about this time of year that compels a person to re-evaluate their life.
It was in 2007 that we made a New Years Resolution that completely changed the course of our lives. One year later, we were cycling down the continent of Africa realizing our potential for the very first time.
Cycling in Namibia During the Tour d’Afrique
Recently, American Express Canada asked us why we chose to follow our dreams and realize our true potential, suggesting that Dave and I are Real Life Potentialists. This got us thinking…
Dave and I didn’t know what our passion was for a very long time. I remember growing frustrated with myself when Dave asked me “What do you want out of life?” as I honestly couldn’t come up with an answer. I didn’t know what I wanted to do. I had been living my life for so long in a fog of worries and anxiety, that I had forgotten the things that made me happy. I didn’t remember what my childhood dreams and fantasies were. Or, I wouldn’t let those dreams surface because I thought it was too late or that I was aiming too high.
Working late nights as a make-up artist on Urban Legends TV Series
Both Dave and I spent our days working for someone else at a job that didn’t stir any sort of passion within us. We simply took home a paycheck and told ourselves that we should be happy. We had careers that paid well and that other people would love to have. We should save for our retirement, invest in real estate and plan for the future.
But why does our society always focus on planning for the future instead of living for today? Wouldn’t we all be further ahead if we chose a life that made us happy and that we’d be willing to work at until the day we die rather than simply living for the day that we finally receive our gold watch and a pat on the back for a job well done?
Realize Your Potential Today
Luckily for us, we never settled. We never let ourselves stop searching for what made us happy or stop believing that we could create a better life. It was by taking a huge risk and deciding to follow our dreams of travelling the world that allowed us to realize our full potential. We are now living all the dreams that we didn’t allow ourselves to live a decade ago. We work together and travel the world. We help people by showing them that they too can live their dreams and we get to pursue our passions of writing, photography and speaking. It was by following our dreams and taking a risk that allowed us to realize our potential.
We never thought it possible for two regular folks who had financial debt and car payments to create the life we wanted, but we did it. Many people think that only the wealthy can do what we do. But that is not the case. We were terrified when we officially quit our jobs. We had worked for a year after returning from Africa to put money into savings while living on very little to minimize our expenses. We scrounged together $8000 to travel through India and around Asia for a few months because that is where we could stretch our dollar the furthest. I remember a couple months into the trip when money was starting to get low, we sold our first ad. We were sitting on a beach in Sri Lanka and suddenly we had an extra $500 that would get us through for a couple more weeks.
Working on our travel blog in Sri Lanka
Selling that first ad gave us hope that we were on the right path. More people started to read our blog and people started to send us emails telling us that we inspired them to travel with their spouse or try something new. They told us that they admired our relationship and that they were going to work harder to make their relationship better too. It was after that trip that our purpose in life finally sunk in.
What is a Real Life Potentialist?
So to answer American Express Canada’s question (“What does being a Real Life Potentialist mean to you?”): We feel that a Real Life Potentialist is someone who pursues happiness, someone who doesn’t settle because it is the easy thing to do and someone who follows their passion. If you aren’t happy in your career, you will keep searching until you find a career that makes you happy. If you are in a relationship that is going stale, you will do something about it by either working harder on it to recapture that spark or realizing that it is time to move on and find that person who excites and supports you. This is truly a title that we feel close to. Everyone is put on this earth filled with potential. Too many of us simply don’t decide to realize exactly what we can accomplish. Isn’t it time for you to realize your potential today?
Celebrating our Cruise to Antarctica, Our 7th Continent
So I pose these questions to all of you.
- What do you want out of life?
- What was your childhood dream that you let go of and forgot about?
- If you could do anything at this moment what would it be?
Once you ask yourselves these questions, start to take steps to make it happen and make a plan on how you can accomplish your goals. Take it from us, two people who thought “dreams only come true for other.” You can do it and you too can realize your potential.
According to a study conducted by American Express, 83% of Canadians are striving to learn new things this year and that a sense of fulfillment is top priority for Canadians in 2013. Are you one of them?
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This: “But why does our society always focus on planning for the future instead of living for today?” and this: “What was your childhood dream that you let go of and forgot about?”
<3 <3 <3
I wanted to travel the world like Indiana Jones when I was younger. Think I need to buy a fedora soon
Yvonne recently posted..Once upon a time in Lapland
Congratulations Yvonne! that is so amazing that you followed your childhood dream and fulfilled it! You are lucky that you knew at a young age what you wanted. Yes, I want to see a photo of you with that fedora!
Great inspiring post, guys!
I’m doing my best to follow my dreams right now, and not let anyone talk me out of them. I want to travel and write and keep doing what I’m doing. I know it won’t be easy – but the things worth having in life are never easy to attain.
Amanda recently posted..The Hogmanay Torchlight Procession
Well said Amanda, you said it…”the things worth having in life are never easy to attain” I think too many of us take the easy route and then live a life of regret. It may be the more difficult choice at first to follow your passion, but in the end, it give you the biggest reward.
Dreams are there to be followed!! Anyone can do it as long as they put their mind to it. I have come across too many people who think it is just too hard and settle for the life that makes them unhappy. Time for change people.
Great post! You both have come a long way and are an inspiration for others. I finally made my first ad sale last week and feel like that alone is a HUGE step for me.
As a kid I remember being enveloped in books and stories of adventure. I never thought I would be able to experience so much, yet here I am traveling often and creating stories. This year I have milestones every three months that I’m looking to achieve. If I can stick with it, I will hopefully begin living a nomadic lifestyle filled with adventure and working on online projects surrounding my passions by the end of the year!
Hope you guys have an amazing year!
Pablo recently posted..Can You Really Make A Living Travel Blogging?
Great article guys, you always are so contagiously inspiring!
I struggled and got frustrated with myself over the “What do I want out of life?” question for a long time, too. Looking back now, I’m glad I did. I think you need to keep asking yourself that, over and over again, even if it sometimes hurts, until you find an answer. I find that understanding and realizing our potential is something we owe to ourselves, and something that can then benefit and inspire people around us, too.
So, thank you for sharing this, and for teaching by example. When I grow up, I hope to be just like you ; )
Oriana recently posted..Is Venice still romantic?
Thank you Oriana. You said it perfectly. You need to keep asking yourself that. For some reason, our hopes and desires become buried. As a kid, it was all so clear and then as we mature, we start to think practically rather than pursuing our dreams. And you are right, we owe it to ourselves to realize our potential. We have one life here and it’s important to make the most of it and do what makes you happy. Congratulations on asking yourself that question until you found what you wanted. I think that’s the most difficult part, finding what you want to do. Once you know, it all becomes clear.
Great post guys! I think the western world has it all wrong…work, work, work! That’s no way to live. There’s so much more to life. Good for you guys for living your dreams (as we’re living ours). Hopefuly more people feel inspired to just go for it and pursue their passions! You only live once.
Cheers.
You guys are always so inspiring! It’s funny how many of us forget those childhood dreams and get sucked into a life of monotony because that’s what everyone else is doing. I’ve been trying for years to figure out what I’m passionate about, and I think I’m getting closer. It’s definitely travel and has been for more than half my life. I just didn’t think it was something that could be turned into more than vacations. But I’m working on some ideas, and I’m hoping life will look a lot different a few months into the future.
Ali recently posted..How to Make a Travel Budget
Thank you Ali. I am glad that you are getting close. It took us years and I think that it takes most people years to find their passion. it’s more difficult than it looks. Keep searching and you can make it happen. You are farther ahead than most people. You know you want something more and you know what you are passionate about, soon it will all fall into place. I know that I must have drove people insane always talking about how I want to make adventure a career. I remember one friend saying, ‘but you’re too old to be great at any sport.’ When we started thinking about becoming professional Adventure Racers. We thought we could do that because it is more about strength of mind rather than being young and fit. That’s when the Tour d’Afrique came along and I ended up winning the World’s Longest Cycling Race in my late 30′s! Turns out I wasn’t too old
That’s right, People always think about and worry about the future, but instead of that , Why not live everyday better by living every moment today. It is better to be desperate one rather than being frustrate one!
Inspiring post, as always! When people envy the life and happiness of others they often say “oh you’re so lucky”. Luck has nothing to do with it. It’s about working out what you want and making it happen.
As a kid I wanted to be a traveller. When I was about 8 years old and realised I would need money to do that, I settled on writing and journalism. It still thrills me that I’m travelling and writing about it! My quest to become a Planeteer or the pink Power Ranger…not so successful. But I guess I can’t have everything.
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My grandpa always asked me what I’d like to do when I graduate. I said “travel”. He said “That isn’t a job.” I’m leaving in a few months to begin my life of traveling and hopefully I can live up to my potential and make traveling into a job. Great read!
Wil recently posted..Make Money Traveling – Earn Anywhere
Good luck Wil. It’s difficult for people to understand how travel can be a job. My family is very supportive, but even they don’t quite understand what we do. It’s the people that choose a path different from others that open themselves up to a world of possibilities. I’m sure that Edmund Hillary’s parents felt the same way about him climbing mountains as a kid. I can imagine the conversation…Ed- “Dad, I want to climb the world’s highest mountain” Dad – “That’s not a job! Who’s going to pay you to climb up a hill?!” …and the rest is history.
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A great inspirational post! I know it sounds cheesy, but I do want to start truly realising my dreams in 2013! Part of that process will be pouring myself into my blog. I don’t know where I’ll be this time next year, but I’ll have fun – I’m determined to!
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Very well said D&D! It was on my 24th birthday in France when I first realized I wanted something more than the conventional life we’re “supposed” to follow. I just graduated uni that spring and was planning a 9-5 career in september but the idea of working 9-5 for 30 years and waiting for retirement was dreadful. I was choosing to do it because that’s what we’re supposed to do. Lying by the ocean on the beach in Nice, I remember saying to myself, why can’t I just do THIS the rest of my life? I couldn’t come up with a real answer so I promised myself I don’t have to do what society tells me to do! I now live life by saying yes to the things I want to do and No to the things I don’t want to do. Its made me so much more content!
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What do you want out of life?
Like you both until we made the decision to leave our corporate lives behind and hit the open road I had no idea what I wanted from my life. I’d never excelled at anything yet could manage most things I tried with a relative amount of success. Life was stagnant and I was uninspired to plan the rest of it. Travel has turned me into a bit of a real life potentialist. I’m motivated to make my dreams a reality no matter how far fetched, I’m pursuing careers that I had never dreamed possible and succeeding at challenges I set myself. So my life list has become rather long. Instead of wanting to make it through the day I want to experience the world in all it’s beauty.
What was your childhood dream that you let go of and forgot about?
For years I wanted to be a ballet dancer and it was only at the ripe old age of 14 after 6 years of training when my dance teacher gave me the news that I just didn’t have the right build that I sacked off ballet class. I’m still bitter…can you tell?!
If you could do anything at this moment what would it be?
We’re currently exploring the south of New Zealand and it’s inspired us to learn to mountain bike. As I type this my other half is scouring the internet for a deal on some entry level bikes so watch this space for some crash related updates!
Charli l Wanderlusters recently posted..Cliff Diving In Bosnia | Kravice Waterfalls
Thanks for sharing Charli. We seem to have lived parallel lives. We felt the same way that you did. We managed everything and had success, but never excelled. We always joked that we were jack of all trades master of none and wondered how we could turn that talent into something. I love that you are motivated and experiencing the world. It’s a great feeling to not have to “make it through the day” I remember those days and I’m glad they’re behind me.
Just think of those ballet dancers who are still going. They probably have barely left the studio while you have explored the world. Enjoy New ZEaland, it is one of our favourite countries on earth.