Recognizing that you have talents and abilities is immensely important to surpass your perceived potential. Focusing on your gifts, and realizing that you can do anything you put your mind to, has incredible outcomes and fuels great achievements.

So many people are extremely critical of themselves, and to such an extent that oftentimes they may become blind to the wonderful things that they can do and the beautiful things they could possibly create. Personally, I firmly believe that doing things that scare you will make you happier in the long-run. Stepping out of your comfort zone and taking risks may be frightening, but the potential outcomes could be worth it every time.

Although staying within your comfort zone may grant you temporary ‘comfort’, and feelings of security, you will never find out what you can truly do or achieve if you stay within these confines—venturing outside your borders and going beyond into the unknown is one of the only ways of testing your talents and abilities and seeing all that you can do. Studies show that perceived potential can be surpassed, and, with hardwork and perseverance, achievements can exceed one’s initial expectations (Carol Dweck, 2006 & 2012).

In other words, if you never try, you’ll never be able to fully shine in all of your might. Going beyond the perceived expectations of what you can achieve (whether you created these bounds yourself or you were told that you could only achieve so much) can catapult you into a life of opportunities that you never imagined. Pushing yourself and believing in yourself is, amongst other things, what you owe yourself. You deserve recognition, admiration, and overall belief in your abilities and accomplishments. “Be who you were meant to be and you will set the world on fire!” -St. Catherine of Siena.