That there are a number of people who do not realize their own potential is a bitter fact. You may also belong to this group. Though there may be many reasons for this, the foremost among them is that you are afraid of failure. Ironically, there are people who are afraid of success as well. But regardless of these reasons, the fact remains that you are not able to realize your potential because you do not try anything new and you do not want to take risks. Read this sentence once again. YOU ARE NOT ABLE TO REALIZE YOUR POTENTIAL BECAUSE YOU DO NOT TRY ANYTHING NEW AND DO NOT WANT TO TAKE RISKS. You tread along the same path day in and day out. You are neither willing nor ready to break your stereotyped mindset, effect a change in what you do, how you think, or how you look at things. That is the reason you are not able to spot your potential, not to speak of putting your skills to use optimally. What does this situation lead to? Obviously, the biggest "Catch 22" is you will be underestimating yourself. But how to overcome this attitude of underestimating yourself? Here are a few suggestions.
1. Remember that you have been hired by your employers because you have some of the skills they require. But since you have been using these skills as a routine, you tend to forget that you have them with you. Therefore, while putting your skills to use, do not act like a "robot." Put your heart and soul into the tasks. Try to find if there are smarter ways to work. Provide insights to your peers and supervisors. This is how those with self-confidence act.
2. Read a lot. It is not that you should read whatever you lay hands on. Remember that some of the most successful titans like Warren Buffett and Bill Gates are voracious readers. It is said that Warren Buffett reads 600 plus pages daily and he is choosy about what he reads. He reads only those books that can make him better in his field. This means you should also be more focused while choosing what you read. You must read only those materials and books that are related to your field. This habit alone will make you an expert and boost your confidence. There are two other distinct advantages by developing the habit of reading. In the present-day context, every bit of information is rapidly getting obsolete. By keeping abreast of the latest information in your field, you can defy what is known as the process of being pushed into the "old-timers group." Secondly, reading will expand your horizons and help you in performing better than others. You can run the race with the new generation as well. The result is you will be revered by your employers, supervisors, peers, and subordinates.
3. Stress and anxiety are two important factors that lower your performance and productivity. This can happen despite your knowledge and expertise in your field. When your performance and productivity dip, you automatically start denigrating yourself. You will slowly begin underestimating your potential. But why will you experience stress and anxiety in spite of your expertise? It is mainly because you try to do all the tasks yourself. You do not delegate. Even if you delegate, you try to micro-manage and hand-hold those to whom you have entrusted the tasks. This approach is certain to increase your stress levels. Further, micro-managing the tasks of others kills their creativity. The only way to overcome this issue is to choose the right people, repose faith in them, and entrust the tasks that can be delegated to them. This will ultimately improve your performance and boost your confidence.
To summarize, underestimating yourself is certainly an issue that can hamper the process of realizing your potential. You should, therefore, take steps to surmount this issue by pushing boundaries in order to grow in your career and progress in your life.
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