Stretching To Be the Very Best!

'Karen and Jay share thoughts on the excitement of striving to achieve your full potential!'

It’s easy to get used to doing things the way we have always done them. To get lulled into mediocrity. And there’s a certain comfort in that. However, have you ever wondered – ‘what’s my full potential?’ What could I or my organization achieve if we really put our minds to it? Put our full energies and excitement into being our very best?

These are the questions that inspire us to stretch to achieve our full potential. On the one hand, taking a step back – casting long held beliefs aside and starting with a blank slate, can be a refreshing moment – and give us newfound excitement. On the other hand, it can be truly scary – as we contemplate efforts and initiatives that take us far outside the bounds of our comfort zone.

It is in this delicate balance between excitement and fear that growth truly happens. When we allow ourselves to embrace the discomfort of the unknown, we unlock capabilities we may never have realized we possessed. Every new challenge becomes an opportunity to test our resilience, learn something new, and move closer to the version of ourselves that we aspire to be. Growth rarely comes from repetition; it comes from the willingness to take risks and step into unfamiliar territory.

Of course, the path toward achieving our full potential isn’t always linear or smooth. There will be setbacks, moments of self-doubt, and times when we question if it’s even worth it. But it is precisely in pushing through those hard moments that we develop grit and character. The strength we gain along the way becomes the very foundation upon which our future successes are built.

Sometimes, achieving our full potential also requires us to reimagine what is possible. It demands a mindset shift—from "This is how things are done" to "What if we tried something entirely new?" That shift can lead to breakthroughs, innovations, and transformations that once seemed out of reach. This kind of thinking not only benefits us individually but can also catalyze significant progress within our teams, our organizations, and our communities.

Ultimately, pursuing our full potential is a lifelong journey. It asks us to be brave, to be curious, and to keep striving even when the road ahead is uncertain. It is a commitment to continuous improvement and to becoming the most fulfilled, capable, and impactful version of ourselves. And while the journey may be challenging, the rewards of living up to our true potential are immeasurable. Please give it your very best shot! You’ll be glad you did!

In 1954, something happened that the world had long been told was impossible.

For decades, coaches, scientists, and pundits had insisted that no human could run a mile in under four minutes. They said the body would break down, that the lungs couldn’t keep up, that the heart wouldn’t survive the strain. It wasn’t just hard—it was considered unthinkable. A physiological limit. A wall.

Then came Roger Bannister.

What made Bannister so remarkable wasn’t just that he broke the four-minute mile—it was how and why he did it. A full-time medical student at the time, Bannister trained during lunch breaks and between hospital rotations. He wasn’t a professional athlete, didn’t have the best facilities, and his schedule was punishing. But what he had in abundance was belief: belief in his body, his training, and most importantly, belief that limits were made to be tested.

On May 6, 1954, on a cinder track in Oxford, Roger Bannister ran the mile in 3 minutes, 59.4 seconds, shattering a psychological barrier that had held firm for decades. The world stood in awe. But here’s the most inspiring part: just 46 days later, another runner broke the four-minute barrier. And soon, others followed. What changed? Not physiology. Possibility.

Bannister’s triumph didn’t just redefine running. It redefined belief. He proved that “impossible” is often just a reflection of what hasn’t been done yet—not what can’t be done.

This week, as we reflect on the theme of "What’s Your Full Potential?", Bannister’s story is a powerful reminder that we often stand just one bold step away from a breakthrough—not just in athletics, but in our towns, businesses, families, and dreams. What’s stopping us might not be reality—it might be convention, fear, or simply that we haven’t tried hard enough… yet.

Roger Bannister didn’t just run a fast mile. He taught us to ask a better question:

What if I can?

Quote of the Week

“Human potential is the only limitless resource we have in this world.”

— Carly Fiorina, former CEO of Hewlett-Packard