Do you think more about your potential, or your limitations?

I usually think of activities in terms of what I’m willing to do and not willing to do.

Bit of both. I would say my thoughts are more driven by my potential though. I have strong self-belief that I can achieve anything I set my mind too. I’ve proven this to myself often.

In the background is that nagging little voice that tells me I can’t do this or that or I’m useless because I didn’t do something or whatever. I try to keep that voice under control and not allow it to undermine my potential.

I have recently heard a great definition of “middle age”. me lol
I could really relate to this.
It said that middle age is when you no longer think in potentials but think more in limitations.

I think I might be crossing this great divide. haha
At 43 I was tackling all sorts of new things, but now at 53, 5, especially in the financial spectrum, I am thinking in terms of limitations to come, begin to unfold.
I am a very mentally exhuberant type, have boundless mind energy but…the body is starting to tweak here and there. The physical blips and money have me looking more towards limitations lately.

However….I am also very able to get out of my mind and just be in the moment, sooo….these thoughts come and go but I always manage to let them go as well and try to be here now.

Interesting question! I’m not sure what my answer is. I think I get a little hung up on my limitations at times, but mostly I think I still have nearly-full potential in life. I know I won’t be an astronaut (darn) or in the military (yay) but there’s not much else that’s fully off-limits to me. I have long felt that I had a lot of potential in life, especially in high school, which I ended up using as an excuse to be an unbearable perfectionist/over-achiever. Actually I’d say these days I don’t think about either very much. My brain is now much more in the present than the very future-oriented person I once was.

I think about my limitations because I can’t be successful until I conquer what’s keeping me from being my best.

I think more about my limitations, and well, I probably limit myself because of this. But you said that being a pessimist may have influenced one’s thoughts on this, and I’m pretty sure that’s what it’s doing to me. But I mean like, you gotta know what you can or cannot do. I suppose that whole thing about not knowing if you don’t try is applicable, but eh so far I’m fine with what’s going on, and don’t need to risk anything. I just want to live happy and in peace, I don’t give a shit about being a hero or bettering myself.

I am a total potentialist. Then I think about it, and cry.