Thinking About Potential

Ever since its upgrade ten years ago, my old Kinetic wristwatch requires more physical motion to recharge.  Seiko originally manufactured the thing with a slow discharge capacitor to store the electricity needed to run the watch.  I was later advised to install an upgrade kit that included a small Lithium battery.  I wish I had ignored the advise.  I have noticed a decreased power storage potential.  I keep the watch on my desk so that I can shake it while I read webpages.

Last night, I picked up the old watch, with the intention of shaking it for 15-minutes or so.  I heard the low rustle of the miniature weight sliding back and forth that generates current.  I thought about the potential energy that is converted to the small amount of work that is transferred from my body to the weighted rotor that turns a series of dinky gears which are attached to a generator, which converts the energy of movement into potential energy as it stores it in the tiny battery.

I thought about how the upgrade from capacitor to battery degraded the original intent of the design. That is to convert normal, everyday body movement into potential energy to run the timepiece.  This was the reason I started wearing a solar powered watch.  This is also the reason I began to ponder potential.

Most of us think of potential in the manner of stored energy.  It might be as simple as a stretched rubberband waiting to be released during a childish prank.  It might be in the form of the fuel in the tank of your vehicle, the fuel rods waiting to be installed into a nuclear reactor, or the electrical charges inside my tiny watch battery.

There are also more sophisticated types of potential that human beings possess.  Our bodies store energy that can be used to move our muscles.  When we move around or perform tasks, we convert potential to work energy.  At a deeper level, there is potential mental energy.

This potential gives us the ability to bring about creativity, fulfillment, and happiness.  We unleash human potential that can, in turn, motivate others to unleash their own human potential.  Just like other forms of potential, the uses may be either harmful or helpful.

We might think of human potential as the combination of determination, power, and strength.  Much of the time this potential remains stored in the mind as we mull ideas and thoughts as we go about our day to day lives.  These ideas and thoughts may or might not convert to physical activity due to their strength or weakness. Ultimately our physical potential is activated by unleashing our mental potential.

A small percentage of us are able to bring about our highest potential.  Such people overcome inertia by drawing on their inner confidence and stored strength.  By focusing on and prioritizing what they need to do they display inner calm and patience.  They release their potential with composure and maturity.

On the other hand. a lack of potential or scattered, diffuse energy shows up as weakness.  There are feelings of inadequacy and being out of touch.  The lack of potential manifests in the loss of self-confidence and self-esteem.  When there is a lack of potential, a person becomes dependent upon other’s opinions and actions.

It’s easy to notice people who lack potential or have misguided potential.  They often give in to instinctual urges and reactions.  There are often displays of overt aggression and anger.  People who lack positive potential, resort to bad-mouthing other people in an effort to make themselves appear better than others.  When the gossip and insinuations fail, the lack of positive potential causes the person to lash out in anger or even resort to violence.

Thankfully, people have the ability to build and enhance their own potentials.  Even during down times, potential helps you say to yourself, “Things are going to get better.”  With strength, focus, and confidence, people find the endurance to see themselves through to manifest their hidden potential.   The wisdom to know the difference between delay and wise waiting comes about, too. After thoughtful planning and consideration, the time is soon right to unleash that potential to bring about the desired action.

Ciao

The Blue Jay of Happiness notes that if you pay attention to political campaigns, you’ll witness the unleashing of negative and possitive potential.  Unfortunately most of it will be negative.