One of the resources that we rarely talk about as a resource is our potential.  How is potential even a resource?  Well, for me, it is a powerful resource.  It is an energy, an experience, that feed our hope, igniting our passions, stirring us to become more than we currently are.

Thor: Ragnarok

Setting the scene:

Near the end of the film, Thor is in need of a spaceship to get him to Asgard.  Loki, his mischievous adopted brother, has stolen the passwords to the person who basically owns the planet they are stranded on.  Loki suggests that he will help Thor get what he needs in return for passage off the planet.

However, in good Loki form, he betrays Thor.  However, this time Thor is ready for the betrayal.  Thor has finally learned that Loki is not trustworthy and will most likely do something for Loki’s selfish benefit.

Reminder of Potential

When Loki goes to betray Thor, Thor has already attached an obedient disk to his back.  He pressed the button activating it, causing Loki to be overwhelmed with electrical energy and pain.  As Loki is writhing on the ground, Thor says to Loki:

Thor:  Oh dear, brother, we are becoming predictable.  I trust you.  You betray me.  Round and round in circles we go.

Loki, life is about growth.  It’s about change.  But you seem to just want to stay the same.  I guess what I am trying to say is that you will always be the god of mischief, but you could be more.

Stepping into his Potential

Loki has potential to be more than just the god of mischief.  He has tremendous skills, intelligence, and power.  He could make a positive impact on Asgard if he so chooses to step up and accept responsibility of being a member of the ‘royal’ family of Asgard.

As Thor and Heimdal are fighting the evil Hela (goddess of death and Thor’s exiled sister) to save Asgard, Loki appears in a space ship large enough to save all Asgardians.  With the doors open he calls out: “You savior is here!”

Then he tells everyone to get on the ship and goes to join the fight.  He seems to be stepping into his potential.

Avengers: Infinity War

We see the fullness of Loki’s potential at the beginning of Infinity War (spoiler alert!).  Loki has consistently dodged calling himself the son of Odin.  Instead he has wreaked havoc on Asgard and Thor in his attempts to ‘right a wrong’ he experienced from Odin.

However, in Infinity War, as the movie begins, Thanos (a powerful Titan in search of infinity stones) has taken the ship and has Thor in his massive hands, threatening to kill him.  Loki steps up.  Introducing himself as “son of Odin” he takes on Thanos, stepping into the fullness of who is was born to be.

Potential Is a Resource:

Something shifted as Thor gave Loki the speech about potential.  It ignited in Loki’s being.  Something that had stirred again and again throughout the Thor movies, but had not yet come to fulfillment.  With this speech about potential it comes fully to life!

Potential offers us a similar journey.  Something ignites within us, stirs deep in our soul and spirits.  We begin to feed that stirring, sometimes unconsciously, sometimes consciously.  As we feed it, hope arises in our beings, in our hearts and minds. 

That hope feeds us, ignites our potential.  It says to us, “You know, you can do that!”  “You do have the abilities to do that.”

Potential continues to remind you of your strengths, your skills, your abilities.  It begins to say to you, “I know you think you are not good at that, but you actually are.  You can do this!”  “You have it in you!”

That potential spark once ignited does not burn out.  It drives us to step more fully into who we are, what we can do — into the fullness of our Power, of our Call.

Potential is a powerful resource!  Let us not ignore it.

Let us ride the wave of its support and enthusiasm into the fullness of our Selves.

Reflections:

Reflect upon a situation where potential came into play.  How did tapping into your potential ignite and support you as you struggled to accomplish/manifest it?

We always tell our kids:  “You have the potential to do whatever you want.”  How do you support yourself and others in making this statement true?

Where do you think you do not have potential when you actually do?