adj.
1. Capable of being but not yet in existence; latent: a potential problem.
2. Having possibility, capability, or power.
n.
1. The inherent ability or capacity for growth, development, or coming into being.
2. Something possessing the capacity for growth or development.
3. Physics The work required to move a unit of positive charge, a magnetic pole, or an amount of mass from a reference point to a designated point in a static electric, magnetic, or gravitational field; energy potential .
Let's first talk about energy potential. This is the physicist in me speaking. Energy potential can be increased by simply walking up a flight of stairs. The higher you get, the more you increase your gravitational potential. This means, if you happen to fall down the stairs (which happens to me quite often) you will generate more energy if you fall from the top step than if you trip and fall at ground level.
Eat a bag of chips to increase your internal chemical potential. Eat many bags of chips to further increase your gravitational potential (If you were really keen you could eat chips while walking up stairs, but the exercise may negate the weight gain so walk nice and slow).
You could rub a balloon on your head or eat the magnets off your fridge to increase your electric potential energy (Please note, the latter is not advised).
Economic potential is another category we could talk about. Statistically the income of your parents has a linear relationship with your economic potential. I'm not going to tell you not to strive to be the next CEO of Coca~Cola if you grew up in a trailer park, but it sure helps if you're from the Hamptons. You could increase your economic potential through education. However, it seems that everyone has jumped onto the "Bachelor" ship and the significance of a four year degree is sinking.
I'd like to note that the graph above isn't based on any data, just my personal estimation. And the "college" degree I'm referring to is <4 years. AND this could be wrong if you get into a trade that is in high demand. In addition, the numbers do not apply if you return to your former job flipping burgers directly after you graduate.
The final potential I'd like you to consider is the potential to do good. It's harder to pin down an exact trend to determine a person's potential to go good.
Logically you would think that the potential to do good increases with your annual net profit. However, this is not always true. There are some people like Angelina Jolie that will go out and adopt a baseball team of undreprivileged ethic children. Some contributions are less visual. People like Bill Gates and Donald Trump will start a charity, or donate millions to others.
Personally I can't expect to do either. Firstly I can't handle young children. Secondly I'm not a billionaire. But maybe we could measure this potential as time. How many years have you worked in a soup kitchen, or how many times have you held a door open? Maybe it's a proportion. How much you give versus how much you have. I met a man that sold everything, bought an old school bus, and toured USA feeding homeless people. I've also met people that have never said "Gesundheit" to a stranger.
So my dear reader, what is your potential?
I'd also like to wish my father good luck as he ventures to Thailand in hopes to do some good. Soon he will be at Isara, a foundation in Thailand working to improve education, the environment, and generally do good things. Click the link to read more.
Here is Josh, the Reader of the Month for February! Thanks for always being yourself.
