Reach for Your Potential--But Don't Beat Yourself Over the Head with It

"Don't judge yourself by what you understand of your potential. Trust in the Lord and what He can do with your dedicated heart and willing mind (see D&C 64:34). Order your life more effectively and eliminate trivia, meaningless detail, and activity. They waste the perishable, fixed, and limited resource of time. Choose to emphasize those matters that have an eternal consequence.

"Permanent, worthwhile growth is attainable, but not without great effort and the honest application of truth. Worthy accomplishment is founded in integrity. Righteousness is fundamental to happiness and desirable attainment. Righteousness is rooted in a pure heart. And indeed it protects one from contamination and the filth of the world. Righteous love is the supreme motivation for constructive change. The examples of our Father in Heaven and the Savior and Their teachings are the perfect source of motivation and direction for life."

Richard G. Scott, "Making the Right Choices" (CES fireside for young adults, Jan. 13, 2002), 4


My word--if this isn't exactly what I've been needing to hear for months! I have a terrible time in not just being extremely hard on myself, but also in expecting too much from myself. And too much too soon. I believe in progression, but I forget "line upon line, precept upon precept" (Doc & Cov 98:12). This quote is so comforting and inspiring to me. It provides simple yet perfect and doable guidelines. I think in so many ways I try to do that, but I try to do too much at once and berate myself for not succeeding at the impossible task I set before myself. Which is why the most meaningful part of this quote to me--right now--is where Elder Scott counseled, "Trust in the Lord and what He can do with your dedicated heart and willing mind." If I offer the desire and determination, and go one step at a time, then I can trust in and know that the Lord will make of me what He would, not as I would.