I hate being told, “You have great potential.” That’s basically like saying, “well currently you suck, but I see you possibly succeeding at a later date.” I never take this comment personally because I know that it’s always said with the nicest of intentions, but still it almost without a doubt solicits an eye roll from me.
A lot of people “have potential.” That doesn’t mean they will actually amount to anything. One slip up and the potential is gone, everything you worked for is dashed. The “it’s not fair policy” is practically jammed down our throats as unassuming children and we learn that potential, though good, won’t get you crap. Potential only works when all the factors come together just so and then it can be realized for something substantial? The only people that I’ve see this work for are people, in my opinion, who don’t really deserve it. And to back this statement up I offer ONE of my personal examples out of my ”Life Isn’t Fair” vault.
Personal Anecdote: When I was in my junior year of college- I busted my ass to study for my LSAT’s in preparation for law school. I took a Princeton Review prep class for months, did the homework, took the practice tests. I was told by many people, “you have great lawyer potential.” Test day came around- I was completely prepared. Until I got my scores back… and though not terribly catastrophic… I’m clearly not a lawyer today. You can draw your own conclusion there, but let me add though that I’m not a total failure, I actually didn’t end up applying to law school anyway because I decided it just wasn’t for me. But anyway, had I kicked that test’s ass, things might have turned out differently.
On the flip side, I’ve seen people not do crap and practically walk their way into law school. That’s infuriating. They don’t care, they don’t have a passion, but they happen to test well.
I’ve been told I’m entirely too cynical for a 23 year old. To which I respond- well, duh… but I’ve got great potential to be an optimist! Too bad those factors didn’t fall into place…
Anyone else have a good old “life isn’t fair” gripe you’d like to throw in? Here’s your chance to rant about that high school spite that you’ve never quite ridded yourself of… so let me hear it!
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I am sure that you do have great lawyer potential. The LSAT proves diddly squat. I’ve met and worked with attorneys who were great at standardized tests but sucked at being people, much less lawyers!
But, I’d like to quote my good friend Calvin, from the cartoon Calvin & Hobbes
Calvin’s Dad: The world isn’t fair Calvin.
Calvin: I know, but why isn’t it ever unfair in my favor?
By Dingo on 08.18.08 12:16 pm | Permalink
Hello princess cynical…Queen cynical here. I feel that life isn’t fair all the time. I total feel you on the whole test score thing. Some of us in this world just don’t have the test-taking gene. I worked with a girl a year younger than me and we were both applying to vet school that year. I studied for my GRE for 3-4 months, she didn’t study at all. My score – 900… her’s was over 1300. Just to clarify, average for a vet hopeful is around 1200. Not fair. It was the same way in high school with the ACT. And this trend has continued through vet school. My friends always ask me questions and study with me in class, and I know this stuff, they tell me I know this stuff. When it comes to test time I get – Thanks for ruining the curve when in reality, I’m really thankful for any curve I can get. My friends from class and I now know my testing potential and come to expect me, as a test-taking potential vet, to be mediocre if that (and we know that the girl sitting at the end of our row is the one that blows the curve – another great test taker). I’ve accepted that now, though and realize that whether or not I graduate as a DVM with a 3.0 or a 4.0, I’m still going to be a vet, and no test score is going to tell me that I’m a bad one. I agree that potential is a crappy word. I have great potential of being a musician, but my heart really wasn’t in it, therefore, I’m still in school. How about, you have great drive and ambition and based on what I know about you – you’re going to remain fabulous and do great things in addition to what you do already. A little more of a mouth-full than potential, but so much better.
By Miranda on 08.18.08 3:25 pm | Permalink
Lol, my whole recent being-fired-for-having-a-personality thing is still at the forefront of my mind, but if there’s one unfairness I can’t stand, it’s false accusation. I hate being yelled at for errors that weren’t my fault – but then, so does everyone.
By Foz Meadows on 08.19.08 7:55 am | Permalink
“I’ve got great potential for being an optimist”? Priceless. Keep your humor and you will do fine.
It’s interesting…I didn’t read “you have great potential” as something negative. To me it sounds like someone is genuinely paying attention to you and your work; only they they lack the specificity of praise that you need to make it sound like an actual compliment. So, potential optimist, put that in your pipe and smoke it!
By thecoconutdiaries on 08.19.08 5:50 pm | Permalink
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