Carl Jung on neglecting one own’s potential.
Jung suggested the idea of the shadow. A reservoir in the unconcious where all aspects of us we deny, hide or reject reserves.
While the shadow is mostly associated with dark aspects such as envy, greed, Sexual or aggressive impulsive or a need to feel superior to others, Jung claimed good qualities were hidden in the shadow too.
This he referred to as the Golden shadow.
This might be creativity, playfulness or even ambitious aspects.
The shadow forms out of social conditioning where we were taught that some aspects of us were bad through embarrassment, rejection or criticism etc.
One such aspects of the golden shadow might lead us to neglect our own potential.
We self sabotage our efforts or even lack ambitions in life. We fear success. We are afraid of our own potential.
Jung believed that these has led to widespread cynicism among people as a result to what he referred to as ‘Unlived lives’ which meant their unacknowledged potentials.
Such people betrayed their own potential and leads to moralizing about lives that they were meant to live.
“The world is full of people suffering from the effects of their own unlived life. They become bitter, critical, or rigid, not because the world is cruel to them, but because they have betrayed their own inner possibilities. The artist who never makes art becomes cynical about those who do. The lover who never risks loving mocks romance. The thinker who never commits to a philosophy sneers at belief itself. And yet, all of them suffer, because deep down they know: the life they mock is the life they were meant to live.” —Carl Jung
To reclaim one’s highest potential. Jung suggested the idea of shadow work where one learns to integrate and embrace his/her neglected aspects. It’s like retrieving the forgotten self (it was there before -you’re just remembering who you were before the world conditioned you to believe otherwise).
Awareness is always the first step iee; ‘making the unconscious concious ‘ before reclaiming the forgotten piece and stepping in’
Now is the time to reclaim your highest potential…