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Ask Yourself These 3 Questions to Determine Your Life’s Potential

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Worldview, it’s one of the biggest buzzwords of the twenty-first century. But what does it mean and how does it help us? Worldview is our set of beliefs about the nature of reality. It is an internal doctrine that answers the biggest questions of life and guides our responses in specific circumstances.

The late Leo Apostel of the University of Brussels gave a framework of worldview that consists of several key components. These are some of the biggest of life’s questions.  A person’s responses to these questions will determine how they interact with their world and therefore establish how much impact they will have.

Here are three of the most critical worldview questions which also determine your potential:

1. What is the nature of life?

This is the most fundamental of the worldview questions. It seeks to define our place in this wonderfully complex and expansive cosmos we live in. At one end of the spectrum, a person’s worldview could be that life is fragmentary, isolated, random, and meaningless. This is a prolific view academically but can be uninspiring.

At the opposite end of the spectrum, another person’s worldview might say that all of life is ordered and filled with purpose. This is readily observable in nature and proven by science. Systems of every kind, from ecosystems to all of the systems of the human body, demonstrate order and purpose.

The impact of this particular worldview is staggering—if the universe around us is structured and purposeful then, by default, so are we. How we view our world in this manner empowers us to live with purpose, dignity, and inspiration. It frees us to reach our greatest potential in life.

“Consciously and unconsciously, intentionally and involuntarily, willfully and unsuspectingly, our beliefs are the sum total of our lives. It’s that simple.” –  Patty Houser

2. Where are we going?

This defining question of worldview has two major aspects. The first is our expectation. Based on where we, as humanity have been, and what we believe about our world, what do we expect to accomplish? In other words, it answers some of the following questions:

  • Is the future a hopeful place?
  • What good things does it have in store for us?
  • How much can I personally contribute to that future?

With a healthy expectation, we look longingly to the future in earnest hope for humanity’s highest potential.

The second is vision. If expectation is about where we believe we are headed, vision is about where we intend to go. With a compelling vision of the future, the greatest leaders in history have moved countless souls to create lasting and significant change. A healthy worldview believes the future has a place for us and that we can impact it. Truly, what we believe about—and intend—for the future can unleash tremendous possibility for us.

“I have a dream that ONE DAY this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.” – Martin Luther King Jr.

3. What do I believe?

This question regards our values, the things we hold dear to us and that mold our concept of right versus wrong. The promotion and protection of values are some of the most motivating forces in humanity through the ages. Consider the greatest wars, revolts, and movements of history, they were founded on passionate positions regarding values.

Values lead to conviction and conviction is what provides the “fight” in life. A true understanding of our values, or what we stand for, provides an urgency that conquers the common ailment of complacency. By having a clear picture of what you believe in, you can find the internal motivation to push forward through the adversity of life and make a significant difference in the world.

How do you wake up everyday and push forward? Let us know in the comments below!

Image courtesy of Twenty20.com

Aaron Force is a blogger from Seattle, Washington. He writes to help others live their most powerful life by allowing them to find their purpose, get unstuck, and impact the world. He can be found at www.aaronforce.net or at https://www.facebook.com/aforce01/.

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Life

How Learning the Skill of Hope Can Change Everything

Hope isn’t wishful thinking. It’s a state of being and a skill that has profound evidence of helping people achieve success in life

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Hope as a skill
Image Credit: Midjourney

Hope isn’t wishful thinking. It’s a state of being and a skill that has profound evidence of helping people achieve success in life.

Wishful thinking, on the other hand, is like having dreams in the sky without a ladder to climb, having a destination without a map, or trying to operate a jet-engine airplane without instructions. It sounds nice but is impossible to realize. You don’t have what you need to make it happen!

What Real Hope Is

Real hope is actionable, practical, and realistic. Better yet, it’s feasible and can be learned.

One popular approach is Hope Theory. This concept is used by colleges to study how hope impacts students’ academic performance. Researchers found that students with high levels of hope achieve better grades and are more likely to graduate compared to those with less hope.

Hope can be broken down into two components:

  1. Pathways – The “how to” of hope. This is where people think of and establish plans for achieving their goals.
  2. Agency – The “I can” of hope. This is the belief that the person can accomplish their goals.

Does Hope Really Work?

According to Webster’s Dictionary, hope as a noun is defined as: “desire accompanied by expectation of or belief in fulfillment.”

As humans, we are wired to crave fulfillment. We have the ability to envision it and, through hope, make it a reality.

My Experience with Hope

For 13 years, I was a hopeless human. During my time working at a luxury hotel as a front desk agent earning $11.42 per hour, I felt the sting of hopelessness the most.

The regret of feeling my time was being stolen from me lingered every time I clocked in. Eventually, I decided to do something about it.

I gave myself permission to hope for something better. I began establishing pathways to success and regained agency by learning from self-help books and seeking mentorship.

Because I took action toward something I desired, I now feel more hope and joy than I ever felt hopelessness. Hope changed me.

Hope Actually Improves Your Life

Wishful thinking doesn’t work, and false hope is equally ineffective. Real hope, however, is directly tied to success in all areas of life.

Studies show that hopeful people tend to:

  • Demonstrate better problem-solving skills
  • Cultivate healthier relationships
  • Maintain stronger motivation to achieve goals
  • Exhibit better work ethic
  • Have a positive outlook on life

These benefits can impact work life, family life, habit-building, mental health, physical health, and spiritual practice. Imagine how much better your life could be by applying real hope to all these areas.

How to Develop the Skill to Hope

As acclaimed French writer Jean Giono wrote in The Man Who Planted Trees:
“There are also times in life when a person has to rush off in pursuit of hopefulness.”

If you are at one of those times, here are ways to develop the skill to hope:

1. Dream Again

To cultivate hope, you need to believe in its possibility. Start by:

  • Reflecting on what you’re passionate about, your values, and what you want to achieve.
  • Writing your dreams down, sharing them with someone encouraging, or saying them out loud.
  • Creating a vision board to make your dreams feel more tangible.

Dreams are the foundation of hope—they give you something meaningful to aspire toward.

2. Create an Environment of Hope

  • Set Goals: Write down your goals and create a plan to achieve them.
  • Visualize Success: Use inspirational quotes, photos, or tools like dumbbells or canvases to remind yourself of your goals.
  • Build a Resource Library: Collect books, eBooks, or audiobooks about hope and success to inspire you.

An environment that fosters hope will keep you motivated, resilient, and focused.

3. Face the Challenges

Don’t avoid challenges—overcoming them builds confidence. Participating in challenging activities, like strategic games, can enhance your problem-solving skills and reinforce hope.

4. Commit to Wisdom

Seek wisdom from those who have achieved what you aspire to. Whether through books, blogs, or social media platforms, learn from their journeys. Wisdom provides the foundation for real, actionable hope.

5. Take Note of Small Wins

Reflecting on past victories can fuel your hope for the future. Ask yourself:

  • What challenges have I already overcome?
  • How did I feel when I succeeded?

By remembering those feelings of happiness, relief, or satisfaction, your brain will naturally adopt a more hopeful mindset.

Conclusion

Hope is more than wishful thinking—it’s a powerful skill that can transform your life. By dreaming again, creating a hopeful environment, facing challenges, seeking wisdom, and celebrating small wins, you can develop the real hope necessary for success in all aspects of life.

Let hope guide you toward a brighter, more fulfilling future.

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Life

The 5 Stages of a Quarter-Life Crisis & What You Can Do

A quarter-life crisis isn’t a sign you’ve lost your way; it’s a sign you’re fighting for a life that’s truly yours.

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what is a quarter life crisis
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The quarter-life crisis is a well-defined set of stages—Trapped, Checking Out, Separation, Exploration, Rebuilding—one goes through in breaking free from feelings of meaninglessness, lack of fulfillment, and misalignment with purpose. I detail the stages and interweave my story below. (more…)

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Life

Here’s The Thing About Learning, Unlearning, and Relearning

Stop hoarding and start sharing your knowledge and wealth for the benefit of humankind

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sharing your knowledge
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Few people have the habit of hoarding their wealth without spending.  However, it limits their motivation as they tend to get into their comfort zones.  When people start spending money, then there will be depletion in their coffers. (more…)

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Life

3 Steps That’ll Help You Take Back Control of Your Life Immediately

The key to finding “enough” is recognizing that the root of the problem is a question of self-esteem and deservedness

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How to build self worth
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“It’s never enough.” (more…)

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