The Hidden Masterpiece Within

From 1501-1504 Michelangelo transformed a piece of stone into a masterpiece that, to this day, is viewed by many as one of the great sculpted works ever created. To create this masterpiece Michelangelo approached his work with a vision of what he hoped to achieve before he ever started. Michelangelo believed that David already existed within the marble and all he had to do was chip away everything that was not David. His goal was to release the beauty and potential that was hidden within the stone.

Our David

We are influenced by the world around us from the moment we open our eyes for the first time until the moment they close for the last time. The influences around us develop our beliefs about the world, our beliefs about ourselves, and our beliefs about what’s possible. Some of those influences can cause us to doubt our abilities and lead us to be less courageous, less adaptable, less determined, and less confident. For one to realize their full potential they must recognize the negative influences around them as the stone that prevents them from seeing the possibilities that lie within.

Michelangelo saw the possibility within the stone that others could not see. He was able to overcome barriers, such as criticism, skills, and abilities to reveal the hidden capacity within himself and within the marble. As individuals, we face the same challenges as we try to realize our own true potential.

The Hardness of the Stone

Over many years, the interactions we have with the world around us leads us to develop beliefs about ourselves that may or may not be true. Much like the stone that imprisoned David, each of us has beliefs, some conscious and some unconscious, that affect us every day. They can knowingly and unknowingly prevent us from realizing our full potential and our purpose for being. Those who achieve their full potential overcome those misrepresentations of self and establish a new set of beliefs based on a vision of who they want to be and what they want to achieve. They unleash their inner courage to overcome the limits that fear places upon us and allow their internal talents to be revealed.

Become Michelangelo

If we hope to realize our own personal greatness, we must overcome the barriers we place around us. We must identify those beliefs that are keeping us from making our dreams reality. This includes an analysis of our core beliefs. Once we identify those false beliefs we must write a new script that is based on reality. Beliefs such as, “I’m not intelligent”, “I don’t have what it takes”, “I’m not that person”, or “I’m not capable” are all established from past experiences or social influences and only serve to keep us down. In most cases they are projections that do not represent the truth. Once we understand this, we are positioned to create the masterpiece hidden within each of us.

Rework the Stone

If we were to ask those we view as being most successful if they had self-doubt when they started their journey, they would most likely tell you that they did. Many of them would probably tell you that at times it was almost paralyzing. They will tell you that it was their ability to overcome the negative self-talk and detrimental beliefs they had about themselves that was critical to achieving their full potential. They will also tell you that they rewrote the script they had written about themselves. They put practices in place that supported achieving what it was they set out to achieve. The movie playing in their head supported their goals and were filled with positive thoughts and images of the future they were going to make reality. As a result, they were able to free themselves from the stone that was their prison.

Set David Free

Once we recognize that we have false beliefs about ourselves that keep us from reaching our full potential, we are well on our way toward making a difference in our own life and, subsequently, the lives of others. By reworking the script and chipping away at negative self-talk we are able chisel away the negative and create incredible new possibilities for our life. By eliminating those actions and self-defeating behaviors that add little, if any, value to our life we begin to see the hidden beauty of our full potential that has always been held within.

Randy Stepp is a Principal with Renaissance Leadership Group. RLG is a full-service business and franchise development company whose purpose is to help business owners realize their dreams of independence and freedom.

Visit Renaissance Leadership Group at www.renaissanceleadershipgroup.com to learn more about business development