Are you working towards your full potential – according to a new survey, most Brits are falling short of what they could achieve. When you first get into the world of work you are excited and filled with dreams, however both work and life become more demanding and your dreams have to take a back seat.
No one is to blame but at the same time could you have done something differently to progress? It’s never too late to start something new but as you’ve gotten older, time management becomes more of a chore than a choice. Trying to look after the family, paying bills and getting your work done are now the new priorities and that dream of becoming a rock star or a blogger is now just a distant memory. But, is it really too late?
Modern Brits admit they are not living life to their full potential, letting their talents fall by the wayside, according to new research.
A nationwide study has shown we are a nation of “could have beens”, with a staggering 84 per cent wishing they could change their life for the better and ultimately feel more fulfilled. But the survey showed the extent to which many of us are not making the most of our talents, with as many as six out of ten (61 per cent) admitting they have a natural talent they do absolutely nothing with. As many as 29 per cent of those surveyed believe they had a writing talent, while one in four said they could paint or draw well, but never get around to it.
There are also millions of frustrated musicians in the UK, with almost one in 20 saying they could play an instrument, but that they had stopped playing altogether. 17 per cent see themselves as talented singers, while 14 per cent believe they could have made it as a stand-up comedian.
Over 40 per cent of people had dreamed of opening a business, while 26 per cent had once had ambitions to be a novelist.
According to the survey, the biggest excuse for not making the most of our lives came down to personal belief, with nearly half (49 per cent) saying a lack of confidence made them give up. Fear of failure was also a major concern for 36 per cent of people.
After that, it was cold hard cash posing a problem, with 26 per cent of those polled saying they just couldn’t make their gifts pay the bills. 22 per cent said family life had got in the way of finding their dreams, while 19 per cent said they were simply too busy to use their talents.
Matt Haycox, founder of fundingguru.com, who commissioned the poll of 2,000 adults, said: “I’ve always been a big believer that anyone can live out their dreams by following their passion. Throughout my experience in business, I’ve encountered first hand pretty much every problem you can think of, and access to funding can seem overwhelming.”
40 per cent of people said they might be willing to take out a loan to follow their dreams, while 38 per cent said they’d go for it if they had more time and 28 per cent said they’d do it if a professional guided them through.
The research, conducted by fundingguru.com, also revealed that Britain may be too harsh a place to live – with 60 per cent of people believing we don’t, as a nation, encourage people to follow their dreams enough. And 87 per cent believe that others actually secretly resent people who are successful.
Still, we’re determined that it will be different for our kids, with over nine out of ten (94 per cent) saying they would encourage them to follow their dreams more. As many as 94 per cent said they would enjoy life more if they’d used more of their creative skills.
