Maximising Your Potential: The E-Manual Sampler: Managetrainlearn

The MTL E-Manual: Maximising Your Potential
MTL
Maximising
Your Potential:
The E-Manual
Sampler
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
1 THE A TO Z OF MAXIMISING YOUR POTENTIAL............ 6
1. Action, signposts to.................................................... 7
2. Aerobic Exercise ........................................................ 7
3. Affirmations .............................................................. 7
4. Artistry ..................................................................... 8
5. As-if Practice ............................................................. 8
6. Behavioural Goals ...................................................... 9
7. Body Proportions ....................................................... 9
8. Brain, functions of the ................................................ 9
9. Brain, size of the ..................................................... 10
10. Brain, the conscious ................................................. 10
11. Brain, the subconscious ............................................ 11
12. Brains, left and right ................................................ 11
13. Breakthrough .......................................................... 12
14. Celebration ............................................................. 12
15. Chains of the Past .................................................... 12
16. Commitment ........................................................... 13
17. Deep Breathing ....................................................... 13
18. Determinism ........................................................... 14
19. Diet ....................................................................... 14
20. Excusitis ................................................................. 14
2 THE QUIZZES ............................................................. 16

2.1 Definitely Definitions I ................................................. 17
2.2 Definitely Definitions II ................................................ 18
2.3 Fill In The Blank Quiz I ................................................ 19
2.4 Fill In The Blank Quiz II ............................................... 20
2.5 The Numbers Game .................................................... 21
2.6 True Or False? Quiz I ................................................... 22
2.7 True Or False? Quiz II ................................................. 23
2.8 Donkeys’ Tails Quiz I ................................................... 24
2.9 Donkeys’ Tails Quiz II .................................................. 25
3 THE EXERCISES .......................................................... 26
3.1 The Definition Contest ................................................. 27
3.2 My Life and Times ....................................................... 28
3.3 Mingle and Match ........................................................ 29
3.4 Quote Success Unquote ............................................... 30
3.5 The Donkey's Tail........................................................ 31
3.6 If They Can Do It... ..................................................... 32
3.7 A Few Of My Favourite Things ....................................... 33
3.8 This Is Me .................................................................. 34
3.9 The Limits Dartboard ................................................... 35
3.10 Group Balance .......................................................... 36
4 THE WORKSHEETS ..................................................... 37
4.1 What Is Potential? ....................................................... 38
4.2 My Talents, My Genius ................................................. 39

4.3 From Survival To Growth ............................................. 40
4.4 Who We Are ............................................................... 41
4.5 Potential In Situations ................................................. 42
4.6 Overcoming The Odds ................................................. 43
4.7 The Route To A Goal ................................................... 44
5 THE QUOTES .............................................................. 45
6 THE QUIZ ANSWERS .................................................. 50
6.1 Answers To Quiz Questions 01 ...................................... 51
7 THE EXERCISE WORKSHEETS ..................................... 52
7.1 Success ..................................................................... 53
7.2 The Donkey’s Tail........................................................ 54
7.3 Group Balance ............................................................ 55

1.
The A to Z of
Maximising Your
Potential
1 THE APlease note

TO Z OF that, in this
MAXIMISING sampler,
YOUR we
POTENTIAL
are only showing the entries for
A, B, C, D and E.
Download the full version of your E-

Manual to see the complete set of
A to Z entries.

1. Action, signposts to
There are eight signposts of effective action which point us to our
goals. They are:
1. preparation, which includes tuning in, warming up and
concentrating on what we need to do
2. focusing, which includes single-minded immersion on the
desired goal
3. commitment to the end result, which means no unnecessary
U-turns
4. patience while things fall into place and come to maturity
5. persistence, which means not giving up when things look their
worst
6. learning, which means reflecting on experiences and drawing
useful conclusions for the next steps
7. breakthrough, which means reaching the moment when things
are more easy than hard
8. serendipity, which means finding things on our way that we
never expected.
2. Aerobic Exercise
Aerobic exercise can have beneficial effects on all parts of the
body:
· on the lungs Aerobic exercise draws replenishing oxygen into
the capillaries of the lungs and helps to eliminate waste
· on the heart A healthy heart beats less per minute than an
unhealthy heart. This means that it has less work to do and so is
more efficient.
· on the brain 40% of our blood supply goes to the brain and
feeds it oxygen. The more blood we produce as a result of
aerobic fitness, the more productive are our brains.
· on the muscles The muscles become leaner, finer and longer.
When they are strong, they also act as mini-pumps for the heart.
· other effects Other effects of aerobic fitness are that the
digestive system is massaged and cleansed; we sleep better; and
we feel psychologically better.
3. Affirmations
Affirmations are written or spoken declarations of your goals
used to keep your target in front of your eyes. They can be your
own personal reminder of your goal and are valuable when you

feel dejected or need a boost to your self-confidence. To bring

affirmations to life, they should be:
· realistic and balanced
· personal: you can't write affirmations for others
· exciting: use words like "I love to..."; "I enjoy..."
· positive: positive affirmations paint the picture of what goals
you're going for
· described in the present tense. Even though your goal may not
be achieved until some point in the future, you need to find a
present link, eg My goal is to become fit. My affirmation: I am a
person who feels great each day as I see myself bounding with
health and energy.
4. Artistry
When we grow and develop, we do not simply acquire new and
improved skills. We gain a depth of understanding that changes
who we are and how we see life: we reach artistry.
The apprentice knows the rules. The craftsman knows the rules
and performs the skills. The master knows the rules, performs
the skills, and sees the point. The artist knows the rules,
performs the skills, sees the point and understands the deeper
meaning.
We can all be artists. In "The Search for Meaning", Charles
Handy quotes a businessman who is awestruck by the
performance of a group of "ordinary people" in the French circus
troupe, Cirque Plume and wonders: "Why do we have to bribe
our people with so much money to work as well as this? Are we
missing something?"
5. As-if Practice
"As-if" practice sessions are rehearsals, no-hit batting practice,
dry runs. They are like fire drills which we run through regularly
to prepare us for the real thing.
· an entrepreneur who dreamt of owning a big house when he
was struggling drove to the gates of his dream house each day
as if he already lived there
· a supervisor who sought promotion to his boss's job when his
boss retired, dressed like the boss, studied problems like the
boss and treated staff like his boss did

· an apprentice aiming to qualify as an engineer practiced daily

the steps that he had observed the qualified men doing when
stripping down machines.
6. Behavioural Goals
When we set goals for ourselves, they should be expressed in
behavioural terms, rather than in terms of status, rewards or
position. Behaviour is something that is fully within our power;
status, rewards and position are not.
Not: Billy wants to play for United when he leaves school.
But: Billy wants to be a top-class goal-scorer when he leaves
school.
Formulating goals in behavioural terms also means we present a
strong model of behaviour to our brains. We see it, hear it and
feel it. The brain, not knowing the difference between real and
imagined experiences, seeks to act in accordance with the
presented behavioural image. When a discrepancy occurs
between real and imagined behaviour, the brain tries to close the
gap.
7. Body Proportions
In the early twentieth century, psychiatrist Wilhelm Reich
suggested that our personalities were reflected in our body
shapes. This is because the way we come to terms with the
world around us is the way we use body language.
There are five basic body proportions:
· right and left A strong left side suggests a passive defence; a
strong right side an aggressive defence.
· head and body A large head shows an intellectual tendency; a
large body shows an emotional tendency.
· front and back The front is the conscious you; the back the
hidden, secretive you.
· limbs and body Short arms indicate a fear of contact; thin legs
can mean you are not willing to take a stand.
· top and bottom A well-developed upper half shows an outgoing
life; a well-developed bottom half, a more private life.
8. Brain, functions of the

The way the human brain has developed means that we are able
to perform four key functions with our brains:

· thinking Unique among the creatures of the world, we have the

ability to have thoughts about the present, past and future.
· storing The huge size of the brain combined with our thinking
ability, means we can store every experience that has ever
happened to us.
· behaviour All our learned behaviour, - habits, automatic
responses, and copied behaviour, - can be stored in our brains
and replayed without conscious thought. We can also change old
habits for new ones.
· applications The vast store of information in our brains plus our
ability to think means that we can use our brains to be creative,
control our environment and make changes in our lives for the
better.
9. Brain, size of the

The estimated interconnections a brain cell can make are:
1,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,
000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000000,000,00
0,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000000,000,000,000,000,0
00,000,000,000,000,000,000000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,
000,000,000,000000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,00
0,000000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000000,0
00,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000000,000,00.
(ie 1 followed by 271 0's)
10. Brain, the conscious

The conscious brain is that part of our brains that deals with what
we call "reality". It uses the senses to interpret the world around
us. These are predominantly sight, touch, hearing, taste and
smell but include super-senses that we know less about such as
intuition and instinct.
The conscious brain has four functions:
· perception by which we interpret data received
· association by which we compare new data to old data stored in
the subconscious brain
· evaluation by which we compare new data to our values and
priorities
· decision-taking by which we consciously use data in order to
act.

It is thought that the conscious brain has limited power of its

own. We can for example only hold about seven or eight
thoughts in our head at any one time.
11. Brain, the subconscious

As well as looking after all our stored thoughts and automatic
functions, the sub-conscious brain also has a creative function.
This has three features:
· the self-image If you present your sub-conscious with the
image of the you you want to be and believe you are, the sub-
conscious will filter all the mass of information it holds and which
daily enters it so that it confirms the image. You are what you
think about each day.
· the problem-solver The creative sub-conscious hates
dissonance. When it is presented with a problem, it works hard
to find a solution which will restore its balance.
· drive and energy The sub-conscious has a momentum all of its
own. When it is presented with a goal - either an image of the
you you want to be or a problem to solve - it has its own drive
and energy to get there.
12. Brains, left and right

The left hemisphere of the human brain is the seat of:
speech; logic; mathematics; linearity; detail; sequences;
intellectual thinking; control; domination; worldly things;
activity; analysis; reading, writing and naming; and order.
The right hemisphere of the human brain is the seat of the way
we think about:
music; space; symbols; artistry; holistic thinking; things
happening simultaneously; intuition; emotions; minor events;
spirituality; receptivity; synthesis; recognition; and abstract
thoughts.
Some people see the left brain as a symbol of Western thinking
and the right brain as a symbol of Eastern or Oriental thinking.
Western thinking prizes logic, analysis and linearity; Eastern
thinking prizes symbolism and holistic thought. Combined, the
two can become a strong global kind of thinking.

13. Breakthrough
Somewhere on the route to your goals, after the initial blip of
excitement, the disappointments of failure and the arid plateau of
learning, comes breakthrough.
"A time comes when you reach a breakthrough point; when
enough things are going right in your world. You are delighted to
be doing your work, yet like everyone else you still face
obstacles; but whereas before you tried to avoid them now they
no longer oppress you. They are part of the grist for the mill of
your life and you no longer need to fight them. They are simply
situations to be dealt with...no more and no less. You have used
the strategies that seemed appropriate...perhaps you have
suffered...and perhaps you have tasted success. From now on,
your satisfaction is not measured in terms of favourable or
unfavourable circumstances: your work has become a natural
part of being alive." (Charles Cameron and Suzanne Elusorr)
14. Celebration
Celebration at achieving our goals is right and proper. For
hundreds of years, men and women have worked for six days
and then stopped on the seventh to give thanks and celebrate.
· celebration marks important milestones on the journey to our
goals.
· celebration marks life transitions, such as birth and beginning,
endings and change.
· celebration is a sacred rite and ritual.
· celebration is a way of sharing goal achievement with those
who have made it possible.
· celebration is where work meets fun.
"There are two things to aim at in life: first, to get what you want
and after that to enjoy it. Many achieve the first; only the wisest
of mankind ever achieve the second." (Logan Smith)
15. Chains of the Past

Three chains of the past that deprive us of mental energy are
scotomas, habits and musts:
· scotomas A scotoma is a blind spot on the eye due to a disease
of the retina. It comes from the Greek word "scotos" meaning
"darkness". When we have scotomas, we have blind spots in the
way we see ourselves and others.

"He thinks he's too young to be Chief Executive."; "She thinks

they won't accept a coloured person for the job."
· habits Many beliefs we have about ourselves are the result of
habit. If we habitually put ourselves down, despite our real
capabilities, we are likely to get stuck in unproductive ways of
thinking and acting.
· musts The "musts" in our lives are the beliefs imposed by
others on us. They are the views expressed with the words
"must", "should" and "ought". "I must do things right."; "I must
work harder." "I must please others."
16. Commitment
If faith is a mental belief that we will achieve our goals, no
matter what the evidence suggests, commitment is the physical
act that confirms our faith.
Many people get to faith - a belief they could do it - but hesitate
when it comes to commitment. They prefer to keep a way out in
case it all goes wrong.
When you truly commit yourself - possibly in money, materials,
time, energy, and certainly yourself - you take a leap in the dark.
It is only when you fully commit that you create powerful forces
to help you.
"All epochs which are ruled by belief are brilliant, heart-stirring
and fruitful for their own and future generations. All epochs on
the other hand in which unbelief claims a miserable victory
disappear." (Goethe)
17. Deep Breathing

Deep breathing is essential in creating a healthy bloodstream,
the foundation of all good health.
Breathing controls the flow of lymph fluid in our bodies. Lymph
fluid is vital in keeping our cells healthy by taking oxygen from
the blood and excretring toxins in return. Without this exchange,
blood proteins and excess fluid around the lymph cells would kill
us inside 24 hours.
Deep breathing, particularly from the diaphragm activates the
lymph system - which has no movement of its own - and the
system works like a vacuum cleaner or sewage system
oxygenating each cell and removing waste.

18. Determinism
Philosophers and thinkers have for centuries puzzled over the
extent to which our lives are in our own hands and the extent to
which they are pre-ordained. Their theories give rise to three
views:
· grandfather's genes This view says that we are who we are as
a result of inherited characteristics from parents, grandparents,
great grandparents and so on.
· mother's upbringing This view says that we are who we are
because of where, when and how we were brought up. The
influences of environment, teaching, culture and customs
determine how we think, feel and behave.
· self-determinism This view says that we have enough free will
to determine our own lives. Within the limitations of inherited
genes and environment - you cannot be US President if you
aren't a US citizen - you can become anything you truly want to
be.
19. Diet
The quality, quantity and type of food you eat makes a significant
difference to your health and fitness and so to your energy
levels. Put simply, you are what you eat.
A number of dietary principles have been established for years as
being the basis of good health. The first two are:
· eat fresh food as often as possible Top of the list of nutritious
food are fruit and vegetables grown by you or at least locally and
eaten with little processing such as raw or lightly steamed. Next
on this list is any food such as fish which is found naturally close
to you.
· eat a diet that is varied Varying the diet avoids the risk of
clogging up your digestive system with excessive amounts of one
kind of food or of depleting it because of the lack of essential
nutrients.
20. Excusitis
Finding reasons for not pursuing our goals is one of the chief
blocks to mental energy. It is the disease of excusitis.
Excusitis may be the result of the following blocks:
· fear of failure

· excessive concern for what's going on here and now and little
focus on the future
· blaming others
· unresolved business tying you to the past
· your excuse that you don't have enough information to act
· the excuse that you don't have permission to act
· being too busy doing other less important things
· lack of forward planning
· idleness
"Success comes in cans, not cannots."

2.
The Quizzes
2 THE QUIZZES
Please note that, in this sampler, we
Quizzes 1 to 9.

21 Quizzes.

2.1 Definitely Definitions I
Put the following definitions against the right boxes below:

Ecological goals, The reticular activating system, Potential,
Scotoma, Igniters, Soft focus, Synchronicity, Serendipity,
Chloroforms, Tithing.
1. The possibilities we all have inside us to

perform to a maximum level of effectiveness.
2. Goals that fit in with all areas of our life and

work.
3. A blind spot that limits the way we see

ourselves.
4. Tapping into a collective consciousness or

tuning in to others.
5. The expansion of awareness to include your

whole environment.
6. Stumbling on unexpected discoveries while

looking for something else.
7. A natural filtering device in the brain that lets in

only personally profitable information.
8. Words and phrases that ignite our enthusiasm.
9. Words and phrases that deaden our

enthusiasm.
10. Giving away a tenth of what you earn to invest

in others' development.

2.2 Definitely Definitions II
Put the following definitions against the right boxes below:

Immaturity, As-if practice, Zero-point arousal, A repertory grid,
The reptilian brain, Mental cinema, Teleological growth, Maturity,
Excusitis, Affirmations.
1. The behaviour of individuals who are self-

aware, independent, and active.
2. Working towards a target using a self-correcting

mechanism.
3. A system of recording key incidents in your

work and how you perform.
4. Written or spoken declarations of your goals,

usually in the present tense.
5. The behaviour of individuals who are passive,

dependent, and lack self-awareness.
6. Rehearsing our goal behaviour.
7. Viewing the image of ourselves succeeding in

our mind's eye.
8. Finding reasons for not pursuing difficult goals.
9. Focusing on our goals to the exclusion of

everything else.
10. The part of our brain responsible for our most

basic survival instincts.

2.3 Fill In The Blank Quiz I
Try these fill in the blank quiz questions and find out how much
you know about maximizing your potential.
Missing words: pace; serendipity; discontent; drive; focus;

Teleological; repeat; faith; talents; result.
1. Opportunity, _____ and self-belief go with talent and

personality to make up a person's potential.
2. Until we discover and nurture them, our _______ lie hidden.
3. _____________ growth means locking onto a target like a

rocket and adjusting course as you go.
4. Three key mental attitudes needed to attain goals are security,

_____ and hope.
5. The more you _____ on a goal, the more opportunities seem

to appear to help you.
6. A state of positive __________ arises when we set ourselves a

new goal.
7. When you visualise your goals, you familiarise yourself with

what the final ______ will be.
8. The more times we ______ our goals, the more we

programme our brains.
9. The discovery of unexpected surprises on the route to our

goals is known as _____________.
10. When we learn to be patient, we discover the natural ____

of a piece of work.

2.4 Fill In The Blank Quiz II
Your second chance to try some fill in the blank quiz questions on
maximizing your potential.
Missing words: prophecy; association; experience; filter;

chloroforms; instinctive; igniters; mystery; unparalleled; image.
11. The huge size of the brain allows us to store every

__________ we've ever had.
12. Because of the vast store of experiences, the brain is an

____________ problem-solving mechanism.
13. The reptilian brain accounts for our ___________ actions

and reactions.
14. The conscious brain deals with perception, ___________

and decision-taking.
15. The creative sub-conscious brain confirms the _____ of

yourself that you want to be.
16. The reticular activating system is a group of brain cells

which ______ information.
17. The belief that you get what you expect is known as the
self-fulfilling ________.
18. Upbeat words and phrases are known as ________ because

they set people alight.
19. Downbeat words and phrases are known as ___________

because they smother any spark.
20. The ultimate stage of personal development is not just

mastery but _______.

2.5 The Numbers Game
Put the following numbers against the right boxes below: 100, 3,
30, 40, 80, 90, 10, 250, 25, 12.
1. What % of people when surveyed say they could do

much better than they do?
2. What % of people, when surveyed, were so unhappy

with the products they made that they wouldn't use
them themselves?
3. What is the maximum number of items that most
people can hold in their conscious brains at any one
time?
4. How many thousands of years ago did the thinking
brain develop in human beings?
5. How many million years ago did the reptilian brain in

human beings develop?
6. What are the number of nerve cells in trillions in the

human brain?
7. How much does the human brain weigh in pounds?
8. How many bits of information can the human brain

process every second in billions?
9. What % of the time was the Apollo 11 moon mission

off target but managed to land correctly by self-
correcting?
10. How many thousand other brain cells can each
human brain cell connect with?

2.6 True Or False? Quiz I
Try these true or false? quiz questions and find out how much
you know about maximizing your potential.
1. Every single one of us possesses talents which

nobody else has. True or False?
2. Our potential is largely the result of what we

inherit from our parents. True or False?
3. The driving force behind fulfilling our potential

is the right mental attitude. True or False?
4. All true successes have to pass through failure

first. True or False?
5. A strength is characterised by rapid learning

that lasts a lifetime. True or False?
6. A weakness is an area that with proper

attention can be turned into a strength. True or False?
7. People are generally happier when their jobs

allow them to use their strengths. True or False?
8. All goals should be given precise deadlines and

timescales. True or False?
9. It is the brain's need to restore its equilibrium

that drives us to achieve a goal. True or False?
10. Excessive concern for reaching our goal is

likely to make us miss it. True or False?

2.7 True Or False? Quiz II
Your second chance to try some true or false? quiz questions on

maximizing your potential.
11. Many of the limiting beliefs we have about

ourselves come from other people. True or False?
12. You cannot root out limiting beliefs simply

by rationalising them. True or False?
13. According to research, most managers

spend most of their time on their top goals. True or False?
14. True commitment means keeping a door

open in case anything goes wrong. True or False?
15. It is the imagined image that determines

who we are, not the actual image. True or False?
16. All lasting change starts on the inside and

works its way out. True or False?
17. We can only achieve positively-expressed

goals not negatively-expressed ones. True or False?
18. The brain is no more than a very powerful

calculator. True or False?
19. The left part of the brain dealing with logic

and information is more important than the right True or False?
side.
20. There is no such thing as a spiritual

dimension to work. True or False?

2.8 Donkeys’ Tails Quiz I
To do the Donkeys’ Tails quiz, match the correct “tail” on the

right to the correct “donkey” on the left.
1. Life shrinks or A...and sings while it is

expands... still dark. (Scandinavian
proverb)
2. A diamond is a piece B...that finished what it

of coal... started. (Anon)
3. Faith is like a bird C...but what you may

that feels dawn become. (Miguel de
breaking... Cervantes)
4. Love not what you D...in proportion to one's

are... courage. (Anais Nin)
5. I can't believe that E...to be ordinary. (Lou

God put us on this Holtz)
earth...

2.9 Donkeys’ Tails Quiz II
To do the Donkeys’ Tails quiz, match the correct “tail” on the

right to the correct “donkey” on the left.
6. The greatest efforts in F...when the mind is as

sport come… still as a glass lake.
(Timothy Gallwey)
7. Perseverance is not a G...it is many short

long race... races one after another.
(Walter Elliot)
8. It is not because H...you make a life from

things are difficult that what you give. (Arthur
we do not dare... Ashe)
9. In your heart, keep I...it's because we do

one still secret spot... not dare that they are
difficult. (Seneca)
10. You make a living J...where dreams may

from what you get;… go and shelter so they
may thrive and grow.
(Louise Driscoll)

3.
The Exercises
3 THE EXERCISES

Exercises 1 to 10.

37 Exercises.

3.1 The Definition Contest
This exercise gets trainees to think about different definitions of

the word "potential".
Preparation Time: 5 minutes
Running Time: 15 minutes
Exercise Style: Definition-setting
Materials: Post-it notes; flipcharts; pens
Steps:
1. Go into paired discussion mode.
2. Ask teams to discuss what they understand by potential.
When they have reached agreement, ask them to put their
definition on a flipchart.
3. Ask teams to place their flipcharts on the walls of the room.
4. Give each team 3 post-it notes and ask them to write "10", "5"
and "2" on the notes.
5. Ask teams to go round the room and read each chart with its
definition. When they have read all the charts, each team must
award points of 10, 5, and 2 to the definitions they like best.
6. Re-convene and announce the winner.
Alternatives and variations:

For more fun, the point scoring can be carried out as a secret
ballot.

3.2 My Life and Times
This exercise gets trainees to think about the way they want to
be remembered for the things they have done in their life.
Exercise Style: Personal exercise
Materials: Paper; pens
Steps:
1. Relate the following to the group:
2. Imagine that, after a long, fulfilled and happy life, you are
invisibly present at a commemoration service in your honour.
3. In the front row are three people who have been asked to say
a few words about you and your life. One is a close relative; one
is someone from your working life; and the other person is
someone from your social life.
4. Since you only have a limited service, even though people
want to say so much about you, you can only choose one
speaker. Decide who this will be and jot down what you would
like to hear them saying about you.

Imagine a "This is Your Life"-style television programme about
you. What would it be about? Who would appear? What would
they say?

3.3 Mingle and Match
This exercise requires teams to match a quality of genius on one

card with its definition on another.
Exercise Style: Matching game
Materials: Sets of cards
Steps:
1. Write on one set of cards the qualities of genius, eg "vision";
"desire"; commitment"; "intuition" and so on.
2. Write on a separate set of cards the definitions of each of the
qualities, eg "the ability to see yourself succeeding in your
goals"; "an all-consuming passion for the goal".
3. Divide the group into two teams.
4. Hand one set of cards to one team and the other set of cards
to the other team. Instruct the teams to mingle with each other
and find matching cards.
5. Re-convene and feed back.

Ask teams to read out their matching cards to the rest of the
group.

3.4 Quote Success Unquote
This exercise gets trainees to think about the meaning of the

word "success".
Exercise Style: Poster reading
Materials: Worksheet with a series of Success quotes;
flipcharts; blu-tack
Steps:
1. Use the worksheet “Success” to write out a series of success
quotes on flipcharts, eg "To know how to wait is the great secret
of success"; "Success is a state of mind. If you want success,
start thinking of yourself as a success".
2. During a break, place the flipcharts around the room. When
trainees return, ask them to wander around the room and read
the charts. Tell them to add any comments they feel like to the
charts.
3. Ask trainees to stand in front of the chart they like most. Ask
them to explain their reasons.
4. Re-convene.

Go into small team mode and ask the teams to devise their own
definitions of success.

3.5 The Donkey's Tail
This exercise gets teams to put together the two halves of

quotations from the programme.
Exercise Style: Matching game
Materials: Worksheet; cards; pens
Steps:
1. Use worksheet, "The Donkey's Tail", to copy onto card the first
halves of quotations on fulfilling potential, eg "You make a living
by what you get;... Then copy onto card the second halves of
each quotation, eg "...you make a life by what you give."
2. Split the group into two teams, A and B. Hand out one set of
cards to the A team and the other set to the B team.
3. Tell teams that they have 5 minutes to mingle with one
another, read each others' cards and find matching pairs. Paired
trainees should then sit together.
4. Re-convene and invite the pairs to read out their cards.

Just for fun hand out cards containing the names of the quote
authors, eg "Napoleon Bonaparte". Challenge the group to put
the correct names to the correct quotes.

3.6 If They Can Do It...
This exercise gets teams to draw the key moments in the lives of
people who overcame great setbacks and survived.
Exercise Style: Cartoon drawing
Materials: Paper; pens; flipchart; markers; publications
Steps:
1. Ask trainees to think about stories they've come across of
people achieving superhuman achievements against the odds,
such as people like jockey Bob Champion fighting life-threatening
diseases; blind deaf and dumb writer Helen Keller; and Nazi war-
camp survivor Viktor Frankl. Tell them to jot down these stories.
2. Go into paired discussion mode and tell trainees to compare
their stories.
3. Ask pairs to use a flipchart to draw cartoon steps in the stories
of these people. Place the charts on the wall to give inspiration
to others.

Hand out publications such as the Big Issue and the Readers'
Digest and ask teams to find uplifting human interest stories.
Ask teams to draw any of the stories in a series of cartoon steps
showing the key challenges and how they were overcome.

3.7 A Few Of My Favourite Things
This exercise gets trainees to list some of their favourite things

and the words associated with them.
Exercise Style: Personal preferences
Materials: Paper; pens
Steps:
1. Ask trainees to jot down their favourite colour and then beside
it to add three words they associate with it, eg yellow: sunny;
happy; friendly.
2. Next ask trainees to jot down their favourite animal and then
beside it to add three words they associate with it, eg lion:
strong; sleek; self-assured.
3. Finally, ask trainees to jot down their favourite city and three
words associated with it, eg Edinburgh: cultured; sedate; solid.
4. Now ask trainees to go into paired discussion mode and share
their favourite things. Tell them to use the discussion to learn
about their personal preferences.
5. Re-convene and feed back.

Use any other favourite object or activity to encourage trainees
to think about their personal preferences, eg a favourite place to
relax, a favourite book or film, a favourite way to spend a
weekend.

3.8 This Is Me
This exercise gets trainees to draw their profile on paper and

record some of the things they like about themselves.
Exercise Style: Profile drawing
Materials: A1 paper; markers
Steps:
1. Give each trainee a page of large A1 flipchart paper.
2. Go into paired discussion mode and ask each person to draw
on their partner's paper an outline of them. If preferred, trainees
can lie their upper half on the paper and let their partners draw
around them.
3. Now tell each person to indicate on the chart: three physical
attributes that they like about themselves; three personality
characteristics that they like about themselves; and three talents
or skills that they believe they possess.
4. Tell each person to share their charts with others.

If the group know each other well and are supportive, ask them
to jot down on other people's charts the physical features, skills
and personality traits they like about them.

3.9 The Limits Dartboard
This exercise gets trainees to draw the different things they

would like to do in their lives on the model of a dartboard.
Exercise Style: Poster design
Materials: Flipchart; markers
Steps:
1. Ask each trainee to draw a dartboard on a flipchart. They can
model it on a real dartboard.
2. Tell trainees to divide the dartboard into four concentric rings.
Starting from the outside, these are: the things they can do now
with ease (the easy); the things they can do now but haven't
fully mastered (the difficult); the things they would like to do but
have not yet attempted (the possible); and the things they would
love to do but have never been brave enough to try (the
impossible).
3. Tell each trainee to write examples of each category in each
ring.
4. Go into paired discussion mode and tell trainees to share their
dartboards.

For fun, place charts over a real dartboard. Hand out sets of
darts and tell trainees to aim for their bullseye targets.

3.10 Group Balance
This exercise gets trainees to assess their group at present using

the Yin-Yang table of opposites.
Exercise Style: Group assessment
Materials: Worksheet
Steps:
1. Hand out worksheet, "Group Balance".
2. Ask each trainee to look at the fifteen sets of opposites and to
consider which one best describes the current training group, eg
more masculine than feminine; more dominating than yielding;
more expanding than contracting; and so on.
3. Re-convene the whole group and ask the group to collate each
person's assessments and show the current balance of the group,
eg a score of 120 on the Yang side and 80 on the Ying side.
4. Ask the group to suggest what this means for the group's
growth and development needs.

Encourage trainees to use the chart when they feel the team is
wrongly balanced throughout the course and use this to make
adjustments.

4.
The Worksheets
4 THE WORKSHEETS

Worksheets 1 to 7.

24 Worksheets.

4.1 What Is Potential?
Instructions: Complete the six boxes below in turn. They will

give you a full 360 degree insight into the meaning of potential.
1. What do you understand by 2. What picture does self-

potential? development conjure up?
3. Describe someone you 4. What are the features of

know who has achieved goals developing your potential?
they set themselves.
5. Describe an occasion when 6. Jot down what other people

you set and achieved personal think of potential and self-
goals. development.

4.2 My Talents, My Genius
Instructions: We all have talents and we all have genius. The

chart below gives you an insight to where those talents lie and
what you can accomplish with them.
1. What things do you believe you do better than most people

around you?
2. What kind of things have you done which others have

described as “outstanding”?
3. What kind of skills do you find come easily to you?
4. List past achievements of which you are particularly proud.
5. List future achievements you would be most proud of.

4.3 From Survival To Growth
Instructions: Whether as individuals or as members of a team,

we all experience periods when we are struggling to survive,
periods when we can coast a bit and periods when we can grow.
Jot down examples of such periods in your own life and your life
as a team member.
Personal examples: Team examples:
Survival
Maintenance
Growth

4.4 Who We Are
Instructions: Who we are is a mix of what we were born with,

what we have learnt and what we have set our minds on
becoming. Use the chart below to sort out what parts of your
own skills and talents come from what parts of you.
A. What characteristics of your make-up (eg talents, skills,

cultural attitudes) do you believe you were born with?
B. What characteristics of your make-up (eg talents, skills,

cultural attitudes) do you believe are the result of your
upbringing?
C. What characteristics of your make-up (eg talents, skills,

cultural attitudes) are the result of your own self-development?

4.5 Potential In Situations
Instructions: All situations, even the blackest, have some

potential in them. This means that every situation offers us the
opportunity to learn, to grow or to turn it to some kind of
advantage for ourselves and others. Use the chart to recall a
difficult time and its potential. Then think about now and its
potential.
1. Think of a time when you were up against it. Even in hard

times, what positive opportunities did the situation present?
2. What are the positive opportunities presented by the

situation you are living through at present?

4.6 Overcoming The Odds
Instructions: Examples of individuals who have overcome huge

setbacks to achieve goals and potential are regularly reported on
television and in the press. Jot down below examples that you
have come across; or use an example known to you personally.
1. Who has overcome great odds?
2. What was the situation?
3. Where and when?
4. What were the difficulties faced?
5. What was the outcome?

4.7 The Route To A Goal
Instructions: The route to achieving a much-desired goal is

rarely smooth. We encounter heartache and disappointment;
failure and setback. But we need to keep going. Think about
any time that you set yourself a challenging goal. Jot down what
it felt like at each of the stages from initial blip to success.
Steps: What was it like…
1. the initial blip of

something new
2. disappointment of early
setbacks
3. failure: more going wrong

than right
4. thinking about ways

forward
5. experimenting
6. the arid plateau of learning
7. dogged persistence
8. breakthrough
9. action and hard work

5.
The Quotes
5 THE QUOTES

Quotes 1 to 20.

over 100 Quotes.

"Twenty years from now you will be more

disappointed by the things you didn't do than by
the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines.
Sail away from the safe harbour. Catch the trade
winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover."
(Mark Twain 1835 - 1910)
"A ship in the harbour is safe, but that’s not what

ships are built for."
(Source Unknown)
“The Greeks didn’t write obituaries. They asked only

one question when a man died. “Did he live with
passion?”
(Jeremy Piven in the film “Serendipity”)
"Dream lofty dreams, and as you dream, so shall

you become. Your vision is the promise of what
you shall one day be."
(James Allen)
"We are shaped and fashioned by what we love."

(Goethe)
"Whether one is twenty, forty, sixty, or eighty,

whether one has succeeded, failed or just muddled
along, life begins each morning. Life is a day, this
day. All past days are gone beyond revisiting. All
days that still may come are veiled in mystery.
Each new day is Life and life begins anew with it.
Each night of life is a wall between today and the
past. The greatest fact in life is this, that it is
never too late to start again. However

discouraging your days may have been, keep this

thought burning brightly in your mind: Life Begins
Each Morning!."
(L. M. Hodges)
"To me a winner is someone who recognizes his

God-given talents, works his tail off to develop
them into skills, and uses those skills to
accomplish his goals. Even when I lost, I learned
what my weaknesses were and I went out the next
day to turn those weaknesses into strengths."
(Larry Bird)
"I think the purpose of life is to be useful, to be

responsible, to be honourable, to be
compassionate. It is after all, to matter, to count,
to stand for something, to have made some
difference that you have lived at all."
(Leo C. Rosten)
"As long as you’re going to think, you might as

well think big."
(Donald Trump)
"A hero is an ordinary individual who finds the

strength to persevere and endure in spite of
overwhelming obstacles."
(Christopher Reeve)
"It takes half your life before you discover life is a

do-it-yourself project."
(Napoleon Hill)

"You’ve got to think about big things while you’re

doing small things, so that all the small things go
in the right direction."
(Alvin Toffler)
"I skate where the puck is going to be not where it

has been."
(Wayne Gretzky)
"You must begin to intrinsically think of yourself as

a success in order to become more successful in
the future. If you adopt a mindset that you cannot
achieve something or are ultimately doomed to
failure, you will fail. If you decide that you will
find somehow or some way to achieve your goals,
then you will move forward in your life and
experience a large number of successes."
(Linda Garrison)
"Patience is power. With time and patience, the

mulberry leaf becomes silk."
(Chinese Proverb)
"The way I see it, if you want the rainbow, you

gotta put up with some rain."
(Dolly Parton)
"If you want to take your mission in life to the next

level, if you’re stuck and you don’t know how to
rise, don’t look outside yourself. Look inside.
Don’t let your fears keep you mired in the crowd.
Abolish your fears and raise your commitment
level to the point of no return, and I guarantee

you that the Champion Within will burst forth to

propel you to victory."
(Bruce Jenner)
"A failure is like fertilizer – it stinks to be sure, but

it makes things grow faster in the future."
(Dennis Waitley)
"Success and failure. We think of them as

opposites, but they’re really not. They’re
companions – the hero and the sidekick."
(Lawrence Shames)
"God gives every bird its food, but he does not just
throw it in the nest."
(Source Unknown)
"To reach your goals in life, you’ve got to bridge

the 12 inch gaps between your head, your heart
and your gut."
(Grant M. Bright)
"Consult not your fears but your hopes and

dreams. Think not about your frustrations but
about your unfulfilled potential. Concern yourself
not with what you tried and failed in but with what
it is still possible for you to do."
(Pope John XXIII)

6.
The Quiz
Answers
6 THE QUIZ ANSWERS
are only showing one set of Quiz
Answers.

quiz answers.

6.1 Answers To Quiz Questions 01
Here are the answers to Fill In The Blank Quiz I and II, True or
False? Quiz I and II, Multiple Choice and Donkeys’ Tails.
True or False
True or False
Fill in the
Fill in the
Donkeys’
Blank II
Multiple
Blank I
Choice
Tails
II
I
1 drive experience T T 1-b 1-D
2 talents unparalleled F F 2-c 2-B
3 teleological instinctive T F 3-d 3-A
4 faith associating T F 4-b 4-C
5 focus image T T 5-c 5-E
6 discontent filter F T 6-d 6-F
7 result prophecy T T 7-b 7-G
8 repeat igniters F F 8-d 8-I
9 serendipity chloroforms T F 9-b 9-J
10 pace mystery T F 10-a 10-H

7.
The Exercise
Worksheets
7 THE EXERCISE WORKSHEETS

are only showing the first 3 Exercise
Worksheets.

Exercise Worksheets.

7.1 Success
Instructions: Use these quotes on Success to find out what

people think the meaning of success is.
1. "To know how to wait is the great secret of success."

(Joseph Marie de Maistre)
2. "Success is a state of mind. If you want success, start

thinking of yourself as a success." (Joyce Brothers)
3. "Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key

to success. If you love what you're doing, you will be a
success." (Herbert Cain)
4. "Success seems to be connected with action. Successful

people keep moving. They make mistakes, but they don't
quit." (Conrad Hilton)
5. “We were born to succeed; not to fail.” (Henry David

Thoreau)

7.2 The Donkey’s Tail
Instructions: Split the six quotes below and use each half in
"The Donkey's Tail" exercise.

7.3 Group Balance
Instructions: Assess your chosen group's current balance by

deciding which of the Yin-Yang characteristics below are most
like the Group.

End of
The MTL Maximising Your Potential
E-Manual Sampler
-------------------
Other Books In This Series
Now that you’ve worked through this

sampler, why not fully develop your
team’s skills with this or other books in
the MTL E-Manual Series? Order any
individual manual to learn a specific skill,
or order the full set. It could be the best
investment you ever make in you and
your team.
To order any books in the E-Manual

Series, contact any ManageTrainLearn re-
seller, or visit
http://www.managetrainlearn.com

The MTL E-Manual Series

Maximising Your Potential: The E-Manual Sampler: Managetrainlearn

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The MTL E-Manual: Maximising Your Potential

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www.managetrainlearn.com Page 2 of 57 Get the MTL Experience!

1 THE A TO Z OF MAXIMISING YOUR POTENTIAL............ 6

1. Action, signposts to.................................................... 7

2. Aerobic Exercise ........................................................ 7

5. As-if Practice ............................................................. 8

6. Behavioural Goals ...................................................... 9

7. Body Proportions ....................................................... 9

8. Brain, functions of the ................................................ 9

9. Brain, size of the ..................................................... 10

10. Brain, the conscious ................................................. 10

11. Brain, the subconscious ............................................ 11

12. Brains, left and right ................................................ 11

13. Breakthrough .......................................................... 12

14. Celebration ............................................................. 12

15. Chains of the Past .................................................... 12

16. Commitment ........................................................... 13

17. Deep Breathing ....................................................... 13

18. Determinism ........................................................... 14

19. Diet ....................................................................... 14

20. Excusitis ................................................................. 14

2 THE QUIZZES ............................................................. 16

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2.1 Definitely Definitions I ................................................. 17

2.2 Definitely Definitions II ................................................ 18

2.3 Fill In The Blank Quiz I ................................................ 19

2.4 Fill In The Blank Quiz II ............................................... 20

2.5 The Numbers Game .................................................... 21

2.6 True Or False? Quiz I ................................................... 22

2.7 True Or False? Quiz II ................................................. 23

2.8 Donkeys’ Tails Quiz I ................................................... 24

2.9 Donkeys’ Tails Quiz II .................................................. 25

3 THE EXERCISES .......................................................... 26

3.1 The Definition Contest ................................................. 27

3.2 My Life and Times ....................................................... 28

3.3 Mingle and Match ........................................................ 29

3.4 Quote Success Unquote ............................................... 30

3.5 The Donkey's Tail........................................................ 31

3.6 If They Can Do It... ..................................................... 32

3.7 A Few Of My Favourite Things ....................................... 33

3.8 This Is Me .................................................................. 34

3.9 The Limits Dartboard ................................................... 35

3.10 Group Balance .......................................................... 36

4 THE WORKSHEETS ..................................................... 37

4.1 What Is Potential? ....................................................... 38

4.2 My Talents, My Genius ................................................. 39

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4.3 From Survival To Growth ............................................. 40

4.4 Who We Are ............................................................... 41

4.5 Potential In Situations ................................................. 42

4.6 Overcoming The Odds ................................................. 43

4.7 The Route To A Goal ................................................... 44

5 THE QUOTES .............................................................. 45

6 THE QUIZ ANSWERS .................................................. 50

6.1 Answers To Quiz Questions 01 ...................................... 51

7 THE EXERCISE WORKSHEETS ..................................... 52

7.1 Success ..................................................................... 53

7.2 The Donkey’s Tail........................................................ 54

7.3 Group Balance ............................................................ 55

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