--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You cannot afford to live in potential…" description: "\"You cannot afford to live in potential for the rest of your life; at some point, you have to unleash the potential and make your move.\" — Eric Thomas" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/241/eric-thomas-1758_afford_you-cannot-afford-to-live-in-potential-f_2288854.png" --- # You cannot afford to live in potential for the rest of… ![“You cannot afford to live in potential for the rest of your life; at some point, you have to unleash the potential and make your move.” quote by Eric Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/241/eric-thomas-1758_afford_you-cannot-afford-to-live-in-potential-f_2288854.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/241/eric-thomas-1758_afford_you-cannot-afford-to-live-in-potential-f_2288854.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/241/eric-thomas-1758_afford_you-cannot-afford-to-live-in-potential-f_2288854.png) > “You cannot afford to live in potential for the rest of your life; at some point, you have to unleash the potential and make your move.” [Eric Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-thomas/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Potential must be acted upon; waiting indefinitely wastes life. **In simple terms:** Take action on your potential now. Key Takeaway Activate potential through decisive action. Themes motivation potential action Mood inspirational energetic Type motivational empowering When to use this quote - career planning - personal development - entrepreneurship Key Concepts self‑actualization goal setting personal growth Questions to Reflect On - What steps can you take today? - How to overcome fear of potential? A Different Perspective Fear of failure can stall action. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Rest of your life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rest-of-your-life/) ## Related quotes > [“Praise someone today and you’ll unleash their potential forever.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/farshad-asl/praise-someone-today-and-you-ll-unleash-their-potential-forever/) [Farshad Asl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/farshad-asl/) > [“Unleash the potential that is in another and you unleash the potential that is in you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matshona-dhliwayo/unleash-the-potential-that-is-in-another-and-you-unleash-the/) [Matshona Dhliwayo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matshona-dhliwayo/) > [Unleash your potential](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abegunde-sunday-o/unleash-your-potential/) [Abegunde Sunday O](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abegunde-sunday-o/) > [“Your job is to unleash the full potential of each person on your team.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liz-wiseman/your-job-is-to-unleash-the-full-potential-of-each-person-on-your-team/) [Liz Wiseman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liz-wiseman/) > [UNLEASH YOUR POTENTIAL by Abegunde Sunday is a great motivational book to enable you to unveil your full capability. This book does much more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abegunde-sunday-o/unleash-your-potential-by-abegunde-sunday-is-a-great-motivational/) [Abegunde Sunday O](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abegunde-sunday-o/) > [There is power in helping people get excited about what they do and inspiring and motivating them to unleash their full potential.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denise-morrison/there-is-power-in-helping-people-get-excited-about-what-they-do-and/) [Denise Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denise-morrison/) > [You can't live off potential for the rest of your life. So get up, get out and go get you some!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-thomas/you-can-t-live-off-potential-for-the-rest-of-your-life-so-get-up-get/) [Eric Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-thomas/) > [We are nature. Our every tinkering is nature, our every biological striving. We are what we are, and the world is ours. We are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paolo-bacigalupi/we-are-nature-our-every-tinkering-is-nature-our-every-biological/) [Paolo Bacigalupi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paolo-bacigalupi/) > [“The good words reveal weaknesses and unleash potential.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toba-beta/the-good-words-reveal-weaknesses-and-unleash-potential/) [Toba Beta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toba-beta/) > [More than anything else, what differentiates people who live up to their potential from those who don't is a willingness to look at themselves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-dalio/more-than-anything-else-what-differentiates-people-who-live-up-to/) [Ray Dalio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-dalio/) > [“Live up to your potential, not down to others expectation.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-faulkner/live-up-to-your-potential-not-down-to-others-expectation/) Michael Faulkner > [You are capable of so much more. You have so much more to learn and to give. 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My head gets in the way,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-cole/i-need-to-live-up-to-my-potential-wherever-that-may-be-in-all-aspects/) [Chris Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-cole/) > [America can only live up to its potential when each and every American has the chance to live up to your potential, too.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/america-can-only-live-up-to-its-potential-when-each-and-every/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) ## More by Eric Thomas > [Your relationships will either make you or break you and there is no such thing as a neutral relationship. People either inspire you to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-thomas/your-relationships-will-either-make-you-or-break-you-and-there-is-no/) [Eric Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-thomas/) > [At some point in life you have to face your fears.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-thomas/at-some-point-in-life-you-have-to-face-your-fears/) [Eric Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-thomas/) > [When you're great! You attract great! When you're average! You attract average!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-thomas/when-you-re-great-you-attract-great-when-you-re-average-you-attract/) [Eric Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-thomas/) > [“It's not easy, but it's simple.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-thomas/it-s-not-easy-but-it-s-simple/) [Eric Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-thomas/) > [I kind of knew that there were a lot of people that didn't go to church and normally wouldn't listen to people, but they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-thomas/i-kind-of-knew-that-there-were-a-lot-of-people-that-didn-t-go-to/) [Eric Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-thomas/) > [Las Vegas doesn't allow ( tourism ) to dictate the social norms of their community. 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Ask, Believe and Claim It.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-thomas/apply-the-abc-s-of-success-to-your-life-ask-believe-and-claim-it/) [Eric Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-thomas/) > [“IDENTIFY your CHALLENGE area. Describe the thoughts that you commonly have in that area. Describe the things that you commonly say concerning that area…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-thomas/identify-your-challenge-area-describe-the-thoughts-that-you-commonly/) [Eric Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-thomas/) > [If you sleep,you will miss the OPPORTUNITY to be successful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-thomas/if-you-sleep-you-will-miss-the-opportunity-to-be-successful/) [Eric Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-thomas/) > [Sometimes it ain’t about being the most talented. Sometimes it ain’t about being the smartest. Sometimes it’s not even about working the hardest. Sometimes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-thomas/sometimes-it-ain-t-about-being-the-most-talented-sometimes-it-ain-t/) [Eric Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-thomas/) > [The difference between those who succeed and fail: not taking advantage of opportunities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-thomas/the-difference-between-those-who-succeed-and-fail-not-taking/) [Eric Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-thomas/) > [I think my greatest strengths are my hands. I am also good at getting separation from the defender and finding ways to get open.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-thomas/i-think-my-greatest-strengths-are-my-hands-i-am-also-good-at-getting/) [Eric Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-thomas/) [Explore all 210 Eric Thomas quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-thomas/) ## More Afford quotes > [We can't afford any president to fail.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-beck/we-can-t-afford-any-president-to-fail/) [Glenn Beck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-beck/) > [Just because you can afford it doesn't mean you should buy it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suze-orman/just-because-you-can-afford-it-doesn-t-mean-you-should-buy-it/) [Suze Orman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suze-orman/) > [I am not a Ph.D. in economics or a doctorate in literature that I can afford to take my singing lightly. Even if I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kailash-kher/i-am-not-a-ph-d-in-economics-or-a-doctorate-in-literature-that-i-can/) [Kailash Kher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kailash-kher/) > [Now I'm having to live with sales of around 50,000 per album - but I'm pretty content with my place in the general scheme…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-knopfler/now-i-m-having-to-live-with-sales-of-around-50-000-per-album-but-i-m/) [David Knopfler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-knopfler/) > [I was lucky because I got so successful so early, and when you get successful early, then you can afford to be a little…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-von-furstenberg/i-was-lucky-because-i-got-so-successful-so-early-and-when-you-get/) [Diane von Furstenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-von-furstenberg/) > [I have crooked toes from wearing boots that didn't fit me because that's all I could afford as a kid.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonah-lomu/i-have-crooked-toes-from-wearing-boots-that-didn-t-fit-me-because/) [Jonah Lomu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonah-lomu/) > [The most common reason new mothers return to work sooner than they'd like to is because they can't afford to go without their salaries…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexa-von-tobel/the-most-common-reason-new-mothers-return-to-work-sooner-than-they-d/) [Alexa Von Tobel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexa-von-tobel/) > [This fatigue can not afford to do](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israa-ali/this-fatigue-can-not-afford-to-do/) [ISRAA ALI](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israa-ali/) > [A good player is a good player, it's just that we cannot afford signings that do not work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-dyche/a-good-player-is-a-good-player-it-s-just-that-we-cannot-afford/) [Sean Dyche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-dyche/) > [I'm not the most talented writer in the world. I know that. But I also know that I'm disciplined, that I work my butt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-b-coe/i-m-not-the-most-talented-writer-in-the-world-i-know-that-but-i-also/) [David B. Coe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-b-coe/) > [Unfortunately, some people go to a restaurant, and they aren't really there to enjoy themselves. They're there because they think they deserve to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-dinicol/unfortunately-some-people-go-to-a-restaurant-and-they-aren-t-really/) Joe Dinicol > [Nobody has so many friends that he can afford to lose one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-abbey/nobody-has-so-many-friends-that-he-can-afford-to-lose-one/) [Edward Abbey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-abbey/) > [My earliest memories were when my mom would put me in the plays that she was in because she couldn't afford a babysitter... she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christina-applegate/my-earliest-memories-were-when-my-mom-would-put-me-in-the-plays-that/) [Christina Applegate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christina-applegate/) > [In Washington journalists can afford to live almost as well as people who work for a living.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/in-washington-journalists-can-afford-to-live-almost-as-well-as-people/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [I'm a little bit tough because I can't afford to get my heart broken.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandi-glanville/i-m-a-little-bit-tough-because-i-can-t-afford-to-get-my-heart-broken/) [Brandi Glanville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandi-glanville/) Browse all 784 Afford quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "You cannot afford to live in potential for the rest of your life; at some point, you have to unleash the potential and make your move.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Eric Thomas" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-thomas/you-cannot-afford-to-live-in-potential-for-the-rest-of-your-life-at/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Afford" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-thomas/you-cannot-afford-to-live-in-potential-for-the-rest-of-your-life-at/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/241/eric-thomas-1758_afford_you-cannot-afford-to-live-in-potential-f_2288854.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/241/eric-thomas-1758_afford_you-cannot-afford-to-live-in-potential-f_2288854.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/241/eric-thomas-1758_afford_you-cannot-afford-to-live-in-potential-f_2288854.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“You cannot afford to live in potential for the rest of your life; at some point, you have to unleash the…” — Eric Thomas", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Eric Thomas", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-thomas/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "You cannot afford to live in...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-thomas/you-cannot-afford-to-live-in-potential-for-the-rest-of-your-life-at/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-thomas/you-cannot-afford-to-live-in-potential-for-the-rest-of-your-life-at/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```