Have you ever wondered whether you exert yourself fully? Do you give your all? Every ounce. Every drop. What is this thing called untapped energy? And how can you access it?
Physicists will tell you that energy cannot be created or destroyed. Elements, including you, can store, use, or transform it from one form to another. And I’m not disputing that. I only seek answers.
Of the three ways of dealing with energy, which one is best? Most optimal? Or is it better for our energy to go through all the steps? Such that there’s a period when you should store your energy (or use some and store a little), another to use it, and another to change into a different form.
If the latter is the case, how will you know when to do what with your energy? Is there a guide, a protocol, maybe, that one can follow to ensure they are not, for example, storing their energy at a time when they should be using it?
Before we let physicists go, here’s something else they tell us, particularly those reverent to Einstein: Energy is linked to mass, whereas rest energy is inherent to all massive objects. In my not-so-physical brain, my take-home message is that as long as you have mass (m=ρ×V, m= F/a, m= W /g, m=2×KE/ v2, or m=E/ c2), you have some form of energy unique to you. As you can see, mass is a function of many variables. It matters little what your variables, constants, coefficients, and operators are; you need just find your mass, and you will have your energy.
I know. You’re wondering what my point is. Hang on tight, and let’s ride on. As we explore the concept of untapped energy, I invite you to share your thoughts and experiences. Together, we can find the answers we seek and uncover the untapped potential within us.
Let’s switch our focus to psychologists, motivators/performance coaches, athletic coaches, teachers, and parents. These people most often use the phrase “untapped energy” or other versions of it, like “hidden/ unrealized potential.” This is usually about unused mental or physical resources or dormant capabilities that a person has but isn’t fully utilizing. For instance, a student might have untapped intellectual potential, an athlete might have untapped physical potential, and a professional might have untapped creative potential.
But the meaning changes with the context. In psychology, untapped energy refers to mental and emotional potential, such as creativity, resilience, or cognitive abilities that have yet to be fully explored.
A motivator or performance coach will tell you that you have energy stores that you’re not tapping into maximumly. From them, you’ll hear ideas like the 40% rule, meaning that the typical person perceives exhaustion at 40% of their true capacity. The only way to access the remaining 60% is through mental resilience to push beyond self-imposed limits, break bad habits, or unlock new levels of productivity and performance.
Your teachers and parents will encourage you to learn and practice so you can unearth your hidden talents and abilities. Similarly, your soccer (insert your favorite sport) coach will be referring to physical endurance, strength, or skill that you haven’t fully realized or trained for.
This could go on and on, but you get the idea. All humans have some kind of energy, whether physical or mental, that has not been fully put to use. That you and I are capable of more than we currently believe or demonstrate, and with the right effort or guidance, we can unlock and use this hidden potential.
So, the question begs, why is that the case? Must it be that at any point, in any context, there’s an untapped energy that demands exertion on our part or motivation from others to use?
