A science-based guide to developing your maximum potential in your career and personal life
Unlocking your hidden potential isn’t about innate talent or luck. It’s shaped by your environment, your mindset, and a set of habits that anyone can learn.
This is the core message Adam Grant shared at the World Business Forum (WOBI) in Madrid… and one that I personally experienced while training for a half marathon I never thought I could run.
Grant —one of the most influential voices in organizational psychology— defines hidden potential not as something you discover, but as a capability you develop through intention, the right support, and curiosity.
In this post, I translate his seven major lessons into practical strategies for your professional and personal growth.
Whether you are a leader, senior executive, HR professional, or someone committed to personal development, these ideas will help elevate your performance, well-being, and impact.
Choose relationships that push you forward—not those that keep you comfortable
I started running 5Ks with my brother, a wonderful giver but far too kind to push me to the next level 😊.
Everything shifted when I joined a running club. Suddenly the conversation changed. The reference point changed. And so did my potential.
The question was no longer “How many kilometers do you run?”
but “When are we doing the half marathon?”
“That’s good… but you can do more.”
In organizations, the same principle applies:
- Seek colleagues who challenge you respectfully.
- Surround yourself with people who expect more from you.
- Build diverse networks that expose you to new ideas.
Growth happens where your environment stretches you.
Turn criticism into coaching—and feedback into forward-looking advice
Feedback can help you… or paralyze you. Grant explains that feedback looks backward, while advice looks forward.
Before the Tenerife half marathon, I did something different: I asked for advice.
My teammates told me:
- “Split the race into two parts.”
- “After the first 10K, reset mentally.”
- “Your real race starts at kilometer 10.”
That practical, future-oriented advice changed everything.
I needed a game plan.
At work, the same approach applies:
- Ask: “If you were me, what would you do?”
- Seek advice early, not only feedback at the end.
- Build teams where coaching is natural.
Honest conversations shift—and so does your performance.
Build psychological safety: Take the challenge seriously, but not yourself
Adam put it perfectly:
“Take your work seriously, but don’t take yourself too seriously.”
In my first half marathon in Tenerife:
- I wasn’t going to break a record.
- I wasn’t going to win a medal.
- I wasn’t there to impress anyone.
I was there to learn.
This mental shift lowered the pressure and increased my sense of calm.
No high expectations—just the possibility of finishing.
This is essential for well-being and sustainable performance:
- Reduce pressure
- Increase curiosity
- Allow mistakes as part of learning
When you do this, confidence grows naturally.
Make the unknown familiar
Big challenges are intimidating. Break them down.
The 21 kilometers were uncharted territory for me.
But the unknown becomes manageable when divided into smaller parts.
My running partner Miguel turned the long distance into familiar segments:
- 0–5 km: warm-up
- 5–10 km: routine
- 10–16 km: previously trained territory
- 17–21 km: adventure… but with the finish line almost visible
I apply the same approach in my coaching and leadership programs with executives:
When you transform a huge challenge into manageable steps, motivation increases and anxiety decreases.
At kilometer 18, I was smiling.
At kilometer 19, I felt unstoppable.
At kilometer 21… I had unlocked my hidden potential 😊.
In organizations:
- Break massive projects into achievable milestones
- Replace uncertainty with clarity
- Reduce anxiety by increasing predictability
The unknown becomes manageable—and even exciting.
Find the rough diamond: Evaluate progress, not the starting point
One of my favorite lessons.
Grant insists we should evaluate people —and ourselves— based on their capacity to improve, not their initial performance.
What matters is not the first result, but the learning curve.
My first attempt at a half marathon (Verona) was a failure.
My second (Tenerife) was a personal triumph.
Questions that emerged:
- Can I run long distance?
- Am I open to new experiences?
- Am I willing to improve, even if I don’t shine at the beginning?
This is the essence of hidden potential
—and of long-term sustainability.
Don’t choose the person who shines first.
Choose the one who keeps shining over time.
For leaders, the key questions are:
- Is this person willing to learn?
- Can they go the long distance?
- How open are they to new experiences?
- What happens between the first attempt and the second?
This mindset allows you to identify sustainable talent.
Change your mindset: Think like a scientist
A scientific mindset allows constant adaptation and growth.
Grant explains it simply: treat your beliefs as hypotheses to test against real data.
“I’m not a long-distance runner.”
That sentence lived in my mind. A classic fixed mindset.
When I switched to a scientific mindset, I formed a new hypothesis:
“I think I can finish a half marathon.”
Then I gathered data:
- stable heart rate
- comfortable pace
- positive sensations
My Garmin became my empirical study with biofeedback.
The evidence was clear: I could.
Scientific-minded leaders:
- Test assumptions
- Collect data
- Run small experiments
- Adjust their views when evidence changes
In a world shaped by AI and rapid transformation, this mindset is essential.
Don’t wait to feel confident—act first
Confidence is not the prerequisite for action; it’s the result of action.
When I was encouraged to run my first half marathon, I thought I needed more training.
When someone first told me “you should write a book,” I thought I needed more research.
When I was invited to speak to 1,500 executives, my impostor syndrome skyrocketed.
If I had waited to feel fully ready, I would have done none of it.
Acting —even with doubt— is what builds confidence.
This applies to writing a book, leading a team, changing careers, innovating…
or running a half marathon.
Final Reflection: How to Unlock Your Hidden Potential
The half marathon wasn’t just a running challenge.
It was the perfect metaphor for the seven lessons Adam Grant shared at WOBI:
- Surround yourself with people who lift you higher
- Turn criticism into growth
- Adjust your ego
- Break down the unknown
- Measure progress, not beginnings
- Think like a scientist
- Act before you feel fully ready
Developing your potential —at work and in life— is possible with small decisions driven by heart, consistent habits, and high-quality relationships. You can read more about Hidden Potential in Adam Grant’s book “Hidden Potential”
What’s your unfinished half marathon?
It doesn’t need to be athletic.
It can be professional, emotional, creative, or personal.
I support companies seeking to strengthen trust, enhance wellbeing, and develop high-performing teams in an era shaped by AI and rapid change.
I offer motivational speaking keynotes, executive leadership programs, and cultural transformation workshops designed to deliver immediate and sustainable impact.
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ABOUT ME
PhD in Management Psychology from the State University of New York (Buffalo), Fulbright Scholar at Harvard University, Master’s in Psychology from Clark University, and Professor at IE University. International speaker and award-winning author, passionate about transforming leaders and organizations through authenticity, well-being, and positive change. Author of Yours Truly.
