People possess untapped potential in all areas of human endeavor. The uniqueness of human beings is that no clear limits to potential have been discovered.
Genuine
Yes. In William Watson Purkey, What Is Invitational Education and How Does It Work?, conference paper; ERIC ED334488, PDF page 3, Basic Assumptions of Invitational Education, Optimism paragraph.
Checked against William Watson Purkey, What Is Invitational Education and How Does It Work?, conference paper; ERIC ED334488, PDF page 3, Basic Assumptions of Invitational Education, Optimism paragraph, in the text of a page scan, not the image.
- Where
- What Is Invitational Education and How Does It Work?, Basic Assumptions of Invitational Education, Optimism (PDF page 3)
- Source
- William Watson Purkey, What Is Invitational Education and How Does It Work?, conference paper; ERIC ED334488, PDF page 3, Basic Assumptions of Invitational Education, Optimism paragraph
- Checked
- In the text of a page scan, not the image
Researched by AI. Entry updated 25 October 2026. Editorial review: pending. How we check
About this quote
Where it comes from
An English passage checked in Purkey’s 1991 paper, not inferred by translating the Portuguese quotation on Pensador. Pensador cites Journal of Invitational Theory and Practice 1(1); that separate journal printing was not inspected, and its citation is not adopted as the source of this excerpt. No first-use claim is made.
The scene
Purkey explains the optimism assumption of invitational education. The following sentences argue that this belief in undeveloped abilities should shape curricula, school policies, programs, physical surroundings and relationships.
What it means
Present achievement does not exhaust a person’s possibilities. Educators should organize opportunities around the possibility of further development.
Often misread
This is an educational commitment to developing people, not an empirical demonstration that every individual has literally unlimited abilities.
Topics
Related quotes
- While everything in life adds to, or detracts from, human success or failure, nothing is more important in life than people. It is the people who create a respectful, optimistic, trusting and intentional society.
- No one can choose a beneficial direction in life without hope that change for the better is possible.
- A student is the most important person ever in this school.
- Human potential, though not always apparent, is there waiting to be discovered and invited forth. (paraphrase)
- To teach is to influence, and influence never dies. Elbert Hubbard
Sources
Cite it
William W. Purkey, William Watson Purkey, What Is Invitational Education and How Does It Work?, conference paper; ERIC ED334488, PDF page 3, Basic Assumptions of Invitational Education, Optimism paragraph. Checked at Quotogeny, https://quotogeny.com/q/people-possess-untapped-potential/ (25 October 2026).
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Checked by people
People who checked this entry against its source, under their own names. Their checks do not change the verdict: an editor reviews every entry.
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