Mel Baggs added to the post “You have so much potential!”:

Any disabled person, especially a cognitively disabled person, with any history at all of being considered gifted, ever in their life, probably has their own, really horrible, relationship with this idea of ‘potential’.

realsocialskills said:

Yes, that too. Phrases associated with that:

• “You’re too smart to waste your potential like this”
• “You must just be bored because the work is too easy”
• “Your gifts aren’t for you; they’re for the whole world” in response to being unable to function in the ways you expected to function
• “The kids who are teasing you today are only on top in high school. Once you get into the working world, you’ll be in charge. They’re just jealous because they know that.”
• “School is hard on smart kids, but college will be much better if you just stick it out so that you can get there.”
• “You’re not applying yourself”