What keeps you from realizing your true potential as an artist or a musician or any creative talent?

Laziness and lack of talent.

This is a part of a poetry about how art is formed, from inspiration, passing on to skills, and then art.

So what keeps you from realizing your potential can be the lack of opportunity to learn the skills to express;
or that you have no inspiration in your life to make you feel like you want to create something to express them.

I have made every single dollar in my entire life, since 1973, in live music.  Classical performing, THOUSANDS of gigs (lawn weddings, etc.).  DH and I taught music in the schools of NY state for over/under 30 years each.  Retired at 55 (yep - early - at full Union benefits) and continued our private studio, stopped seeking gig work, and now only play concerts in venues that are know for great facilities and high quality of the performers that are booked there.  We do this very often pro bono - we no longer need to be paid, and younger players do.  Our way of giving back.  And we are playing at the highest levels we ever have - the most demanding literature that was not a possibility when we were teaching school, playing weekends, etc.  That - and we travel internationally a lot - not playing - relaxing!  If you focus and work hard - and learn a LOT about managing your finances when young - your dreams come true, and you live like minor royalty.  Took tons of education, perseverance, hard work and other sacrifices when younger - but it can be done.  People who ask here is teaching themselves guitar and yowling some song they wrote, on a TV competition show, will make them fame and a fortune - no clue.  WORK works.

i'm pretty sure i realized my true potential in every artistic field a long, long time ago

which is why i work at a desk

Top 2 Reasons:
1. Don't practice enough
2. You chose a bad teacher or...no teacher.
(Youtube is not a teacher)

The only thing that stops me is laziness and lack of commitment. A real musician or painter practices for hours each day and loves it. 

I'm really bad at art, I'm better with sports, I'm 27 and I played baseball and soccer (briefly) during high school. However, mandatory art classes helped me come out of the closet during my senior year. It has nothing to do with sexuality but in my case it worked that way. It's a free environment. Sport's not. 

I suck at art so I know I would be no good