Potential
The word potential literally indicates towards capability or capacity of certain person or a thing. The word potential has been used in physical science to indicate the energy that a body posses by the virtue of its position. Similar analogy can be drawn in social science. We can refer to something as a potential of some body if he or she by the virtue of their capability or capacity successfully involve in accomplishing a goal or target.
Potential can be also perceived as precipitating factor for something. For an instance, the potential cause of cancer is a carcinogenic element. Or potential cause of a specific mood disorder can be incidents like sudden trauma, negative life events, chronic stress and many other associated factors. Again a person who is born with genetic predisposition towards certain disorder, possesses a potential of developing the disorder when they are triggered by certain circumstances.