The upside-potential ratio is like having a lemonade stand. Let's say you make 50 cents for every cup of lemonade you sell, and you have 10 cups of lemonade. That means you can make up to $5 if you sell all 10 cups.
Now, imagine you have a new recipe for lemonade that people really like, and you think you can sell twice as many cups. That means you could make up to $10! Your upside-potential ratio is the amount of money you could make with the new recipe compared to the amount of money you could make with your current recipe.
In short, the higher the upside-potential ratio, the bigger the potential reward for taking a risk or making a change. Just like if you tried the new recipe for lemonade, you might make more money than if you stuck with the old recipe. However, there's always a chance that you won't sell as many cups and could end up making less money. That's why it's a ratio--you're comparing the potential gain to the potential risk.