How should i understand "Stored up kamma"?

I'm reading the book *"The Noble Eightfold Path"* by Ven. Bhikkhu Bodhi. I'm currently reading about *"Right View"* and i have a question regarding an explanation by the author. The quote can be found on p. 19. The highlight in the quote is made by me: >"Kamma can operate across the succession of lifetimes; it can even remain dormant for aeons into the future. **But whenever we perform a volitional action, the volition leaves its imprint on the mental continuum, where it remains as a stored up potency.** When the **stored up kamma** meets with conditions favorable to its maturation, it awakens from its dormant state and triggers off some effect that brings due compensation for the original action." How should *"stored up potency"* or *"stored up kamma"* be understood?