No one ever grew by accident. We may get older by hanging around, but we don't get better. There's a big difference between getting older and getting better.
Not everyone thinks this way.
In my family, the message I got from my elders was that age, experience, and wisdom all come standard with wrinkles and cellulite. As a curious young person, if I disagreed or questioned my elders, their standard answer was. I'm older. I'm wiser. I know better than you.There are plenty of cases where age and experience provides insight. But it isn't an automatic process. Becoming aware of this reality is the first step in becoming a person who makes growth a habit. All those who begin the intentional journey of personal growth never regret it.
Few people have any idea how to grow. Few people have a plan for personal growth. There are people that have worked in the same role, capacity, or job for years and have been stuck at the same level of performance without improvement.
We all know people that are anxious to get over their problems; they may even want to be better–– but they seldom are willing to do what it takes. Average people want to change their circumstances, but won't change themselves.
Self check: Are you average, or are you pursuing excellence and growth with enough awareness and intentionality in order to improve your craft? Do your results reflect consistent personal growth? Or have you reached a plateau? How long have you been there?
To meet your potential, you need to overcome your present circumstances and grow. You need to have a plan for personal growth. Experiment with the following for a day or two... or even for a week or a month. Ask around to see who has a "plan for personal growth." I guarantee that you'll be surprised by how many people have no clue what you mean.
When I first heard John Maxwell talk about a personal growth plan, I started asking myself who I knew that might be on a plan of personal growth. Many people I knew were readers. Many read fiction. Some read books in their industry. But only one of my closest friends and mentors had an intentional and disciplined growth plan.
How many times have you known what you were supposed to do to get through an obstacle, but you procrastinated taking action. You figured, maybe that situation would resolve itself. Maybe the answer would come to you. Or you may have asked people you trusted what they thought you should do, and while the answer they gave made sense to you, you still didn't take action...
Most people accept their lives. They don't lead their lives.
In order to grow, you need to grow on purpose.
The best way to develop a personal growth plan is to learn first how to grow. The 15 invaluable Laws of Growth is a great book. A system for learning exactly what "growth" is all about, and what factors influence our growth most.
For example:
The law of Intentionality: You won't grow by accident. So you need a plan. You need intentionality. You need to be living on purpose.
The law of the mirror: You need to see value in yourself in order to add value to yourself.
The law of awareness: You need to know what areas you are strongest in and which areas you are weakest in, so that you can grow accordingly. Imagine you had weaknesses that you were unaware of... how could those hamper your development? How can you overcome an obstacle you don't know is there? You can't.
The law of design: To maximize your performance, develop a plan. What's your plan? How do you develop a plan to improve yourself?
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