10 Keys to Personal Growth

What does it take to grow in life. Ultimately your success will be related to how fast you grow as a person. The Success Journey by John Maxwell is a book I enjoyed which talks about the steps needed to grow. Here they are with my take on each.
Choose a life of growth  – Any change in your life requires an unequivocal decision. So you have to commit yourself to a life of continuous growth. Read everything you can in your field, identify the experts in your field and get in touch with them. Listen to all the podcasts and read on philosophy.
Start Growing Today – Do it now is the mantra of a successful person. Don’t wait for lightening to hit to start this process. Anything worthwhile takes effort and it requires action today. So start today on your growth plan and take action to implement it.  
Be teachable – You have to think like a beginner. All successful people never think they have learnt it all. As John Wooden said “It is what you learn after you know it all that counts.”
Focus on self-development not self-fulfillment– I think this means that growth is not something that is easy and fulfilling always. There will be tough times so go through those with a smile.
Never be satisfied with current accomplishments – Complacency breeds contempt. No society has survived its own success. Never think you are done and be content. It is nice to feel happy but never stop learning and improving. Always have higher goals you are trying to reach.
Be a continual learner  – This has been drilled into this message but it is true. You need to really have a date with yourself daily to learn something new. The good thing is with the amount of free information available today we all have access to information that earlier generations would have died for.
Concentrate on few major themes -  I take this to mean decide on which areas you want to improve and learn. For example if your sales skills need to improve pick some books on sales and study them.
Develop a plan for growth – As I mentioned earlier have a date with yourself daily for personal growth. For example Bill Gates had think weeks planned where all he did was read on the latest trends. Growth has to be planned and only then can you reap the benefits.
Pay the price  – Like anything in life growth also requires a sacrifice from you. Of course we have so many entertainment options but if you want to win in life you have to concentrate on education and not entertainment. Be willing to pay the price to succeed.  
Find a way to apply what you learn  – I read broadly and sometimes I think some of it cannot be applied. Though I gain knowledge it is only when we can apply something that learning is useful. So always take immediate action and apply learning to make your life a statement of growth.
There you have it the 10 ways to become an agent of growth. If you grow personally you will reap the benefits.
The views expressed here are my own and do not represent my organization.

Comments

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