Personal Growth and Steps to Success

Personal Growth and Steps to Success.

What is personal growth, and are there specific steps?

Here are a few notes on what I have done for personal growth and the steps to success I have focused on lately.

School – A place for growth and learning. It was also a place to learn structure and discipline. It was getting there on time, behaving in class, and paying attention. It was a chance to respect authority and play by the rules. It was a place to learn that there are consequences for our choices.

I wish I would have put more effort into school, but that is also a lesson well learned. The school was a place to have friendships—where we hopefully learned to get along with others. School is part of personal growth and a big step towards success.

Family – Looking back, it was and is still a vital part of personal growth. Family is where we realize that we are not in it alone. I am blessed to have a family that loves and supports me. Being part of a family comes with all kinds of opportunities to grow, learn and succeed. A place to support others and to accept help when needed.

Not everyone has this, but a family is a support system that nurtures and feeds you physically, spiritually, and emotionally—also a place where we reap what we sow and learn to love others.

Sports Teams – Learning teamwork is a big lesson in life. We have to individually contribute to the best of our ability for the team’s greater good. Collaboration is where we learn a role and learn to do it well. We rely on others to play their part and play as a team. A team is a place to accept coaching and learn to take direction. We know to drill and do the basics over and over and over again until it becomes second nature.

Teamwork is where we learn the joy of winning and the agony of defeat. We know to be a good sport and congratulate another team for a job well done. We know to resolve conflict and submit to authority. A team is where we find something we like to do and put 100% effort into it.

Teams are where we usually get a taste of success and learn that we want to pursue it.

Church – This will not be on everyone’s list, but it was a big part of my personal growth and success. I learned about love, faith, devotion, serving, listening, praying, and obedience. I learned that there are things in life more important than me! God first is the ingredient to true success for me. Scripture is life’s playbook.

Work – A place to make money. A business to pursue success, grow and develop. I have always tried to get jobs that allow personal growth—not making more money but jobs that push me to be better and do more. A good job will require that we learn new skills and develop more abilities. Sales and Marketing is my field, and it demands better performance. It involves relationship skills and communication. Computer skills and things that take constant learning to achieve results.

Books – There is a saying that readers are leaders, and I believe that. A reading habit goes a long way in a person’s personal development and pursuit of success. Reading books helps us continue to learn something new and keeps our minds sharp. I like looking through the bestsellers to see what is new in various book categories.

Coaching – Having someone older and wiser than you around is precious. Coaches can help you succeed because they have gone before you and have already done it. They can share essential things with you if you are willing to listen. I have taken the time over the years to invite people for a cup of coffee to get their counsel—an excellent step to success.

Article Reading – Somebody somewhere is an expert at something essential and has written an article about it. Your job is to find it and read it.

Serving Others – Some of the greatest moments for me is when I take my eyes off myself long enough to help someone else. There is something that happens that makes you grow personally from that experience. I believe wisdom is given to us when we serve others. I think we can help, and we thrive when we serve.

Keeping a Calendar – Using a calendar is the key to success. Get a calendar, schedule things that line up with your priorities and responsibilities, and you are on your way to personal growth and success. We have to live life on purpose. No accidents and nothing on the calendar that is not worthwhile allowed. Success happens when you schedule it.

Health – I have not always prioritized this one, but it is a big one. You can’t do much if you physically limit yourself with bad health habits. Eat right, exercise, and manage stress. Oh yeah, and sleep!

Dress for Success – We think better when we dress better. I think we are sharp when we look sharp. Dress is a step to success, but I am not advocating getting into debt. Buy what you can afford and take the time to dress the best you can. Go buy yourself something nice right now.

I am sure I can add to this list later, but for now, this is good.