4 Actions That Target Your Personal Growth
We all have areas where we want to improve; health, work, family, finances, you name it. But reality can get in the way – along with a busy schedule that doesn’t leave any room for quiet time, let alone personal development. We also sometimes lose focus or can’t muster the willpower to take the steps to create the improvement we so desire. Or maybe we just don’t know where or how to start.
There’s a saying I often mention to my clients who are trying to grow their business – you need to know where you are to figure out how to get where you want to be. So, where are you now? Where do you want to be? What do you want your life (or business) to look like? In 3 months, 1 year, 3 years, 5 years? Define your targets and figure out the action steps you need to take immediately to move you toward your goal. If you don’t know the goal, how do you decide which way to go or which opportunity to jump on? Without direction you can get so lost and frustrated that you lose your creative spark, and give up just a few steps from the finish line.
You need a unique, individualized growth plan. For your personal development, and for your business. You have to know where you are, where you want to be, and what roads to take to get you there. You CAN achieve the vision you have of yourself, but it’s something you will need to consciously think about and work toward. If you don’t plan your own development and growth, no one else will.
Here are 4 steps you can take to create your unique growth plan.
1. Know Thyself
In order to plan for the future, reflect on your past experiences, your weaknesses, and strengths – they’ve made you who you are today. Clarify your own unique values, such as integrity, respect for others, leadership, honesty. Your values define your position – at the workplace, with family and friends, in your romantic relationships. Ask yourself:
- What do I want my life to look like (emotional and physical health, finances, career, relationships, activities, possessions, spiritual, etc.)?
- What are my greatest achievements?
- What are my strengths?
- What are my weaknesses?
- What skills do I have?
- What are my personal goals?
- What are my career ambitions?
- What steps have I taken to pursue these goals and ambitions?
Once you’ve asked and answered these questions, you’ll have a better idea of who you are and what you truly value.
2. Develop your vision
So where do you see yourself in the future? What does your perfect world look like?
What does your house look like? What car are you driving? How big is your family? How many pets do you have? What career field are you enjoying? What kind of vacations do you take? How much cash do you have? How many best-selling books have you written?
Ever heard of a vision board? It’s a powerful little tool that can be really simple or really elaborate. My most powerful one was created using colored markers and white poster board. Now I use apps available online. But that first one I created while living abroad – and when I unpacked it just a few years later I realized that EVERYTHING I had created on that poster had come true. Now I wish I had imagined even greater things – who knows what could have happened already!
So create your vision board! Then write out action steps you can take today to move you from where you are to where you KNOW you want to be. Brainstorm multiple paths to get you to your goal so that when obstacles pop up you can switch to another path for a while. Don’t get stressed about timing – be flexible in your planning because when those obstacles crop up they can mess with your project coordination and timing. The goal is to keep moving. Failure is irrelevant – it just means you need to correct your course and keep moving toward your goal.
3. Assess your present-day situation
Implementing your plan can be difficult at first. But with dedication and an eye on the prize you’ll soon find that taking action becomes a daily habit. Putting your strengths to good use will harness your energy level so that it’s utilized efficiently. Outsourcing for your weaknesses can free up valuable time – hire a housekeeper, an assistant, or a yard maintenance company, get an online virtual assistant, use an online scheduling program, the opportunities are endless.
Set up achievement milestones, and celebrate when you reach them. Smaller goals give you the motivation and drive you need to work your way to the big ones. And each time you reach a milestone or achieve one of the small goals, reward yourself for your hard work!
4. Review your progress
Each project needs to be reviewed and assessed. Your unique growth plan is no different. You should schedule your review on a weekly basis to start, no more than monthly, until you build up the discipline and the habit of checking in internally and moving forward regardless of what is going on in your life to distract you.
It’s crucial that you take a step back and look at all the hard work you’ve accomplished.
Check to see if you’ve left anything out or missed any deadlines. Or maybe the mini-goals you set up last time don’t fit your criteria any longer, or they need tweaking or readjusting. Reflect on your experience and consider everything you’ve learned. This will ensure that you keep moving forward toward your long-term goal and the vision you’ve created.
Pull out that vision board every day – at a minimum during your weekly review. Step back into the feeling you get when you see yourself living your new reality. That feeling is what will keep you moving forward, and will help attract those things into your life. Be grateful for every step you’ve managed to take, and every scrap of evidence that showed up to prove to you that you CAN make things happen.
Final Thoughts
You create your own reality. The life you are living today is a direct result of the choices you have made and the steps you have or haven’t taken. If you want your life to change, you have to take action NOW. Move toward your vision. Take a baby step. A baby falls a hundred times before he learns to stand. But he keeps trying and eventually learns to walk. You can too!
If something is keeping you stuck and you just can’t take a single step, we should talk. If you can’t see a better future for yourself, there’s something out of balance in your body that we need to take care of so you can live your best life. You can do it!
