One of the greatest words in the English language is potential. It seeks optimism, filled with hope and promises success. It hints at fulfillment and greatness. The word potential is filled with possibilities. When you think about your own potential you get excited about your future. Do you have potential? OF COURSE!
I believe that you have the desire to reach potential but how do you reach it? In order to reach potential, we must grow. Just like nature. The potential of a sunflower seed is to become the greatest sunflower. But in order for it to become a sunflower, it must grow. And to grow we must be intentional about it. To grow we must learn to have the right attitude, learn more about our strength, tap into our passion and become more. Author John C Maxwell is a mastermind when it comes to leadership, business and growth. He once said something that left us in thought and wonder. He said " To discover your purpose, you need to grow in self-awareness. To become a better human being, you need to grow in your skills. To be a better spouse or parent, you need to grow in relationship. To reach your financial goals, you need to grow knowledge about how money works." According to Maxwell, theirs 10 laws of growth and we want to share that with you! 1. The Law of Intentionality We don't grow overnight. You are responsible for your growth Ask yourself, “Where do you want to go in life?” Personal growth doesn't happen on its own. It takes persistence, faith, patience, knowledge, and action. And as you grow you must learn how to grow more. The biggest part of growth in action. Don't worry if you fail always keep in this question in mind/ “What would you attempt to do if you knew you wouldn’t fail?” Be bold. Growth isn't going to be easy. it's going to require you to get out of your comfort zone and to pay the price. But in the end, its worth it because this is what will shape your life. 2. The Law of Awareness In order for you to want to grow. You must first be aware of it. You have to be aware of where you are in life and where you want to go. You must be aware of yourself, as in who you are as a person, what impact you want to make and what you want to achieve. Be aware of your surroundings. Its proven that you become the 5 people you hang out most with and if you want to achieve some sort of success then you need to find a group of people that are already there and associate yourself with them. 3. The Law of the Mirror What do you see when you look in the mirror? Do you see yourself as confident, beautful, happy, successful, abundant? However, you see yourself when you look in the mirror is what you become. Especially what you say to yourself when no ones listening. In order to improve yourself, you must believe that you're worth it. If you lack self-esteem you won't grow and prosper. To improve your self-image, speak positively with yourself. Encourage, never discourage, yourself. Don’t measure yourself against people around you. Understand that it is OK to focus on yourself. Get rid of “limiting beliefs” – the restrictions you tell yourself you can’t surmount. Applaud for yourself when you do something well. 4. The Law of Reflection “Follow effective action with quiet reflection. From the quiet reflection will come even more effective action.” Coca-Cola once advertised that its soft drink is “the pause that refreshes.” To grow, you need the same refreshing pause. Take moments throughout the day to reflect on what you learned and what you've done. A review of what you learned is important to achieving your dreams. 5. The Law of Consistency Motivation gets you going–Discipline keeps you growing. Develop the good habits that lead to success. Just showing up is 80% of success. Some people just don’t show up. You can beat them pretty easily by just being consistent in showing up. If you aren’t disciplined, all the motivation in the world won’t help you grow. Taking the steps necessary to grow each day requires discipline. George Lorimer said, “You’ve got to get up every morning with determination if you’re going to go to bed with satisfaction.” Give yourself a good chance to change inside. Start with the simplest challenges and move forward. “I work on the same principle as people who train horses,” says industrialist Ian MacGregor. “You start with low fences – easily achieved goals – and work up 6. The Law of Environment Growth thrives in conducive surroundings. Mark Cane says: “The first step toward success is taken when you refuse to be a captive of the environment you first find yourself in.” Check out my blog titled “Are you in a Growth environment.” If you are always at the head of the class you are in the wrong class. You may be motivated, disciplined and ready to change. But your environment might be holding you back. Rearrange your surroundings in line with the formula “growth = change.” Examine your circumstances to determine how they might hinder you. Find new settings that will sustain, not inhibit, you. Your environment includes the people in your life. You can’t get ahead if the people around you keep you down. Harvard social psychologist David McClelland teaches that the people with whom you associate on a daily basis – your “reference group” – are 95% responsible for your success or failure. Choose them carefully 7. The Law of Design To maximize growth, develop strategies. Jim Rohn says: “If you don’t design your own life plan, chances are you will fall into someone else’s plan. And guess what they may have planned for you? NOT much. "Approach personal growth as a mission that requires the utmost seriousness of purpose. Become proactive about your life in the areas in which you plan to grow. Every Christmas Day, after spending time with his family, author John Maxwell retreats to his study. He works there until New Year’s Eve, minutely examining his appointment calendar to determine how he spent his time the previous year. After this strategic review, Maxwell arranges exactly how he will spend his time in the coming year.
8. The Law of Pain Good management of bad experiences leads to great growth. You must suffer pain to realize a gain. No pain, No gain. No investment, no ROI. Difficult events in your life are never fun, but you can learn and grow from painful experiences. The last thing you should do when tough times hit is to feel sorry for yourself. Everyone deals with negative circumstances at some time. Turn them into opportunities to learn. Gain something positive from the bad events in your life. Long-distance swimmer Diana Nyad says, “I am willing to put myself through anything; temporary pain or discomfort means nothing to me as long as I can see that the experience will take me to a new level.” 9. The Law of the Ladder Character growth determines the height of your personal growth. Doug Firebaugh says: “Achievement to most people is something you do…to the high achiever, it is something you are.” Be great! Anyone who ascends a ladder balanced on uneven ground is asking for trouble. The higher you go, the shakier things become. Trying to improve yourself without paying attention to your character will result in tears. Everything worthwhile depends on the foundation of character. How high you can climb depends on who you are. Being of good character should matter more to you that success. Russian authorities imprisoned Alexander Solzhenitsyn because he was critical of Joseph Stalin. Solzhenitsyn wrote of his doleful experience: “I bless you, prison – I bless you for being in my life – for there lying on rotting prison straw, I learned the object of life is not prospering as I had grown up believing, but the maturing of the soul.” 10. The Law of the Rubber Band Growth stops when you lose the tension between where you are and where you could be. W. Somerset Maugham says: “Only a mediocre person is always at his best.” If you aren’t stretching yourself than you aren’t growing. Don’t let the rubber band become limp. Be prepared to step out of your comfort zone and stretch yourself like a rubber band. Many people find this so difficult that they cannot develop in any meaningful way. They remain less than what they could have been – if only they were willing or able to expand. Stretching yourself involves change, which is always potentially painful. Stretching also includes the taking of risk, which is a courageous act; the alternative is a dull and unfulfilling existence. As aviation photography pioneer A.G. Buckham said, “Monotony is the awful reward of the careful.” Successful people never want to remain in their comfort zones.