Change Is Automatic–I Wish.

2018 was an amazing year.  I learned so much. It’s so funny (well, maybe not) just when I think I’ve arrived, I discover a personal area that needs improvement. Why can’t growth just be automatic, like babies automatically grow into adults?  That’s what I would like. But, noooooooooo, we have to work at changing ourselves to reach our full potentail…unless it’s growth around my waist from the holidays.

To reach our full potential, we have to be intentional about growth. The Latin root word for potential is potent, meaning having great power, effect or influence. This power and influence is unlocked by personal growth. Potential is defined as having latent qualities or abilities that may be developed and lead to future success or usefulness.

Dennis and I took the Maxwell DISC assessment, a personal assessment that measures individual personality and behavioral styles. It’s also used to improve work productivity, teamwork, leadership, sales, and communication. We took this assessment, so we could be more effective communicators with each other. We sat together and enjoyed sharing our strengths. Dennis pled the fifth at times when I shared my suggested areas of improvement. Didn’t say one word. Strengths, if over used, can be weaknesses.  To reach my full potential, one of my goals this year is to grow in gentleness. That’s all I’m sayin’.

John Maxwell wrote the book, “The 15 Invaluable Laws of Growth,” to help us understand how personal growth works. Growing helps us become more effective and fulfilled in our lives. Each person’s growth plan will be unique, but John suggests we endeavor to grow in these areas:

That’s quite the list, isn’t it?  When I began to grow in just one of those areas, it automatically helped me grow in self-awareness. That’s a bonus–kind of a twofer. /whatIf the list seems overwhelming, celebrate the areas that you are strong in already. Pick one area where you might want to improve. Then start. Get intentional.Formulate a plan to grow in that one area. I can promise you, growth in that one area will feel so good, you’ll want to grow in the others.

My experience has been that once I became intentional on the  journey of personal growth, I didn’t want to stop. Everytime I stepped outside of my comfort zone into growth, I felt so empowered, that growing became addictive.  AND the more I grew, the more attractive I became.  Remember, we don’t get who or what we want, we get who we are.  I began to attract more good into my life and isn’t that what we desire? Imagine how that is going to have a positive impact not only personally, but in our ability to lead.

John tells us that if we focus on goals, we may hit them–but that doesn’t guarantee growth. If we focus on growth, we will grow and always hit goals.

Growing in gentleness,

Jan

Jan McDonald
The John Maxwell Team

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