How to live a better life, develop sustaining relationships and lead others.
Intro
Your happiness depends on reaching your full potential. Don’t reach the end of your life without expressing your passion – whatever it may be – and reaching for your personal goals and happiness.
Following the 15 “laws of growth” will help you. Study these laws. Apply their lessons.
1. “The Law of Intentionality”
Ask yourself, “Where do you want to go in life?” Move yourself to take action, today. Don’t worry about making mistakes. Be inspired.
Growth is not easy. Everything worthwhile comes with a price. Be ready to pay that price, but always remember that faith trumps fear. Always believe that you will evolve and base your change process on solid intentions.
2. “The Law of Awareness”
Do you know who you are? You cannot experience personal growth if you do not know yourself and understand what you want to do and achieve.
“If, as Socrates said, ‘The unexamined life is not worth living,’ so [too] the unlived life is worth examining.” Find people who live the kind of life that you want for yourself, study them and pattern yourself after them.
3. “The Law of the Mirror”
Understand that every human being has innate value; find that value in yourself. 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”
To grow, you need the same refreshing pause. Take time to reflect about what you are learning from your experiences. A thoughtful review of the lessons you’ve gained helps ensure that you are on the right track. Stopping to reflect is essential to achieving your dreams.
When you reflect, ask yourself, “What is my biggest asset?” and “What is most fulfilling to me?” Find the answers.
5. “The Law of Consistency”
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. Start with the simplest challenges and move forward.
6. “The Law of Environment”
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.
Our “reference group” – are 95% responsible for your success or failure. Choose them carefully.
7. “The Law of Design”
Approach personal growth as a mission that requires the utmost seriousness of purpose.
Carefully plan your life. Develop deliberate, repeatable disciplines to help you achieve your goals. Organize your work and leisure time. Become consistent in how you structure your days; use your precious time most efficiently.
8. “The Law of Pain”
Difficult events in your life are never fun, but you can learn and grow from painful experiences. Turn them into opportunities to learn. Gain something positive from the bad events in your life.
Awful experiences can lead you to new opportunities. Consider the chicken farmer whose farm flooded every spring – year after year – drowning his chickens. After one particularly bad flood, the farmer complained to his wife that he was at his wits’ end and didn’t know what to do. His wife said: “Buy ducks.” Be like the chicken farmer’s wife. Turn disaster into a brand-new start.
9. “The Law of the Ladder”
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. Being of good character should matter more to you than success.
10. “The Law of the Rubber Band”
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.
11. “The Law of Trade-Offs”
Personal development always involves trade-offs. To achieve your full potential, you must be willing to sacrifice some valued part of your life. Welcome your tough choices and trade-offs. Accepting responsibility for your actions indicates maturity and growth.
12. “The Law of Curiosity”
You cannot grow if you do not learn. Make “why” your favorite word. “My greatest strength as a consultant is to be ignorant and ask a few questions,” The more curious you are, the more you can learn and the more you will grow. To enhance your curiosity, develop the mind-set of a beginner. Don’t be afraid to exhibit a lack of knowledge.
13. “The Law of Modeling”
Personal growth becomes easier when someone knowledgeable guides you on your growth path.
14. “The Law of Expansion”
Whatever you have done, whatever you have achieved, you can do more. Change your “Can I?” thinking to “How can I?” thinking.
15. “The Law of Contribution”
Your life should not center on your personal growth. Be concerned about the needs of those you care about. Consider how you might contribute to their betterment. This is the best way to create internal satisfaction and joy.
American statesman and inventor Benjamin Franklin discovered that the best thing he could do was to help others. He began each day by asking, “What good shall I do today?” He ended each day with this question: “What good have I done today?”
Key Takeaways:
Ask yourself, “Where do you want to go in life?” - The journey will not be easy
Understand what you want to do and achieve
Speak positively with yourself. Encourage, never discourage, yourself. Don’t measure yourself against people around you. Get rid of limiting beliefs
Take time to reflect about what you are learning from your experiences.
Build discipline - Start with the simplest challenges and move forward.
Your environment might be holding you back. Rearrange your surroundings.
Carefully plan your life. Develop deliberate, repeatable disciplines to help you achieve your goals.
Gain something positive from the bad events in your life. Awful experiences can lead you to new opportunities.
Being of good character should matter more to you than success.
Stretching yourself involves change, which is always potentially painful.
Personal development always involves trade-offs.
You cannot grow if you do not learn. Make “why” your favorite word.
Learn from others
Change your “Can I?” thinking to “How can I?” thinking.
Began each day by asking, “What good shall I do today?” He ended each day with this question: “What good have I done today?”