Category: Personal Growth

How Committed Are You to Improving Yourself?

How committed are you to making yourself better? How satisfied are you with your current level of performance, current skills, and results?

I usually find that people are either committed and working to improve their skills, or they are making no effort and are content with their current situation.

When I think about the people that consistently seek opportunities to grow and what makes them unique, I have found these four attributes.

  1. Know their strengths and weaknesses. They typically know themselves. They have evaluated their skills. They focus on making their strengths even stronger.
  2. Willing to invest in their growth. Those most committed to growth, invest their money in their growth. They believe in themselves.
  3. Willing to step out of their comfort zone. Getting out of your normal routine, and exploring new options are a way of life for these people. They like to learn new things.
  4. Willing to fail. Overcoming failure may be the most important trait for people that want to continue to get better. Failure stops many people from future success. But those that turn failure into learning, will try again. Great success does not come without failure.

Where are you when it comes to these attributes? If you are like me, your intent is always bigger than your actions. Just knowing these attributes changes nothing. It is the action that counts. I admit I struggle staying motivated to put all of these into action every day.

No matter how well you do on these attributes, there is always room for improvement.

Do You Have the Desire to Achieve Your Goals?

You don’t have to teach a child to walk. The desire to walk is what causes a child to learn to walk. If you truly desire to achieve your goals, you will find a way to achieve them.

The biggest obstacle for desire is fear. We fear failure. We fear making mistakes. We fear how others will view us. Fear separates us from our desire and from achieving our desired results.

Lack of clarity is the other obstacle that interferes with our desire. The more real the goal is in your mind, the easier it is to reach. If you drive across country without a GPS device or a map, you may reach your destination, but it probably will take longer and be much more difficult. But don’t confuse clarity of the goal with clarity of every segment along the way. You don’t have to know “how” you will get there, you just have to keep the destination clearly in mind.

If you are like me, you may find reflection and writing a journal could help. At the end of the day, I take a few minutes to concentrate on my goals. I write my thoughts on paper, and it provides clarity. It is a simple process, but requires dedication and commitment.

Often, I realize my actions have taken me away from my goal. When I refocus on the goal, I can adjust my plans for the next day or week. If I find myself just checking off action items, it is a reminder that action does not equal achievement.

Every day we must find a way to recharge our desire, because desire will lead to success. Do you have the desire you need to follow through on your goals?

Are You Feeling Overwhelmed with Your Goals?

At the beginning of the year many people set goals, and then quickly give up because of the overwhelming challenge they have given themselves.

If you find yourself in this position, don’t panic. Don’t give up. Evaluate these ideas and then set yourself on a path for success.

1. Don’t compromise. As soon as you hit a barrier, a complication, or a challenge, it may become tempting to change your goal… don’t. The fact is you won’t achieve your goal without overcoming obstacles. Do you really want to compromise your dream?

2. Be persistent. Achieving your goals requires work, not luck. It is about making progress every single day. Achieve small wins that accumulate to bigger achievements. Take action. If you are sitting on the sideline and waiting for something to happen, you may be waiting for a long time. Action creates opportunity.

3. Find inspiration. Why do you want to achieve your goal? Who inspires you to achieve it? Where are you getting support? Find energy in the reasons you want to achieve your goals.

4. Celebrate wins. Celebrate when you make progress. Reward yourself, and renew your challenge to finish. Enjoy your progress and then get back to work.

I hope you are not stuck so early in 2016, but if you are, think through your goals, and these ideas. What can help you get back on track? Reach out for the help you need. Let’s achieve those big goals and dreams we have for 2016.

 

Do Your Goals Include Money?

You have probably heard the quote, “Money is the root of all evil.” Yet, money is a requirement to live from day to day. If you have created a list of goals for 2016, at least one probably concerns money. Does that make you evil?

For 99.9% of us, more money is better, and not evil. Money is just a tool to simplify transactions. Evil comes from greed, abuse, or misuse.

How can we embrace more, and not be tempted by greed? I think it is simply using money for the good of others. I made a list of things that money provides me. Here is my list, how would yours be different? For me, money provides security, comfort, motivation, generosity, and the fulfillment of dreams.

I have created a financial goal for 2016. I hope you have as well. I view my goal as good. It is not about the amount, but about what I can do based on my results. It is not just about my family. It is about the world that I can influence and touch.

I encourage you to review your goals. Set your target higher. Dream bigger. Earn more money. It is not evil. It is a tool for you to help others. I wish you a great, prosperous, and generous 2016.