Personal growth is an interesting concept because it’s something that happens on purpose through intention, it’s not something that just happens by itself. Which can seem weird because the first 18-20 ish years we live in an environment of growth. The reality is that someone else is creating the environment that is causing us to grow.
At school we have teachers whose job is to teach us things we don’t know. They teach lessons, give us books to read and homework to help us process the information we are learning. Then there are teachers whose job is to direct us in physical activities. We learn and play sports and games that are full of physical activity that help us grow up strong and healthy. School also provides an environment where we interact with people our own age who are working for common goals.
Once we graduate from school we transition out of an environment of required growth into the freedom of choice. As the years go by if we are not intentional we can find ourselves getting out of shape, lacking community and friendship as well as inspiration for learning and trying new things. This is because the environment we came from provided the stimulation for growth. And now it’s our turn.
Growth doesn’t happen by itself, it happens with intention. Strength isn’t created unless there is resistance. Relationships are not created, maintained or sustained without initiation, follow up, and pursuit. Inspiration, new ideas, new ways of doing things comes through learning, studying, exploring and understanding new things.
Without intentionally learning and trying new things, jumping into the unknown, getting past our comfort zone we can create a pattern of mundane and stagnate living. This is where we sit around and wonder, “Who am I?” and “What should I do with my life?”. We have the same problems today that we had last year and the year before that. Without growth it’s hard, if not impossible, to create change in our lives. But when we tap into new thoughts and ideas that spur on hope, change, growth, realizing potential, discovering identity, purpose and vision, we find a good enough reason to jump into the potential of new choices for today and will have a positive effect on tomorrow.
Take control of your growth. Don’t let it happen by accident or chance. Make it happen on purpose. Success is predictable and so is failure. The habits we have today create our tomorrow. The habits and choices we made yesterday created our today. Take control of your life by intentional growth.