Your Personal Growth Plan

What is your personal growth plan?  Does it happen haphazardly or by design?  I’ve been asking myself this question lately because even though there is a lot about my life I can`t change or control, this area I can do something about.

I’m not sure who said it but it’s so true…

When you’re through improving you’re through.

Out of clutter, find simplicity. From discord, find harmony.  In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity (Albert Einstein).  In the middle of difficulty lies an opportunity to grow, learn and change for the better!

As I was reading one of the books I have on the go right now, I stumbled across a  profound insight on the different approaches people have to learning (this comes from The Leadership Challenge by Kouzes and Posner).

Four different approaches to learning:

1. Taking action – you prefer to learn by trial and error.

2. Thinking – you learn by reading articles, books or going online to gain knowledge.

3. Feeling – you learn by confronting yourself and what you are worrying about.

4. Accessing others – you learn by bouncing hopes and fears off someone you trust.

Upon reflection, without realizing it I’ve been tapping into all four approaches over these past few months.  We all have a preferred method but as we dip our feet into all four learning streams, growth happens.

What are the advantages of having multiple approaches to learning?

• Your whole life opens up as a learning laboratory
• All your senses get involved in the learning (eyes, ears, nose, mouth, hands)
• It’s more of a “whole life” approach to learning
• It helps move your learning from your head to your heart to your hands to your feet.

To know and not to do, is really not to know.
To learn and not to do is not to learn (Stephen R. Covey).

What steps are necessary to come up with a personal growth plan? 

• Identity an area (or skill) you’d like to develop
  • I decided a few weeks ago I wanted to develop my writing skills
• Research the best learning approach to learn that skill
  • Is it knowledge you need or mentoring or a hands on approach or do you need to learn with others?  I needed to find other writers and have a chance to practice writing.
• Secure the tools and resources you need to learn your skill or knowledge
  • I signed up for two writing courses with writers whose blogs I follow and grew to respect and value.
• Set aside the necessary time to be involved in your growth plan
  • If personal growth is a priority, you will be surprised how you can overcome obstacles to make the growth happen.  The bottom line is putting your plan into action on a daily basis.
• Enjoy the journey and freely share your learning with others

There is no end to education. It is not that you read a book, pass an examination, and finish with education. The whole of life, from the moment you are born to the moment you die, is a process of learning (Jiddu Krishnamurti).

What is your personal development plan?  If there was one area you’d like to grow in, what would it be? When will you start?

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