As I move forward with my business, I thought
I'd share with you this article from Rebecca Morgan on
the topic of growth. Rebecca is conducting 2
workshops with ST Training Solutions in January - Time Management
Triumphs and Calming Upset
Customers. Don't miss these workshops
during one of Rebecca's rare visits to
Singapore.
"Why stay on earth except to grow?" said Robert
Browning. Most people would agree with Browning.
Unfortunately, growth doesn't always come easily;
Often we feel 'stuck'. If you are feeling stuck, here is a
formula to help you get unstuck:
Awareness + Self Discipline = Growth
Awareness
Awareness is the knowledge of our strengths,
weaknesses, goals, and desires. As we become
aware, the picture becomes clear. Vaguely defined
feelings become focused and gain power, much as a
ray of morning light broadens into day.
We increase awareness through introspection,
creativity, classes and workshops, counselling,
reading, and honest talks with friends, family, co-
workers, even bosses. Awareness is a process,
rather than a goal.
The force of awareness carries its own motivation. For
example, a smoker who experiences severe chest
pains (awareness) may quit smoking with surprising
ease. If the stakes are high enough, we translate
awareness into action, i.e. growth, without much
discipline.
More often than not, however, the immediate stakes
are not so high, so obvious or so tangible that
awareness creates action. More often, we see the
wisdom of changing our behavior while we continue
our old patterns.
+ Self-Discipline
To break out of old patterns we need discipline.
Athletes have coaches and musicians have teachers
to provide both awareness and discipline. Most of the
time, though, you're on your own.
How can you be your own coach? Begin by focusing
on your goal, visualising the outcome, and creating a
plan (e.g. start with manageable steps, write them
down, and keep promises made to yourself). You
might enlist a friend as a surrogate coach to help you
stay on track.
But sometimes nothing seems to work. No matter
what you do, you remain stuck in old patterns. How do
you know when to give up? When the effort is not
worth the payoff? When your progress isn't equal to
the time you spend? Or maybe you never give up.
= Growth
We don't achieve every goal we set for ourselves, but
we can grow from every attempt we make - no matter
what the outcome. For this reason our formula does
not equal 'success' or 'results'. We won't always
succeed. However, if we choose, we can grow to a
new level of wisdom.
So the formula itself isn't magic. It is, however, a
shorthand method to help us remember why we put
ourselves through painful and difficult situations, and
why we deny ourselves certain pleasures. We like the
feeling of working through the equation. We like the
growth. We like knowing that we are better than we
were before.
