Too often, we don’t see the changes and growth we want to see in our lives. How often do people you know create New Year’s resolutions that don’t stick? That’s normal, but if you’re really looking to grow, you’ll need to move past normal and stretch yourself.
There are a lot of different ways to grow—through coaching, books, and just getting your hands dirty and your feet wet—but however you do it, there are just three simple steps.
Step 1 – Get serious
Life is a serious business. It’s short, and it’s amazing, but the most serious thing about it is we only get one. When people get older, they tend to look back on their lives and either feel regret or success. Don’t live a life now that you’ll have to regret later.
Try this: instead of thinking of how many years you may have left to live, think about it in weeks. Weeks are a lot more manageable. The average life expectancy is 80 years for women and 76 years for men. Subtract the age you are now, and then multiply that by 52.
That’s how many weeks you probably have left to improve your business, your marriage, your personal life, your fitness, your side hustle—whatever it is for you. Make each week count.
Step 2 – Have a “why”
Wanting to grow just for the sake of growing is a nice thought, but it won’t get you anywhere. You need a “why,” a big-picture reason for wanting to make a change that will keep you on track even when the going gets tough.
The most successful people in the world have a plan and they stick to it, because they have a “why” that they believe in. Write down your plan for that serious goal you have, and figure out a plan for how to do it. Think really hard about why you have that goal, and turn back to that “why” when you meet challenges.
Step 3 – Take action
You’ve gotten serious, you know why you want to grow, and you even have a plan. Great. Now it’s time to carry it out. However, that may seem easier said than done.
The way that serious goals get achieved is through simple disciplines carried out every day. Action takes time. It’s a commitment. Treat taking action on your goal as a process, and it will become a habit to you.
Whatever part of your life your serious goal is in, however you decide to accomplish it, you can’t get there without these three simple steps. Just because it’s simple doesn’t mean it’s easy, though.
Remember your “why,” and above all keep moving toward your end result, and you’ll be amazed at the change that can happen with committed action.