Hello and welcome and today's word is all about growth.
Now if you've been following me for a while or you've heard any of my other recordings,
You may well know that growth is one of my favourite areas to talk about.
When in leadership,
When I go into companies and speak to leaders for coaching or for facilitation,
Growth is such a huge topic.
But please remember that if you're not in business or if business doesn't interest you,
Leadership includes many areas of our life,
Such as partnerships.
How do I lead myself through my partnership?
How am I a leader in my family dynamic with friendships and with my own truth moving forward?
So what's good for a leader in business is going to be good for me as a leader of my life.
And growth is such an important component because when we stop growing,
We die either emotionally,
Mentally or physically.
So growth is such a natural process and resisting it would simply not be the healthiest thing for us to do.
So the question for me today is are you actively growing or are you standing still?
Growth really is a lifelong journey that requires self-awareness and challenge and learning.
Imagine how much more fulfilling life would be if you committed to continuous self-improvement.
And personal growth involves of course expanding our knowledge base but also emotional intelligence and skills to navigate life's challenges more effectively.
It requires stepping out of our comfort zones every now and again and embracing change.
People who embrace growth develop resilience,
Confidence and a sense of purpose that fuels their achievements.
It leaves us much more flexible to adapt to spontaneous occurrences in our life or in the world around us.
Now Benjamin Franklin exemplified personal growth through lifelong learning and self-improvement.
He actually developed a 13-step system to improve his character,
Focusing on virtues like industry,
Humility and perseverance.
His commitment to intellectual and moral growth led to his success as a writer,
An inventor and a political statesman.
And then we have Oprah Winfrey.
Rising from a troubled childhood,
Oprah continuously reinvented herself,
Transforming from a news anchor into one of the most influential media moguls of all time.
Her willingness to grow beyond adversity,
Seek wisdom from mentors,
People who'd been there and got through their trauma and her willingness to embrace challenges made her a beacon of self-improvement and an inspiration to so many people,
So many of her followers.
And then we have a real-day example again with Elon Musk.
Musk is a relentless learner,
Diving into industries he initially had no experience in,
Such as electric vehicles and space travel,
Artificial intelligence.
His ability to constantly evolve and acquire new knowledge has positioned him at the forefront of multiple technological revolutions.
Now,
A study published in Psychological Science found that people who embrace lifelong learning have higher levels of happiness and cognitive function.
And Harvard Business Review research suggests that those who actively seek personal growth develop stronger leadership skills and are more adaptable to changing work environments.
And that's such an important area for all of us in this fast-changing world that we're in at the moment.
Neuroscientific studies on neuroplasticity prove that the brain remains adaptable and capable of growth at any age with new learning experiences.
And there I really do implore you that if you're listening to this feeling like it's too late for me,
It's never too late and we can continually grow.
My father,
In fact my late father,
Was 84 when I remember him tottering down the road to the local center to learn about computers and how to send an email.
That was about 20 years ago now,
But it's really left an impression in me.
So,
So admirable.
And I've known people in their 80s falling in love again and having new romances.
So there's really no time is too late.
Let's keep our minds open and let's be willing and open for growth and see what life brings us.
So three action steps for today.
Number one,
Read one book a month on self-improvement or a randomly new skill.
Just one book a month would change things dramatically for you and you might get quite addicted to learning.
Number two,
Step outside your comfort zone by trying something unfamiliar.
Now that could be traveling,
But it could also be food or clothing or wearing a new color or holding your pen in a different hand.
If you're right-handed,
Try writing left-handed and see what happens.
Just do things differently.
If you don't like speaking to strangers,
Chat to a stranger at a bus stop and make their day or just say a small comment to bring happiness into somebody's life.
Just try something new.
And number three,
Reflect on personal achievements.
Look back and truly recognize what you've achieved in your life and why it was an achievement is probably because the day or the week beforehand,
You didn't have that thing in your life and set new growth goals for yourself based on those things.
Get inspired by yourself.
And we're going to end as always on a quote,
Today's quotation is anonymous.
The only way to grow is to step out of your comfort zone.
