What Drives Growth?
Each of us is designed and wired with a certain capacity to grow. Some growth occurs naturally, while other forms have their origins in deliberate practice and repetition. This pattern is somewhat progressive in nature. Naturally growing as a result of the laws of human anatomy, until it reaches a point in time when our inaction will not promote any significant growth. At this time, when growth seems to halt, it becomes our responsibility to put forth effort in that specific area if we want to see future growth.
Physically, growth is recognized when our bodies transform as a result of our activity (or inactivity). Mentally, our ability to learn, understand, and retain knowledge is the result of taking on new information. In a spiritual sense (for those that are spiritual), faith grows and develops as the result of being an active participant. Professionally, we grow when we acquire and implement new skill sets that contribute to greater good of a ‘team’.
For example, our DNA suggests that our bodies will grow to a certain size with the ability to grow our cells to increase our body mass. In another example, it’s possible to learn the basics of a new skill, however, in order to master the skill, it’s going to require us to practice and perform that skill thousands of times. The irony though, is that means that we have thousands of chances to fail, and thousands of opportunities to give up before growth occurs.
idle and ‘letting things happen as they will’ does not evoke growth and development; rather, it breeds complacency, and the more complacent we become, the more comfortable we will be with mediocrity. And so it is, that in order to grow we must put forth some sort of deliberate effort with the purpose and intention of getting better.
The Continual Commitment
When I think about various people, all of whom have reached an elite level of what they do, they all have operated with the underlying principle that each day is another opportunity to become better at what they do, and they dedicate a certain amount of time to focusing on that skill or talent. Even when many others believe they have reached the peak of their performance, the elite commit themselves to another repetition, another hour, and another day – time and time again.
Beethoven didn’t create musical compositions the first time he sat at a piano. Michelangelo didn’t craft artistic masterpieces in a single day. Steve Jobs didn’t create Apple over the course of a year. Some of the best athletes in the world have put forth thousands of hours of deliberate practice in order to advance their skill sets.
So, we ask the questions: “What happens to the people who commit themselves to a life of growth and development? What is the payback?”
The answer is simply that it positions ourselves in the minority, and we have the opportunity to remove ourselves from the status quo. It’s the difference between people whom accomplish good things, and people whom accomplish great feats – people whom make their family, friends, and professional organizations better by raising the bar of what truly can be accomplished.
The brutal honesty is that you will be in the minority – the smaller population who want to do the hard things. The group of people that are consistently and constantly committing themselves to improving different facets of their life.
What are You Committing To?
Therefore, I’m asking all of my readers: “What are you committing to over the next several months that is going to contribute to your personal and professional growth? It doesn’t have to be big, it just has to be something.”
Why am I asking and challenging you?
Because I want to be surrounded by like-minded and driven individuals. I want to share the struggles with each other and to provide support when the journey is hard. I want to be a part of a community of people who think similarly – people who want to be a part of something bigger – people who want to live with intention and purpose.
Personally, I’ve never been someone whom wanted to blend in with the majority. Are you?
Would you rather blend in with the majority, or stand out in the crowd?
Commit today. Because today is possible.