Which of the gaps discussed in the chapter have caused you to neglect growing the way you perhaps could have? See the PDF I attached last week.
Dr. John C. Maxwell stated
Most people underestimate the unimportance of nearly everything in their lives. They get distracted. As a result, they put growth on the back burner, and if they do grow, it happens accidentally instead of intentionally. Take a look at your calendar for the next twelve months. How much time have you specifically scheduled for personal growth? If you are like most people, your answer will be none. Or you may have planned to attend one event in the coming year. That’s not going to cut it.
May I strongly suggest that you rework your calendar so you have an appointment with yourself for personal growth every day, five days a week, fifty weeks a year. You may want to start with only 15 minutes a day. When people say they are so busy that they don’t have time to eat, no time to sleep, and no time to exercise. I wonder if they are not thinking and saying they don’t have to live.
Every day that I take time for me boosts me and allows me to give more. Some of the things I have scheduled for my own personal growth are: language practice on FluentU (I like to spend 20 minutes a day), reading books that boost my skills, math practice on Khan Academy. These are all things that take small amounts of time and are things that are enjoyable and help me grow.
The only way I find time to do all these things is when I intentionally schedule them. I am a busy mom, keeping up with two 16 year old boys, one is homeschooled. I also teach, mentor a local student council, spend time with grandkids, care for my parents, and most importantly, I am a devoted wife. I have to intentionally make time for my own personal growth or my needs would drown in the cacophony of needs calling for my attention.
When I take the time for my own personal growth, I am sustained and am able to serve the needs of those around me. It is a precious gift I can give to myself!
So true “When I take the time for my own personal growth, I am sustained and am able to serve the needs of those around me. It is a precious gift I can give to myself!” Thanks for sharing
There were several of the gaps that I have lots of room to improve on. Overall, I do want to become better at living and growing intentionally. I am good about getting up early every morning so I have time to read personal development books. I struggle with the mistake gap and perfection gap the most. I’m working on those! I do want to schedule time with myself weekly and monthly to evaluate where I am and where I want to go, and create action plans to move myself forward. That is my challenge to myself right now. I would love to know what others do along those lines!
“I do want to schedule time with myself weekly and monthly to evaluate where I am and where I want to go, and create action plans to move myself forward.” With this statement and commitment, you are on a great path to grow. I would even suggest you do that daily. Yesterday, I was working with one my coaching clients on the phone while I am in the daily. She has a busy schedule. The conclusion was that she will schedule time for herself and with herself for 30 minutes daily. The frequent excuse is that we don’t have time. We all have the same amount of time. We spend some and we invest some time. The time you assign to yourself is an investment that will pay dividend.