The other day I had the opportunity to listen in on a group call hosted by one of my mentors. He made a statement which stopped me in my tracks. “If you ask anyone who has been active in this organization for the past 2 years what parts of their lives have changed, everyone would say, ‘All of it.’”
All of it?
He continued, “They would probably say they are physically healthier, mentally sharper, emotionally stronger, financially wealthier, and deeper in our relationships.” Thinking about my personal experience, I wholeheartedly agreed.
Why is this? Simply because with the help of his mentorship, the group and I are watching where we step. Our mindset has changed. We have gone from maintaining the status quo, to regularly stepping forward and stepping outside our comfort zones.
Because there is little to no growth in our comfort zone – only outside of it.
You have heard the saying before, “Insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different outcomes.” If we want different and better outcomes, or greater results in any area of our lives – physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually, financially, in our relationships, or in our leadership – we have to do things differently than before.
Had those of us in our mentorship group experienced setbacks? Had we experienced plans which did not work out? Had we experienced disappointments? Yes, yes and yes. Had we grown? Immensely!
We either step into growth or step back into the “same old same old.” Don’t get me wrong – many people are quite satisfied with the status quo and they resist change. I’ve discovered these are the people who complain about outside circumstances the most and rarely take personal accountability for what they have experienced in life.
You are not that type of person because you read posts such as this on a regular basis. You take action to do things differently. You may even have a plan which you revisit often to help assess your progress.
Are you watching your step? Are you stepping forward or stepping backward? There is no such thing as stepping sideways. You are either growing or dying. There is always movement, in one direction or another.
Every time you make a decision to do something or spend time on something, ask yourself, “Will this action take me forward or will it take me backward?” Adopting this simple habit will help increase your self-awareness. And self-awareness can motivate you to make the changes that propel you onward.
If you are not happy with your plan, (or don’t have a plan) for stepping forward, I might be able to help. I say “might” because the plan has three aspects – the thinking, the details, and the discipline. I can definitely help with the first two elements. The discipline part is up to you.
As always, I hope I have been able to pique your interest and stimulate some new or different thoughts.
Best regards,
Bill