I can never say this enough that this is one of the most important journeys you will ever be on.
There are many times I have stopped around to wonder, why some people are always ahead of others.
The simple truth is that they have discovered the importance of living intentionally.
I get these thoughts often.
True story: sometimes I desire to be where the people I admire are, in a snap.
But I always have to remind myself that it’s a journey.
Through research and observations, I have noticed patterns in the lives of these people.
I’ll share that in a sec but I wanted you to know that I have created a helpful guide to set you up on your personal development journey.
You can access it here.
I love talking about these things because it allows me to share with others what I’m learning and it also grounds me.
I mean, there is no way you can constantly talk about a thing without it affecting you.
I share video formats on my YouTube too. Feel free to check it out if videos are your cup of tea;)
Enough chit-chat. Let’s discover some habits that will set you apart in life.
Habits of people in their personal development journey
They have a growth mindset
A growth mindset means you believe there is always room for improvement.
You are eager to learn things that propel you forward.
Such a person always invests in the process rather than the final results.
The opposite of a growth mindset is a fixed mindset, and it is the attitude that you don’t need to upskill because you are naturally smart.
They are open to corrections
As a result of having a growth mindset, you are open to being corrected and disciplined.
Being a Christian, my principles in life come from the Bible.
There is a particular verse that I love:
“Because the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and he chastens everyone he accepts as his son.” (Hebrews 12:6)
This kind of person acknowledges they do not know everything.
They accept authority figures to speak wisdom over them and hold them accountable.
They lift other people
One major lesson I have picked recently is that growth is never meant for just you.
People around you should be beneficiaries of what you are learning.
That is what purpose is all about. You should inspire others with what you are learning.
It gives the process meaning.
Find a way to create an impact with the lessons you are picking from life.
Victory is the sweetest when shared, don’t you agree?
They have a goal in life
These people have something they are focusing on.
They don’t live life blindly.
Keep in mind that the goal can change.
Maybe you have achieved what you wanted in one season of your life. It’s critical to identify something else to keep you going.
The caveat here is to remember not to idolize the goal.
Have it, yes, but most importantly, enjoy and learn through the process of achieving it.
Think of the goal as something that brings you in line when you lose focus.
They track their progress
These people understand the importance of tracking their progress.
Tracking helps you see what has been achieved or not.
You get to identify what to do away with, retain, or add to your growth process.
Oh, and it doesn’t have to be complicated at all.
It can be as simple as identifying lessons you have picked from a book, how you will integrate them into your day-to-day, and the impact of the application.
Another example: is implementing sleeping early and tracking its advantages.
For those who are more into sophistication, there are countless planners to help with that.
My suggestion is to track and do a monthly plan at the start of each month.
They read books
Reading is beautiful and amazing.
It’s a source of entertainment and knowledge.
For me, reading is a way of acquiring wisdom from the greatest people in the world that I might never meet.
Imagine 30+ years of experience compressed in a book, right?
Book reading is a skill that can be acquired by anyone, irrespective of which stage you are at.
Reading adds to your arsenal of options.
You might not implement everything at once. You can always apply different lessons in different seasons.
They take time to reflect
People who are ahead in life take time to reflect.
Reflection helps you do life with more context.
It also breeds self-awareness. Reflection gives you a picture of your current state and how to improve it.
One well-known speaker I have listened to said they have a ‘Thinking Thursday’ in their schedule.
He sets aside three hours every Thursday to think.
If you are a business owner or a creative you also get fresh ideas in such moments of reflection.
They manage their time well
Time is money, time is money, time is money.
Question: How do you treat money? Do you treat time the same way?
(I come in peace, I promise).
I’m also posing the same question to myself because sometimes I don’t do right by my time, you know?
People ahead in life can account for their time.
Time is money means that if you can save a few minutes, you can invest them elsewhere.
It’s a hard one, I know, but very it needs to be heard.
They give their best in everything they do
In other words, they are in pursuit of excellence.
Note the word is ‘excellence’ and not ‘perfection.’
Seeking perfection can slow you down because no one is perfect.
The pursuit of excellence is giving the best in everything you do.
It looks like improving yourself daily.
They are open to change
Repeat after me: change is inevitable.
The only thing that is constant in this world is change.
Everything is always changing and we can’t afford to be stuck in our old ways of doing things.
I know that there is no need to fix it if it’s not broken.
But surely, with things like technology, you have to be futuristic.
People after growth, know too well the need for that and adapt quickly to different disruptions.
This is the kind of mindset we need to embrace.
They stay humble
Humility is such an underrated requirement in our growth journey.
Those who have understood this are steps ahead.
Humility is knowing that lessons can come from anyone irrespective of social status.
Humble people have a teachable spirit.
They dress in the way they want to be addressed
How we dress says a lot about who we are.
I’m not throwing shade on anyone’s way of dressing, I’m just saying how we dress matters.
Have you met nicely dressed people and out of nowhere felt the need to act with decorum around them?
That’s exactly what I am saying.
Dressing is an important part of shaping your brand. (Topic for another day).
Dressing decently makes people address you decently.
This is the mindset of people developing themselves.
They are organized
Being organized goes hand in hand with productivity, self-development, and other nice things.
When you are organized, you have quick access to things, hence saving time.
It helps you think with a lot of clarity because your mind is not all over the place.
This is how growth seekers live their lives.
At least there is order going on.
It might not always be a hundred, but it’s there and there is constant improvement.
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