“The difference between who you are now and who you will be in 5 years is the books you’ll read and the people you will associate with.”
I want to share some of the ways I grow personally. There are certainly more, but I believe these should all be included in your personal growth plan:
1.) Books/Audio Lessons
How to make the most of books you read:
- Highlight points that stick out to you
- File them! (by subject) – I highlight on my kindle and copy and past my highlights into Evernote
- Write a book review – This helps you retain what you’ve learned and does a favor for the author!
- Talk to your friends about the books you are reading- You should always try to pass what you’re learning on to someone else within 24 hours of learning it.
- Come up with a plan to implement what you are learning and put it into action!
Questions to ask yourself:
- Always ask your friends what books they are reading . . . it’s the #1 way to build your library!
- What books would I not normally read that might stretch me?
- What topics do I need to read about at this point in my journey?
2.) Mentors/People you Meet!
Make the most of mentoring:
- Always be on the lookout for mentors!
- Don’t be afraid to ask someone to mentor you. No one should be off-limits! It never hurts to ask, even if you are star struck. The worse they can say is no.
- Look for mentors in the area of your strengths! People who are doing what you’d like to do!
- When meeting with a mentor, always come prepared with questions, make sure you send a copy of your questions to your mentor before you meet, then when you meet, you lead the conversation.
- Give your mentor permission to speak openly and honestly into your life!
- Be willing to pay for lunch/coffee/etc.
- Write thank-you notes with what you’ve learned
Great questions to ask Your Mentors:
- What are you passionate about right now?
- What are you learning? Who are you learning it from? Can I meet them?
- Is there anything you’ve always wanted to tell me? Speak into my soul! What do you see in me that needs to change?
Questions to Ask Yourself:
- What is your plan to discover new mentors?
- Who is currently mentoring you?
- Who would you like to mentor you that you can talk to?
- Who are you mentoring?
3.) Writing/Filing / Reflecting
“Experience isn’t the best teacher, evaluated experience is!” -John Maxwell
- Journal – We will pass on what we’ve written and photo’s we’ve taken to our kids. Journal about your journey. Journal about who you’re meeting, what you’re learning, memories, etc.
- Blog
- End of Day/End of Month/End of Year Reviews – We should constantly be evaluating everything!
Questions:
- How am I retaining what I am learning?
- How can I pass on what I am learning to others?
- What have I learned in the last day, week, month, year, that I didn’t know before?
4.) Skills
When is the last time you did something for the first time?!
- What skills would you like to learn?
- What skills do you need to learn?
- What skills could you learn that would make you more valuable?
- What clubs, organizations, or groups could you join to develop your skills?
These are just 4 areas you can grow in. If you don’t have these in your life, I recommend implementing them asap!
Thoughts?
