BECOMING ON PURPOSE

Learn a new word before we dive in 😁Okayyy... Business of the day.How do you get better at what you do?How do you improve your relationships?How do you gain more depth and become more valuable as a person?How do you overcome obstacles?These questions all point to one thing."Growth". In The 15 Invaluable Laws of Growth, John C. Maxwell argues that people often want their circumstances to improve without being willing to improve themselves. And when that happens, they remain stuck.That made me realise something:Growing older and growing are not the same thing.Personal growth doesn't simply happen because we are alive. Growth requires INTENTIONALITY.Maxwell identifies eight “growth gap” traps that can keep us from becoming the people we have the potential to be. Here are the ones that stood out for me:1. The Assumption Gap ASSUMES THAT GROW IS AUTOMATIC.As children, our physical growth happens almost automatically. We become taller, stronger, and more capable with time.Maybe,that's why we sometimes assume adulthood works the same way.We think that because we're getting older, we're automatically becoming wiser, better, and more capable.But that's not necessarily true.Time can make you older without making you better.We don't simply grow by living. We grow by being intentional about who we want to become.As Bruce Springsteen puts it, there comes a time when you have to stop waiting for the person you want to become and start becoming that person. You can't reach a destination you haven't decided to travel towards. 2. The Knowledge Gap Is I DON'T KNOW HOW TO GROW Sometimes, the problem isn't that we don't want to grow.We simply don't know how.And not knowing how shouldn't become an excuse for not learning.If you know what you want to become, you can begin looking for the knowledge, skills, people, and resources that can help you get there.Growth requires learning.Sometimes, the first step isn't knowing everything. It's simply being willing to find out what you don't know. 3. The Timing Gap says IT'S NOT THE RIGHT TIME TO START.This one is dangerous because it sounds reasonable.I'll start when I have more time.I'll start when I have more money.I'll start when I'm ready.But there may never be a perfect time.Maxwell connects this to the Law of Diminishing Intent: the longer you wait to do something you know you should do now, the less likely you are to actually do it. Most people don't fail because they never had an intention.They fail because they kept postponing the action.Deciding isn't doing.At some point, you have to start. 4. The Mistake Gap Is AFRAID OF MAKING MISTAKES Growth can be messy, really messy and complicated.You will try things that are beyond your current abilities. You will get things wrong. You will sometimes look foolish.That's part of it.If you want to grow, you have to become comfortable with being a beginner.Mistakes aren't always proof that you're failing. Sometimes, they're proof that you're trying something you haven't mastered yet.So instead of asking, “What if I make a mistake?”Maybe ask:“What could I learn if I did?” 5. The Perfection Gap THINKS THERE'S A BEST Time.Similar to the Timing gap,Nobody has it completely figured out.You don't need the perfect plan before you begin.You want to start creating content? Use what you have while working towards better equipment.You want to write? Start writing.You are waiting for an iPhone before you start creating? You might eventually discover that the phone was never the real problem.Sometimes, perfectionism disguises itself as preparation.We tell ourselves we're “not ready yet” when what we really need is to begin.Start where you are.Use what you have.Learn as you go. 6. The Inspiration Gap is I DON'T FEEL LIKE DOING IT Cut that crap,pleaseeeJust do it.Okay, maybe that's easier said than done. 😂But waiting until you feel like doing something can keep you stuck for a very long time.You won't always feel motivated to read.You won't always feel motivated to write.You won't always feel motivated to pursue your goals.Sometimes, action comes before motivation.You start, and somewhere along the way, the momentum catches up with you.You don't need to see the entire road before you begin.As you move forward, more of the road is revealed. 7)The Comparison Gap looks at OTHERS ARE SAY THEY ARE BETTER THAN MESomeone being ahead of you doesn't mean you are incapable of moving forward.Growth isn't a competition.You can admire someone's progress without using it as evidence against yourself.Their chapter isn't proof that yours is failing. 8)The Expectation Gap EXHALES AND SCREAMS WHY IS IT THIS HARD?Growth isn't always comfortable.Sometimes, you'll work hard and still feel like you're barely moving.That's normal.The fact that growth is difficult doesn't mean you're doing it wrong.Sometimes, the difficulty is part of the growth. My Two CentsMaybe, the biggest lesson I took from this chapter is that I can't keep waiting for my life to change while refusing to change myself.I can't wait for the perfect phone before I create.I can't wait for perfect confidence before I try.I can't wait for the perfect time before I begin.I can't wait until I have everything figured out.Because, maybe the person I'm waiting to become is built through the things I'm avoiding today.Growth doesn't just happen.You have to choose it.You have to plan for it.You have to act on it.And sometimes, you simply have to start before you feel ready.So, I'm starting. Introducing you to a series my 2am idea birthed and I couldn't hold it in but just do it anyway.Day 1.

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