Seven Easy Steps to Personal Growth: Your Path to Success

I cannot reiterate this enough, it is very important to know what it is you want to accomplish in life. Therefore, communicate and visualize your goals. Many people know by now that success is a journey and not a destination. Along your journey be prepared to hit some bumps and roadblocks. Remember these setbacks are only temporary so turn your obstacles into opportunities. Promote yourself, in other words, motivate yourself. Sometimes we spend so much time thinking and speaking of how well other people are doing; now it is time to invest in yourself. Speak your dreams, hopes and beliefs into truth. Moreover, put them into action. Below I have listed seven pertinent steps to accomplishing a better understanding of one's self and others. No matter how long or short your journey to success is keep pushing. For those of you who are believers in Christ, push for you can also mean pray until something happens. If you are reading this, then you are off to a great start! I wish you the best on your journey to the new and revitalized you! :0)

Follow these important seven steps.

1. Make a commitment to change: What is your purpose? What is your passion? Ask yourself these questions to find out what is your reason for wanting to make a change. Vow to remove the negative thoughts and replace them with positive ones. Do not procrastinate. Start now, start today! No more excuses are allowed once you have decided to change. Failure is not an option. Once you change so will everything else around you. Do not wait around for someone else to change or do something for you. The time is now!
2. Write down your goals: Write down at least three short-term and three long-term goals. Your short-term goals can be anywhere from the next 24 hours to a year. Anything past a year I would consider long-term. These time-frames will vary as you progress and achieve them over time. Once you have began to achieve your annual goals move on to greater increments like two years and five years. Some of you may be ready to write down 10 year goals from the start. However, I recommend you start small then broaden your goals so you can stay focused on the here and now.
3. Write down the top three to ten things you are thankful for: These can be tangible or intangible items. Your values/ethics are considered intangible and your belongings are considered tangible. It is more important to focus on those things that you cannot physically touch like a car or money. Instead focus on building your integrity and self-confidence.
4. Create a personal vision statement: Try writing a personal statement. It signifies who you are, your character and your purpose. For example, mine is- "To be the Servant Leader that God intended me to be; by utilizing my God-given abilities of creativity and passion to care for others." Take your vision statement and work on developing a slogan. For example Nike's is "Just Do It" and mine is "Passionate Servant Leader."
5. Create a vision board: A vision board is a visual accumulation of your goals. Use cut-outs from magazines or scrap-booking stickers on a poster board or cork board. It can be a visual board of all of your goals or one specific goal. If you absolutely have no money for the supplies just take a picture of the house you want or the job you want and post it where you can see it everyday. When I began the process of buying a home I took the model of the house from the builder and taped it to my bathroom wall. I saw it everyday and never lost sight of what I was working for. Today, I am in that very same model.
6. Read, read, read and read some more: The most economical resources are the Internet or the library. Read articles, blogs, motivational topics, spiritual books, autobiographies, quotes and/or devotionals. It is a good idea to listen to audios or music, as well.
7. Create a positive environment: Surround yourself amongst as many positive people and things as you can. This can be a bitter sweet process because you may lose close family members or friends; yet, the end result is worth it. It is hard to move forward if we have dead weight holding us back or holding us down. If someone does not believe in you, then spend less time around that person. Begin creating a positive environment by networking with people who are goal-oriented and self-motivated.

© 2009 ZJM None of the work written here may be reproduced, distributed, performed, publicly displayed, or made into a derivative work without my permission.