You’ve heard it a hundred times – if you’re not growing, you’re dying. And if this statement ever was true, it is simply no longer reality. Life IS about growth, but it’s not ALL about growth.
This post is part of the series – What Ever Happened to Personal Responsibility?
Would You Return to Your Organization?
If You’re Not Growing, You’re Dying…Really?
Leaders are the Most Creative People on the Planet
Great Leaders Serve
Is Fear Taking Over?
I’m passionate about growth. I’ve written much about planning, vision, and growth. For much of my life, anything short of growth I considered failure…until few weeks ago.
In a recent post, Chris Patton included a simple phrase that caught my attention – life is not all about prosperity.
Just a few hours before reading the post my wife and I had engaged in an emotional discussion about her moving forward with some decisions she needed to make. (I know what you’re thinking – but it was in a restaurant, so it wasn’t too lively.)
Sarah is steady, supportive, consistent. I am creative, innovative, impulsive. So I questioned whether Sarah was putting off some decisions because she was waiting for circumstances to improve. Or because she was hoping for more certainty.
After reading Chris’ post, I found myself questioning MY perspective – is life all about growth?
Here are three things I noted about growth from this experience –
1. Growth comes in many shapes and sizes
Reflecting on my conversation with Sarah, I realized that she IS experiencing growth. Among other areas, she is growing in patience – with her circumstances and with me.
Growth is not always bigger. It’s not always quantitative – measured the way you or I think it should be measured.
Here’s a great question for determining whether or not you are experiencing growth – Are my current situation and my resulting behaviors adding value to my life and work or to the life and work of others?
2. You can grow through pain
From a long-term perspective, maybe the old adage is true – If you’re not growing, you’re dying. Let’s face it – in a world of constant and rapid change, maintaining the status quo is quite simply passive regression.
But, on the surface, constant growth just doesn’t seem possible. Life is about dormancy, setbacks, and pain. It’s about disease, loss, and grief. It’s about uncertainty and unknowns – challenging projects at work, strained relations at home, in between jobs, waiting for word from the doctor, mounting medical bills.
And while it seems that life is about more than growth – life’s incredibly uncomfortable moments are, in reality, opportunities for explosive personal growth.
3. You don’t have to prolong the pause
It’s true – life is full of difficult moments. But it’s also filled with hope. With vision. With dreams. With legacy.
Life isn’t all about prosperity, but it can be about growth. If you are going to grow it will have to be on purpose. You must choose.
So whatever you’re going through, deal with it intentionally. Process it. Get help. Don’t prolong the pain any more than is absolutely necessary.
Decide right now – What one step can I take today toward closing this chapter in my life and opening a new chapter?
Life is a series of new beginnings – and today is the beginning of the rest of your life. Make it a great one!
So, is it true – am I dying if I’m not growing? What have you learned about growth? Leave a comment – let us know what you think.
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