Newsletter
January, 2011
New Year, New You!
Greetings!
It's already the new year and things are in full swing! Hope you are as busy as I am!
I have asked many of you what you do for the New Year and I've heard a lot of great ideas. One of the best ones is to create a New Year's Notebook and write your yearly goals in it. On New Year's Eve, go through them with your spouse and review the progress. Then, together make some new ones. This will not only allow you to reconnect, but will also allow you to be on the same page and move forward as a team in the new year.
I hope you found that as good of an idea as I, and that you will come up with a notebook of your own. This year, as every year, I make a conscious effort to improve myself from the inside out. To do that I need to reflect on my deficiencies and inventory my personal resources. Below I have an excerpt from an article by John Maxwell on the Five Ingredients of Personal Growth to motivate you to do the same.
Let's have a great New Year!
Sincerely,
Dr. L
Five Ingredients of Personal Growth
By John C. Maxwell
As any farmer knows, the growth of a crop only happens when the right ingredients are present. To harvest plentiful fields, the farmer has to begin by planting the right seed in rich topsoil where sunlight and water can help the seed to sprout, mature, and bear fruit. If any of the ingredients (seeds, topsoil, sunlight, or water) are missing, the crop won't grow.
Teachability - Arrogance crowds out room for improvement. That's why humility is the starting point for personal growth. As Erwin G. Hall said, "An open mind is the beginning of self-discovery and growth. We can't learn anything new until we can admit that we don't already know everything." Adopting a beginner's mindset helps you to be teachable.
Sacrifice - Growth as a leader involves temporary loss. It may mean giving up familiar but limiting patterns, safe but unrewarding work, values no longer believed in, or relationships that have lost their meaning. Whatever the case, everything we gain in life comes as a result of sacrificing something else. We must give up to go up.
Security - To keep learning throughout life, you have to be willing, no matter what your position is, to say, "I don't know." Followers aren't searching for perfection in their leaders. They're looking for an honest, authentic, and courageous leader who, regardless of the obstacles facing the organization, won't rest until the problem is solved.
It took me seven years to hit my stride as a communicator. During those seven years I gave some boring speeches, and I felt discouraged at times. However, I was secure enough to keep taking the stage and honing my communication skills until I could connect with an audience. Had I been insecure, then the negative evaluations of others would have sealed my fate and I never would have excelled in my career.
Listening - Listen, learn, and ask questions from somebody successful who has gone on before you. Borrow from their experiences so that you can avoid their mistakes and emulate their triumphs. Solicit feedback and take to heart what you're told. The criticism of friends may seem bitter in the short-term but, when heeded, it can save you from falling victim to your blind spots.
Application - Knowledge has a limited shelf life. Unless used immediately or carefully preserved, it spoils and becomes worthless. Put the lessons you learn into practice so that your insights mature into understanding.
As you can see, no matter where you think that you are right now, there's always room for improvement. It takes a strong foundation to make a resilient, self-actualized person. Now that you've been inspired, use some of these insights and tools to help you grow this year.
I look forward to seeing you again soon!
