Last month, I posted the first two parts in a series that can help you lay a foundation for personal growth in your life.  Read the first five ideas here, and the second set of five ideas here.

In this post, I want to warp up this series with four more ideas.

Beat the odds.
The world will drive you into the ground with negativity.  “You’re too old.”  “It’s too difficult.”  “No one will ever want to do this.”  But you and I know differently.  If you believe these lies, and others, you’ve already admitted defeat.  Keep plugging away until you see a victory, even if it’s a small one.  Remember this:  failure is just eliminating things that don’t work.  Eventually, you will succeed, and when you do, you’ll have beaten the odds.

Never get satisfied.
You will never reach your full potential as a leader if you are satisfied with where you’re at right now.  Thomas Huxley said “The rung of a ladder was never meant to rest upon, but only to hold a man’s foot long enough to enable him to put the other somewhat higher.”  Keep growing.  Never become satisfied.

Growth requires sacrifice.
In order to grow, you will have to take the occasional risk.  You will never grow as a leader if you always play it safe.  Emerson said “For everything you gain you have to give up something.”  You will have to make sacrifices.  That might be something as simple as sacrificing time and money for resources or a conference.  It may require something more in order to reach the next level of your leadership.  Be willing to sacrifice.

Plan and prepare for growth.
No growth is sustainable for long without a plan in front of it.  Prepare for your growth.  Plan for it.  Don’t assume you’ll always remain at the level you are now.  If you assume that, then you’ll stay where you are.  Make a plan.  Write it down.  Check it periodically to measure your growth.  And keep planning ahead.  As you achieve your leadership milestones, plan ahead and envision the next one, and the one after that, and the one after that.  No journey can be truly successful without a plan.

This wraps my series of fourteen ideas to help you grow as a leader.  There are many other ideas that I didn’t get mentioned here.  I’m continually adding to my list.  I hope these added to yours.

Check out the rest of this series:
The Secret To Growing As A Leader – Part 1
The Secret To Growing As A Leader – Part 2

What other ideas would you add to this list?

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