{"id":97387,"date":"2023-03-31T15:56:00","date_gmt":"2023-03-31T19:56:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/?p=97387"},"modified":"2023-04-03T14:37:39","modified_gmt":"2023-04-03T18:37:39","slug":"commit-to-growth","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/commit-to-growth\/","title":{"rendered":"Why You Should Commit to Growth & 3 Ways to Do It"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Do you want to grow personally? How committed are you?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you want to live meaningfully and realize your potential, you have to pursue personal growth<\/a>. One of the first steps is to commit to growth. John C. Maxwell explains why commitment is necessary and why you shouldn\u2019t put commitment off. He offers a few ways you can embark on intentional growth<\/a> today.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Continue reading to learn the importance of commitment and three ways you can move in that direction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

Commit to Growth<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Once you\u2019ve developed the foundational mindset needed to pursue personal growth, Maxwell says it\u2019s time to take the next step: commit <\/em>to growth.<\/strong> In the context of personal growth, commitment means setting an intention <\/em>to reach your potential\u2014and, crucially, following through on that intention<\/em> by making the changes and seeking out the opportunities that will get you there.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

(Shortform note: If you don\u2019t feel ready to commit to personal growth, that\u2019s okay\u2014but don\u2019t let that feeling hold you back from getting started. It\u2019s normal to hesitate before undertaking growth-related challenges, but the only way to reap the rewards of growth is to push through discomfort and take action anyway<\/a>. It may help to keep in mind that when it comes to personal growth, you\u2019re aiming for improvement, not perfection. You don\u2019t need perfect character or complete self-knowledge and self-worth to commit to growth\u2014you just need an intention to get better and a willingness to follow through on it.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why Making a Commitment Helps You Grow <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Maxwell argues that making a commitment<\/a> is necessary because growth can happen only intentionally\u2014not<\/em> accidentally. Many people make the mistake of expecting to grow automatically throughout their lives. Because of this, they never intentionally improve themselves; then, they wind up dissatisfied with how their lives turn out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

(Shortform note: Although Maxwell argues here that you can grow only intentionally, he has said elsewhere that accidental growth can <\/em>happen\u2014it\u2019s just not as effective <\/em>as purposeful growth.<\/a> In any case, his position is that intentionality helps you achieve more than you would otherwise.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How to Make a Commitment to Grow<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Maxwell doesn\u2019t just encourage commitment\u2014he encourages starting intentional growth<\/strong> today<\/em> because the longer you procrastinate, the less likely you are to do it.<\/strong> Here\u2019s how you can cement your commitment and avoid procrastination<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

(Shortform note: Maxwell argues against procrastination due to the way it can make you lose your motivation to follow through on growth. However, there\u2019s another reason not to procrastinate<\/a> on making commitments: It can lead to a loss of opportunities<\/em>. You won\u2019t be able to take advantage of the opportunities to grow that are available to you right now, and they may not be available to you in the future. In Predictably Irrational<\/em><\/a>, <\/em>Dan Ariely recommends evaluating how time-sensitive your opportunities are and immediately pursuing any that are likely to disappear in the near future<\/a>.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Method #1: Evaluate Your Excuses<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

If you don\u2019t feel ready to commit to growth, a good place to start is to evaluate your excuses.<\/strong> You might be able to think up some reasons for putting off growth, like fear of failure<\/a>, not knowing how to get started, lack of time, or lack of motivation. But according to Maxwell, none of these are valid excuses\u2014the benefits of personal growth outweigh whatever reasons you might have for putting it off. Don\u2019t let your excuses hold you back; instead, find a way to overcome them. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

For example, say that you\u2019re worried you don\u2019t have enough time to exercise. If you evaluate this excuse, you might realize that you spend a lot of time on non-essential activities like watching TV. In that case, your excuse wouldn\u2019t hold up\u2014you have plenty of free time; you just have to start spending it more wisely.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

(Shortform note: Maxwell claims that no excuse should stop you from pursuing growth\u2014but there are<\/em> situations where you may have valid reasons for putting off growth. If you\u2019re \u201cin survival mode\u201d\u2014focused on merely surviving from one day to the next\u2014you\u2019re not going to have the time, energy, or resources to start pursuing your bigger dreams<\/a>. For example, if you\u2019re exhausted because you\u2019re caring for an aging parent, it\u2019s probably not wise to add anything extra to your plate. However, you can still recognize your desire to grow and make a commitment to honor that intention when the right time comes along.<\/em>)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Method #2: Schedule Time to Grow<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Once you have an intention in mind, you must set it in stone and give yourself time to follow through on it. That\u2019s why Maxwell suggests assigning time in your schedule every day, for at least a year, that you\u2019ll devote to pursuing your personal growth-related goals.<\/strong> <\/strong>For example, you might schedule time to practice the piano every evening after dinner.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

(Shortform note: One benefit of scheduling personal growth is that it can help you manage your time more wisely\u2014ensuring that you prioritize <\/em>the right things in your daily agenda.<\/a> If you fill your schedule with activities you really care about\u2014in this case, growth-oriented activities\u2014you won\u2019t have as much time for, or waste as much time on, the things you don\u2019t <\/em>care about.<\/a>)  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Method #3: Make Your First Move<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Today, find a way to make immediate progress toward achieving one of your goals. <\/strong>For example, if you\u2019ve made learning piano one of your goals, write down, right now, a time you plan to practice today\u2014or even sit down and practice for 15 minutes. Taking immediate<\/em> action toward your goals<\/a> will affirm your commitment to growth and help you avoid procrastination.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

(Shortform note: Maxwell\u2019s suggestion to take a tiny, immediate step forward is meant to make growth seem more easily doable. In One Small Step Can Change Your Life<\/em><\/a>, <\/em>Robert Maurer <\/em>explains that breaking large goals down into small, achievable steps helps you avoid feeling overwhelmed<\/a> by the amount of time and effort changes take, which is one of the main drivers of procrastination<\/a>. Additionally, as you easily overcome these small steps, your successes will motivate you to keep going.)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Do you want to grow personally? How committed are you? If you want to live meaningfully and realize your potential, you have to pursue personal growth. One of the first steps is to commit to growth. John C. Maxwell explains why commitment is necessary and why you shouldn\u2019t put commitment off. He offers a few ways you can embark on intentional growth today. Continue reading to learn the importance of commitment and three ways you can move in that direction.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":9,"featured_media":97403,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[42,9,43],"tags":[959],"class_list":["post-97387","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-motivation","category-psychology","category-self-improvement","tag-the-15-invaluable-laws-of-growth","","tg-column-two"],"yoast_head":"\nWhy You Should Commit to Growth & 3 Ways to Do It - Shortform Books<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"John Maxwell says that growth doesn't happen accidentally. 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