Growth must be intentional—nobody improves by accident.
The poet Robert Browning wrote, “Why stay we on the earth except to grow?” Most people would agree that growing is a good thing. Few dedicate themselves to the process. Why? It requires change, and most people are reluctant to change. The truth is that without change,growth is impossible.
Author Gail Sheehy asserted:
If we don’t change, we don’t grow. If we don’t grow, we are not really living.
Personal growth demands a temporary surrender of security. It means giving up familiar but limiting patterns. Safe but unrewarding work. Values no longer believed in. Relationships that have lost their meaning. As Dostoevsky put it, “taking a new step, uttering a new word, is what most people fear most.” The real fear should be the opposite course.
I can’t think of anything worse than living a stagnant life, devoid of change and improvement.
Most people fight against change, especially when it affects them personally. As novelist Leo Tolstoy said, “Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing himself.” The ironic thing is that change is inevitable. Everybody has to deal with it. On the other hand, growth is optional. You can choose to grow or fight it. But know this: people unwilling to grow will never reach their potential.
The question here is “How have you changed . . lately? In the last week, let’s say? Or the last month? Last year? Can you be very specific?”
Growth is a choice, a decision that can really make a difference in a person’s life. Most people don’t realize that unsuccessful and successful people do not differ substantially in their abilities. They vary in their desires to reach their potential. And nothing is more effective when it comes to reaching potential than commitment to personal growth.
Making the change from being an occasional learner to becoming someone dedicated to personal growth goes against the grain of the way most people live. If you asked one hundred people how many books they have read on their own since leaving school (college or high school), I bet only a handful would say they have read more than one or two books.
If you asked how many listen to audio lessons and voluntarily attend conferences and seminars to grow personally, there would be even fewer. Most people celebrate when they receive their diplomas or degrees and say to themselves, “Thank goodness that’s over. Just let me have a good job. I’m finished with studying.” But such thinking doesn’t take you any higher than average. If you want to be successful, you have to keep growing.
Because of the crucial needs for growth and development, the Peopleshub organization will like to help you make the leap to becoming a dedicated SELF-DEVELOPER. It’s the way you need to go if you want to reach your potential. Besides that, it also has another benefit: it brings contentment. The happiest people we know are growing every day.
It’s said that Spanish composer-cellist Pablo Casals in the final years of his life, a young reporter asked him, “Mr. Casals, you are ninety-five years old and the greatest cellist that ever lived. Why do you practice six hours a day?”
What was Casals’s answer? “Because I think I’m making progress.”
That’s the kind of dedication to continual growth that you should have. The people who reach their potential, no matter what their profession or background, think in terms of improvement. If you think you can “hold your ground” and still make the success journey, you are mistaken.
You need to have an attitude like that of General George Patton. It’s said that he told his troops, “There is one thing I want you to remember. I don’t want to get any messages saying we are holding our position. We are advancing constantly.” Patton’s motto was, “Always take the offensive. Never dig in.”
The only way to improve the quality of your life is to improve yourself. If you want to grow your organization, you must grow as a leader. Wanting others to treat you more kindly, you must develop better people skills. There is no sure way to make other people in your environment improve.
The only thing you truly have the ability to improve is yourself. The amazing thing is when you do, everything else around you gets better. The bottom line is that if you want to take the success journey, you must live a life of growth. And the only way you will grow is if you choose to grow.
Napoleon Hill said, “It’s not what you are going to do, but it’s what you are doing now that counts.”
The best way to ensure success is to start growing today. No matter where you may be starting from, don’t be discouraged; everyone who got where he is started where he was.
Why do you need to determine to start growing today? There are several reasons:
There is no time like right now to get started. Recognize the importance that personal growth plays in success, and commit yourself to developing your potential today.
There has been a change in focus over the last thirty years in the area of personal growth. Beginning in the late sixties and early seventies, people began talking about “finding themselves,” meaning that they were searching for a way to become self-fulfilled. It’s like making happiness a goal because self fulfillment is about feeling good.
But self-development is different. Sure, much of the time it will make you feel good, but that’s a byproduct, not the goal. Self-development is a higher calling; it is the development of your potential so that you can attain the purpose for which you were created. There are times when that’s fulfilling, but other times it’s not. But no matter how it makes you feel, self-development always has one effect: It draws you toward your destiny.
Rabbi Samuel M. Silver taught that “the greatest of all miracles is that we need not be tomorrow what we are today, but we can improve if we make use of the potential implanted in us by God.”
Rick Warren says, “The greatest enemy of tomorrow’s success is today’s success.” And he is right. Thinking that you have “arrived” when you accomplish a goal has the same effect as believing you know it all. It takes away your desire to learn. It’s another characteristic of destination disease. But successful people don’t sit back and rest on their laurels. They know that wins—like losses—are temporary, and they have to keep growing if they want to continue being successful.
Charles Handy remarked, “It is one of the paradoxes of success that the things and ways which got you there are seldom those things that keep you there.”
No matter how successful you are today, don’t get complacent. Stay hungry. Sydney Harris insisted that “a winner knows how much he still has to learn, even when he is considered an expert by others; a loser wants to be considered an expert by others before he has learned enough to know how little he knows.
You must continue to learn.
The key to a life of continual learning and improvement lies in developing a specific plan for growth and following through with it. I recommend a plan that requires an hour a day, five days a week. I use that as the pattern because of a statement by Earl Nightingale, which says, “If a person will spend one hour a day on the same subject for five years, that person will be an expert on that subject.” Isn’t that an incredible promise? It shows how far we are capable of going when we have the discipline to make
growth our daily practice. You can consider a plan athis…
MONDAY: Spend one hour with a devotional to develop your spiritual life.
TUESDAY: Spend one hour listening to a leadership podcast or audio lesson.
WEDNESDAY: Spend one hour filing quotes and reflecting on the content of Tuesday’s tape.
THURSDAY: Spend one hour reading a book on leadership.
FRIDAY: Spend half the hour reading the book and the other half filing and reflecting.
As you develop your plan for growth, start by identifying the three to five areas in which you desire to grow. Then look for useful materials—books, magazines, audiotapes, videos—and incorporate them into your plan.
I recommend that you make it your goal to read twelve books and listen to fifty-two tapes (or read fifty-two articles) each year. I think this will be a great way to walk with you through 2023. Exactly how you go about your plan may not really matter, but do it daily.
I mentioned before that self-fulfillment focuses on making a person happy, whereas self-development proposes to help a person reach potential. A trade-off of growth is that it is sometimes uncomfortable. It requires discipline and it takes time that you could spend on leisure activities. It costs money to buy materials. You have to face constant change and take risks. And sometimes it’s just plain lonely. That’s why many people stop growing when the price gets high.
But growth is always worth the price you pay because the alternative is a limited life with unfulfilled potential. Success takes effort, and you can’t make the journey if you’re sitting back waiting for life to
come along and improve you. President Theodore Roosevelt boldly stated, “There has not yet been a person in our history who led a life of ease whose name is worth remembering.” Those words were true when he spoke them almost a century ago, and they still apply today.
Jim Rohn urged, “Don’t let your learning lead to knowledge. Let your learning lead to action.” The bottom line when it comes to personal development is action.
If your life doesn’t begin to change as a result of what you’re learning, you’re experiencing one of these problems: You’re not giving your growth plan enough time and attention; you’re focusing too much time on the wrong areas; or you’re not applying what you learn.
Successful people develop positive daily habits that help them to grow and learn. One of the things I do to make sure I don’t lose what I learn is file it. Ask yourself these questions anytime I learn something new:
Where can I use it? When can I use it?
Who else needs to know it?
These questions will take your focus off simply acquiring knowledge and put it onto applying what you learn to your life. Try using them.
Author and leadership expert Fred Smith made a statement that summarizes what committing to personal growth is really all about. He said:
"Something in human nature tempts us to stay where we’re comfortable. We try to find a plateau, a resting place, where we have comfortable stress and adequate finances. Where we have comfortable associations with people, without the intimidation of meeting new people and entering strange situations"
The Peoples Hub organization will love you to start growing today and we'll stand by you at each stage.
Do you have questions you need answers to? Reach out to us today…
The Peoples Hub Organization, has always sought an opportunity to help people and them on the path to relevance. In the world today when it seems like people only care about themselves alone, The Peoples Hub Organization's aim is to reach as many as possible, provide information, support and partnership that can move them to the next level of their lives.
Do you know that as an individual, you are filled with unlimited potentials and possibilities?
These potentials are resident in you but you must know what it takes to bring them to reality.
What does it take to bring your potential alive and to create something new?
Innovation is the lifeblood of progress and success in today's fast-paced world. It is the driving force behind groundbreaking inventions, groundbreaking solutions, and transformative experiences.
Whether you're an aspiring entrepreneur, a creative professional, or simply someone seeking to make a positive impact, embracing innovation is key.
This practical content from The PEOPLES HUB ORGANIZATION will guide you through the process of unlocking your innovative potential and creating something new that can shape the world around you.
1. Embrace a Growth Mindset:
To foster innovation, start by cultivating a growth mindset. Understand that your abilities and talents are not fixed, but can be developed through dedication and effort. Embrace challenges, view failures as learning opportunities, and maintain a positive attitude towards feedback. By adopting a growth mindset, you'll open yourself up to new ideas and possibilities.
2. Identify a Problem or Opportunity:
Innovation thrives on addressing real-world challenges or seizing untapped opportunities. Observe your surroundings, engage with people, and identify areas where improvement or disruption is needed. Look for pain points, inefficiencies, or unmet needs that you could potentially address. The more specific and focused your problem or opportunity, the better equipped you'll be to devise innovative solutions.
3. Cultivate Curiosity and Knowledge:
Fuel your innovative spirit by nurturing curiosity and continuously expanding your knowledge base. Read extensively, explore diverse fields, and seek out new experiences. Be open to learning from a wide range of sources, both within and outside your domain. The intersection of different disciplines often sparks groundbreaking ideas and novel approaches.
4. Encourage Collaborative Thinking:
Innovation is rarely a solitary pursuit. Surround yourself with a diverse group of thinkers, collaborators, and supporters who bring different perspectives and expertise to the table. Encourage open and inclusive dialogue, fostering an environment where ideas can be freely shared and built upon. Collaborative thinking allows for the cross-pollination of ideas and often leads to breakthrough innovations.
5. Engage in Design Thinking:
Design thinking is a structured approach that helps uncover user needs, ideate potential solutions, and rapidly prototype and test ideas. It involves empathizing with the end-users, defining the problem, generating multiple ideas, refining the concepts, and iterating based on feedback. By embracing design thinking, you can systematically work towards creating something new that meets the needs of your target audience.
6. Embrace Failure and Iteration:
Innovation is an iterative process that requires embracing failure as a stepping stone to success. Learn from your failures, adapt, and iterate your ideas. Embrace experimentation and rapid prototyping to quickly test and refine your concepts. Each iteration brings you closer to a truly innovative solution.
7. Foster a Culture of Innovation:
If you're part of an organization, it's essential to foster a culture that values and encourages innovation. Create an environment where employees are empowered to share ideas, take calculated risks, and experiment. Recognize and reward innovative thinking to motivate and inspire others to contribute their creativity.
8. Embody Persistence and Resilience:
Creating something new requires persistence and resilience. Innovation is rarely a linear path, and setbacks are bound to occur. Stay committed to your vision, persevere through challenges, and maintain a resilient mindset. Learn from setbacks, adapt your approach, and keep pushing forward.
By embracing a growth mindset, identifying problems or opportunities, nurturing curiosity, engaging in collaborative thinking, adopting design thinking, embracing failure, fostering a culture of innovation, and embodying persistence and resilience, you can unleash your innovative potential and create something truly remarkable.
Remember, innovation starts with a single idea, and it's your commitment and determination that can turn that idea into a transformative reality. Embrace the journey of creating something new and let your innovation shape the world.
We have in mind to reach as many as possible with hope, ideas, love, encouragement, support and partnership but we cannot do it alone without you.
We need your support to reach even a single person and joining us may be the beginning of your own personal fulfillment story.
You can donate, partner with us, spread our materials, sponsor some of our projects, spread kindness and love around you today.
Meet the young aspiring adults ready to tackle challenges we face in our communities and to bring about change in the Gambia with new approaches in 2023!
As a registered home base charitable organization, they are bringing a change for a better Gambia and with the help of The Peoples Hub Network here is what they plan to do this year:
"A teacher from Brikama in The Gambia had to sell his land because his brother, who had taken the back-way (illegal migration), was kidnapped in Mali. The kidnappers said they would kill his brother if he did not pay the ransom. Sometimes Gambian children and teenagers steal money and sneak away to BACK-WAY without telling their families in order to flee from their country for their lost dreams. The younger are the migrants, the less likely they are aware of all the risks and the complex political, security and economic situations of the countries they are entering. In 2020, more than 432 West African migrants lost their lives in their attempt to reach Europe.“
Themigrantproject.org
Kuli Kunda primary school is a learning facility in the Gambia which is the smallest country in mainland Africa (West Africa). The school compiles of six(6) classroom with 200 plus student from 1st Grade to 6th Grade. Most classes have no chairs or tables and all of the pupils sit on a MAT during lessons.
"Education is the key to success."
Jefferson, Thomas
TheProAcademian Support Organization intend to enhance their school and learning facility for better education in the lives of those children in the afar village of Kuli Kunda. We also intend to furnish the school for better teaching and learning atmosphere. If you are able to help please do join The Peoples Hub Network so we can pool resources and work together more effectively to achieve objectives. Or alternatively donate to TheProAcademian Support Organization via PayPal by clicking here where they will receive 100% of the donation, after fees, while we work to a more sustainable ethical solution to achieve their goals and aspirations.
Why are you down? Why do you cry out over the past? Why are you almost giving up? Why do you think it's over due to a broken relationship, drop out of school, loss of money, health challenge or loss of a Job?
I want to tell you today that IT'S NOT OVER YET, PLEASE GIVE YOURSELF A SECOND CHANCE.
Are you moaning about a past mistake? Are you still angry about the opportunity you missed? Do you feel like quitting? Do you feel you're not appreciated by your boss at work? If this description matches your experience then this encouragement is for you.
Pressure is what many people do not like and will not want to get into a situation that will make them feel this way. However, consider a catapult with a stone in it.
Do you know that the more you draw, drag, pull and stretch it backward the greater the chances of the farthest distance the stone will get when released? Why is this so? Because after the pull back and release, the stone could go farther with speed, force and strength.
Your setbacks are not meant to destroy you, rather, they're preparing you for a greater launch into the air. You're coming back with a full force and greater speed. This is why you must stop beating yourself over the mistakes or wrongs done to you in the past. You have to raise yourself up, give yourself a second chance.
Giving yourself a second chance means speaking to yourself with positive affirmations. It means waking up in the morning, going to stand in front of the mirror and telling the person you see there that "keep going", "you're strong and beautiful", "if you quit, who will help those waiting for you to help them?", "What lies ahead of me is far greater, bigger, durable and incomparable to what I've lost", "I can make it again ".
Your setback can be for your set-up only if you decide to rise up with courage, look beyond your past and see into the future.
You're to pick up lessons from all that has happened to you and ensure you forge ahead for the next flight of your destiny. This will require you to have a deep reflection and meditate on what you've not done correctly in the past and you'll need to make a decision not to repeat the same thing and begin to live differently.
As you move forward, you should also consider that: gold becomes pure and useful when it passes through the fire. Diamonds form under pressure. Olives are pressed to release Oil. Even the foods you eat pass through the fire before you could eat them. Could it be that all you're passing through was meant to transform you and not to crush you? Sit down and consider again the purpose for that pressure.
The Peoples Hub organization stands by you to encourage you. Please join us today, be the change you wish to see in the world.
