Last week’s FFfT felt incomplete. There must be more to the story! The more I think about it, knowing that change is coming and yet being annoyed is comparable to the thinking that “what got me here will get me there”. That’s dangerous thinking; we should evolve, change, and grow constantly in both our professional and personal lives. BTW, we talk a lot about that distinction of personal and professional, but really, we must be solid personally to be good professionals, right?
When we overlook growth, we risk becoming stagnant and eventually even irrelevant. We may find we are stuck in repetitive roles, performing routine tasks that offer little challenge or satisfaction. Over time we may notice that opportunities for growth become scarcer, and a sense of complacency sets in. In other words, we fall into a rut. The longer we are there, the deeper it is and the harder it is to climb out of. The knowledge and skills once possessed may no longer be relevant, and self-doubt, a growing lack of confidence, and eventually low self-esteem may set in and start to impact our overall well-being and fulfillment. This seems like an unhappy place to be, right?!
On the other hand, if we understand the transformative power of investing in our own growth, remarkable things can happen. We gain forward momentum, find we have improved, build more desirable skill sets, greater expertise and more importantly, wisdom. These things can move us forward, open doors for us and increase our overall potential both personally and professionally. We may find that our work brings us greater satisfaction and a stronger sense of accomplishment. We may also find we are building new connections, our partnerships flourish, and goals are more achievable.
If we allow it to, a mindset of lifelong learning can become our compass to ensure purpose, adaptability, and direction in a rapidly changing world. In the dynamic landscape of careers and life, finding the balance between personal and professional growth is key. What gets you here is just the beginning of an extraordinary journey ahead, filled with both challenges and rewards, waiting to be explored.
“In a growth mindset, challenges are exciting rather than threatening. So rather than thinking, oh, I’m going to reveal my weaknesses, you say, wow, here’s a chance to grow.” – Carol S. Dweck
With this new year and new day ahead of us, what step will you take?
-Vijay