When it comes to growth, you never ‘arrive’. It’s not a place you reach; it’s a pathway you walk. ‘The path of the just is like the shining sun, that shines ever brighter unto the perfect day.’ A pastor writes: ‘Many people learn only from the school of hard knocks. Difficult experiences teach them lessons “the hard way”, and they change – sometimes for the better, sometimes for the worse. The lessons are random and difficult. It’s much better to plan your growth intentionally. You decide where you need or want to grow, you choose what you will learn, and you follow through with discipline going at the pace you set. Think about what it is that you want to do. Whom do you want to be? Make a list of things that will help you reach that goal and be that person. Is there something on that list you can do now? Today? Do it. Whether you feel prompted to or not, now is the time to start growing…You will never get much done unless you go ahead and do it before you are ready. If you’re not already intentionally growing, you need to get started today. If you don’t, you may reach some goals, which you can celebrate, but you will eventually plateau. But once you start growing intentionally, you can keep growing and keep asking, “What’s next?” When you start working actively towards your goal, you will find that the door of personal growth opens a crack. Through that crack, you’ll begin to see more growth opportunities everywhere. Your world begins to open up. You accomplish more. You learn more. Other opportunities begin to present themselves.’

© 2024. Written by Bob and Debby Gass. Used by permission under licence from UCB International.