| Have you or a friend ever been in a rut? You | | | | yourself! |
| probably have known someone who was in a rut, | | | | Here are some tips to help insure that you keep |
| living a life of routine, monotony and dullness, maybe | | | | growing and achieving:oSet Goals Once a year, sit |
| even depressed. | | | | down in a quiet spot and really look at your goals for |
| Do you have a friend or know someone who is | | | | the year. Analyze what you did last year and all the |
| excited? Upbeat? Energetic? What is the difference | | | | accomplishments. You may be surprised by what you |
| between the two? | | | | have been able to do. Next set goals for yourself for |
| I believe the difference between the first person and | | | | the next year. Look at each important area of you |
| the second is the first person is not growing and | | | | life. Next look forward 3-5 years and ask "what do I |
| achieving. | | | | want to be doing in five years?" See if the goals for |
| The human mechanism I believe is "wired" naturally | | | | the upcoming years are helping you to head in that |
| for growth and development. As children we are | | | | direction.oLearn Set a goal of reading a certain |
| growth machines physically, emotionally and mentally. | | | | number of books for this year. Mainly read non-fiction |
| We go to school, take dance lesson, play in sports | | | | on topics that are areas which you need to improve. |
| leagues, and join the scouts. These are all activities | | | | Take a class. Go to a seminar. Learn a new skill. |
| that lead to growth and achievement. Then, after all | | | | Everything that you learn is linked to everything you |
| those years, we graduate and get a job. That's | | | | know and do- so learning will enhance every aspect |
| when some of us put on the brakes and just stop | | | | of your life.oExperience Arrange to experience new |
| learning and growing. We are "busy" with work, | | | | things that you have never done before. If you have |
| family, bills, and chores. The idea and practice of | | | | never seen a symphony go see one. If you have |
| growth and achievement goes away for some of us | | | | never seen a certain town go visit it. If you have |
| as life takes over. Then at some point, the drive and | | | | never played paint ball -do it! The more new things |
| motivation slips away and we are in the rut. We get | | | | you experience the more you grow. Try new |
| stagnant. | | | | directions and your life will be enhanced.oAim for your |
| Have you ever seem a swimming pool at the end of | | | | weaknesses Create an all out assault plan for |
| the winter? It is dirty and overgrown with algae and | | | | attacking your weaknesses. Target them and work |
| mold and it looks like it can never be restored. It has | | | | on making them less of a liability. Do you remember |
| been stagnant for three seasons. It hasn't been | | | | the old T.V. show Kung Fu? There was a famous |
| cared for and there has been no activity. I believe | | | | scene in which "Grasshopper" went to the master for |
| that we as humans operate in a similar fashion. If we | | | | advice. The master replied, "Remember Grasshopper, |
| are not active and engaged we stagnate. | | | | it is a strength to know your weaknesses." Analyze |
| Many studies with the elderly have tried to uncover | | | | your weaknesses and then pick two or three that |
| some of the reasons for senility and the slowing of | | | | you really want to attack. Then develop an action |
| mental abilities. Shockingly, they found the reason to | | | | plan to start working on them. Don't wait to work on |
| be the lack of activity and lack of stimulation, in other | | | | them, start working on them tomorrow! I soon as |
| words they had grown stagnant! This is proof that | | | | you start making progress you will be motivated, |
| when the brain isn't used, the capacity lessens. | | | | because you will feel that you are making progress. I |
| So one of the questions that you should ask yourself | | | | am a very creative person and very right brained. |
| is to loosely quote Janet Jackson is "what have you | | | | This makes me tend to be unorganized. Because I |
| do for you lately?" In other words, what have you | | | | have identified this as an area of weakness I have |
| learned in the last year? Not by accident, or because | | | | been able to make significant progress in this |
| it was part of your job, but what have you learned | | | | area.oDecide what you don't know Be observant and |
| on purpose? What have you gotten better at? How | | | | notice throughout the year what information you |
| have you grown? | | | | don't know. This is information and knowledge that |
| Growth Is Required and Expected | | | | either you want to have to need to have. Let's say |
| Why must you keep growing and achieving? Well, we | | | | you are an accountant and there are some new |
| live in a fast, crazy, and rapidly changing world and | | | | accounting procedures you keep hearing about. |
| change is happening at a more rapid pace every year. | | | | Ignorance as the old saying goes is not bliss, find out! |
| If you stay the same and don't grow, you are | | | | Attend an industry conference, call someone in the |
| actually going backwards while the world passes you | | | | industry, but a book, go on the internet, and dig! Find |
| by! In order to stay competitive and to keep up with | | | | out and be curious. You will grow professionally and |
| change you have to grow and get better every | | | | personally and your credibility and confidence will be |
| year. This will also keep you motivated because you | | | | increased, as will your motivation.oExercise There is |
| will have a feeling of accomplishment each year. | | | | no question that if you want to keep growing and |
| In a recent book Deepak Chopra said that the human | | | | achieving that you need to exercise. I am not saying |
| body is in a constant state of change biologically. We | | | | you have to look like a world champion body builder |
| have new skin every 5 days, and a new liver every | | | | or run like a track star. I am saying that exercise will |
| eight weeks. So the person we see in the mirror is in | | | | help you grow and improve your physical and mental |
| a state of constant change and there is a new "we" | | | | health. Your exercise should be regular and |
| every few weeks. So if that is the case shouldn't we | | | | consistent, and should include both anaerobic and |
| be willing to keep growing intellectually, spiritually, | | | | aerobic exercise. Lastly exercise will give you energy; |
| professionally and personally? | | | | vitality and you will feel GOOD about |
| I recently went back to the hometown that I had | | | | yourself.oNetwork They say that "birds of a feather |
| grown up in, Martinsville Virginia. I can't even begin to | | | | flock together." Decide what birds you are going to |
| tell you how shocked I was! The house I had grown | | | | flock with. Network with people who are dynamic, |
| up in had been bulldozed, now an empty lot. Roads | | | | goal oriented and growing. Find out about and try to |
| were gone, stores were closed and torn down, new | | | | meet the people in your industry who are "in the |
| shopping centers had been built and institutions that | | | | know" and network with them. |
| were the lifeblood of the town were vapor. The | | | | So you, your body and your mind are wired to grow |
| reality is that the world is changing around us daily | | | | and achieve. To not grow and achieve is not what |
| but we just don't notice. When we go back to a | | | | you are meant to do. Lastly, if you are growing and |
| town after a long absence the changes are much | | | | achieving not only will you be motivated, but you will |
| more apparent. If the world around is changing, | | | | also be a source of inspiration and motivation for |
| should we not change with it? Be willing to re-invent | | | | others. |