No one and nothing can make you to grow beyond the level of efforts you put in. It is true that everyone wants growth in many ways, but the question is; are they willing to participate actively and fully in the processes that will lead to their growth? It is very easy to wish for success, for improvement, or even for a better life, but you have to understand that all these do not just come by mere chance. They will definitely require efforts, intentionality, and your personal involvement. If you want to grow, then you have to be ready and willing to take full part in it. This is because you are responsible for a lot of things about you, including your growth.
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One of my friends, who just got into graphic designing, wanted to improve his skills. But all he would do was to watch tutorials online, and that would be it. No practice at all. Months passed, and he was still hoping to improve, while doing nothing about it. Then one day, he shared with me how he has not improving on his graphic designing skills, then I asked him a few questions, and that was when I discovered that he was not even practising. So I gave him a couple of advice, and told him the need for him to get fully involved in practising. He did, and that was when he started picking up the skills as it should. If not, he would have been stuck at just watching tutorials, thinking that the skills will just jump on him from the online video.
A very big misconception about growth is that it will happen automatically, or it will happen with time. Trust me, it is not everything that changes with time, until you make it to change. In the same way, growth does not happen by the press of a button. It is true that experience can be gotten by the passage of time, but growth is not automatically guaranteed by the passage of time. Some people remain at the same spot for a very long time, not because they are not talented, nor do they lack potentials, but because they do not work on themselves. Growth comes as a result of deliberate actions, not as a result of passive and continuous waiting.
Participating in your growth means taking responsibilities for your development. It means identifying the areas that need improvement in your life, then taking steps to work on them and make them improve. Whether it is about learning new skills, improving on the old one, building good habits, improving your mindset, etc, all these will require your full involvement. No one will be able to do the work for you like it needs to be done by you. For something to happen for you, you have a duty to make it happen yourself.
It is worthy to note that growth requires consistency. Of course, growth does not happen as a one-time event, but it is a continuous process. You must show up regularly and take regular steps, even when it feels difficult and when you feel less motivated. You will be surprised how small continuous steps will lead to big and significant results over time. Without consistency, progress may become short-lived, unstable, and unsustainable. You do not take steps once in a while or when you feel like, but it should be regular and consistent.
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In all these, you also need to know that you may be required to step out of your comfort zone. More often than not, growth may not happen in familiar and comfortable situations. It may require you to try out new things, face some challenges, and sometimes may make mistakes. These experiences may not be comfortable, but they are necessary for development. Every challenge you face will build up the resilience, strength, and confidence within you.
Learning also plays a significant part in growth. You have to be always willing to go after new knowledge and learn more, then remain open to new ideas. This can come from reading books, interacting with people, mentorship, through personal experiences, etc. However, learning alone will not be all that is required, you also need to put actions towards what you have learnt, so that the desired result will be achieved.
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