Our capacity, or potential, is unlimited. But few people reach their potential because they don’t understand that in order to grow, you must change. And change, as we all know, is uncomfortable, stretches us beyond what we know; even going to points of perceived pain.
In our culture of seminars, development programs, leadership books, we are not want of information. Yet we can deceive ourselves and think because we have read it, our job is done. A huge lie! it is not until you begin to practice new behavior that you will grow.
The process of true change requires certain attitudes:
1. Desire. If you don’t wanna you ain’t gonna.
2. Humility. You must admit you haven’t reached perfection, and you don’t know it all. (Ahem, don’t think you need to show this to your boss/spouse/etc. Stay focused.)
3. Awareness. You must find out what is not working. You really don’t need someone else to tell you. You can just take stock of what is going right in your and what is going wrong. You don’t even need to spend a week in the mountains. You can begin immediately by asking these after an important meeting, after a heated discussion or at the end of your day: What went wrong/right? What part did I play? Did I make it worse? Better? What could I have done differently?
4. Take responsibility. Once you’ve asked these questions of yourself, make a quality decision to find out how how to do it better. Books, internet, peers, mentors, etc. No excuse that you don’t have access to the information you need.
5. Do. Take what your are learning and put it into practice, practice, practice. Behave into the direction you want to go. Ignore you discomfort. You will be walking where you have never been before and it is strange at first.
6. Continue. Don’t stop until you have changed. This requires your commitment and persistence – it won’t happen overnight. But it will happen. Others will begin to see glimpses early, and you will begin to experience a change for the better.
Simple, but not easy. This really works — if you work it!
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