10 Keys to Personal Growth

Personal growth doesn't have to be a mystery. You can learn and change, becoming the person you dream of being. It just takes paying attention to the ten keys of personal growth.

1. Take time to dream. Personal growth requires investing a little time in exploring your own desires and hopes. How can you know if you are growing if your goals are unclear?

2. Keep a journal. Journaling is a wonderful method of increasing personal growth in several ways. For one thing, it gives you a place to record those rumblings of distant dreams and the achievements you'd like to make. Second, it gives you a way to keep track of progress you're making toward your goals.

3. Make mistakes. A person who never makes any mistakes can only be a person who never does anything! If you are to grow, you will have to act, sometimes in a risky way. You are bound to make mistakes on the way to personal growth.

4. But, learn from your mistakes. Mistakes can be stepping stones on the way to success if we analyze them to see where we went wrong. If we get prideful and resistant, though, and refuse to admit we messed up, we are likely to repeat the mistake. Therefore, the next key to personal growth is. . .

5. Stay humble. It's hard to learn and grow if you think you already know everything.

6. Make self-confidence a priority. Gaining self-confidence can be one of your self-development goals, of course, but whether or not it is, having assurance in yourself is pivotal to seeing your other dreams manifest themselves. This is because success usually requires making contacts and interacting with others. Oddly, the best way to feel more confident is to get your mind off yourself and onto others.

7. Be honest. What good are dreams if the fulfilling of them is just a big sham? The first (and hardest) person to be honest with is yourself. It's easy to pretend we have certain standards or goals simply because the people around us do. For instance, have you ever felt like you were supposed to love being outdoors just because your peer group values outdoor activities? Is it possible that you are quite content puttering around the kitchen without ever going outdoors? Don't take on a goal of being an avid hiker and biker, then! Honestly assess what you love and want to do with your life.

8. Read a lot. Find good books on the topics you wish to succeed in, such as hobbies, health, or business skills. Or start simply with newsletter articles delivered to your emailbox. Don't feel like you have to invest hours in study, though. Fifteen minutes of reading here and there can contribute much to your education.

9. Don't forget or devalue others. In your quest to be the best YOU you can be, remember that friends and family are integral to a developed life.

10. Stay teachable. Let yourself learn from others. Even people who don't seem to have much going for them are likely to have experiences and understandings that you can benefit from if you just listen to them.