What Are The 5 Steps?
When you hit 30, it’s safe to say that you’re not growing anymore. Does this mean we are as developed as we’re ever going to be? Absolutely not. We are always growing, developing and learning. Life and this world are full of experiences and knowledge. It’s up to us to keep ourselves in a constant mode of development, because we never know what the next experience can teach us to improve our life.
There are five steps you can take to make sure you always keep growing:
1. Know That You Don’t Know Anything
The more you realize this, the more you will be open to knowledge entering your life. Being ignorant of how much more you can learn about the subjects you already know about will close you off and you’ll miss life as it passes you. Know how much more you can learn about yourself and the world around you and this will keep you motivated and excited to explore and experience life to the fullest.
2. Push Yourself Beyond Your Comfort Zones
Get comfortable with feeling uncomfortable. Learn to do anything that you don’t know how to do yet. It can be an extension of what you already know, or it can be something brand new, but always take things further. Learn public speaking and practice in front of 10 people. Then go to an event and talk in front of 100, then 1000, then take it as far as you can. If you are in sales and making $50,000 a year, learn what the people who are making $100,000 a year are doing, and copy them. And don’t stop. Even if you don’t want to make more money, you can free up more of your time to do the things you love. Keep growing and push yourself with new challenges on a regular basis. Surround yourself with more knowledge, regardless of what it’s about. It’s a good state to be in.
3. Read, Read, Read
Read the news, read about politics, read old books, read new books, read fiction, read none fiction, read magazines, read anything and everything at any time that you can. The public library is a phenomenon. Free knowledge, for anyone. You can get any book you want and return it after a month free of charge. eBook readers have revolutionized how we read. You have access to hundreds of books in one small device that you can use anywhere. Reading, in general, makes you smarter, and it keeps you sharp as you age. It also increases your vocabulary by introducing you to words that you wouldn’t usually come across in your circle of friends or on television.
4. Focus On Your Emotional Intelligence
A good way to constantly improve your social and emotional intelligence is to remain observant. Observant of how people interact, how you interact with others, and how each action is perceived regardless of its intention. People with high emotional intelligence will have better self-awareness, self-regulation, empathy and in general be happier. This is an ongoing process as you grow and the world around you changes. Remain sharp and focused on everything around you and it will help you remain current.
5. Set Yourself Goals On A Regular Basis And Keep To Them
A regular basis doesn’t mean once a year. New year’s resolutions don’t last past the first week of January and then you’ll have to wait another year before you can make more. Make goals on a daily, weekly and monthly basis. Then keep to a schedule and track your performance. Set yourself realistic improvement goals so as to not demotivate yourself when you don’t hit your ambitious goal. Make them realistic and when you hit those milestones, celebrate. Keep celebrating the small successes and see everything to the end. It doesn’t matter what the goal is. It could be to learn a new language, take a new course, to not watch TV or to meditate every day. It doesn’t really matter what the goal is. The important thing is having them, and sticking to them as you go.
Good luck.
