The HAVE TO'S of achieving personal growth.

[Guest guest]

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SEVEN " HAVE-TO'S " TO ACHIEVE PERSONAL GROWTH by Chris

Widener

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Quite frankly, I wish personal growth would just happen! I

wish I would just get better and money would fall out of

the sky. I wish my waist would get smaller even as I sit on

the couch in front of a warm fire eating Breyer's Vanilla

Bean ice cream. Oh, how I wish it was easy!

Okay, enough whining, enough dreaming, enough lack of

reality. I have it out of my system! The reality is that it

is work to grow personally. The sooner we realize that,

even lovingly embrace that, the sooner we jump on the

highway of success! The fact is that we " have to " do some

things! As my uncle the truck driver use to say to me when

I was a kid, " Wish in one hand and spit in the other - then

see which one fills first. " (Remember, he was a trucker,

and somebody else may have been a bit more elegant, but I

still remember it today, 25 years later. I recommend

however that you take it at face value. It isn't a fun

experiment to actually carry out!).

Without any further ado, here are the seven " have-to's " to

achieve personal growth for yourself. Don't wish anymore!

Get on the ball and start reaping the rewards!

1. You have to know what it is that you want. Wanting

personal growth isn't enough. Do you want more money? How

much? Do you want to lose weight? How much? Do you want a

spouse? Who? Do you want to travel? Where? Do you want more

freedom in your professional life? What would that look

like? Clearly define in your mind what it is that you want!

Once you do...

2. You have to decide that you really want it. Do you

really want it? That is the place to start, really, because

I have realized working with people that many of them

really don't want what they think they want once I talk

them through all of the issues. Is this what you really

want or is it a dream you have to escape something else?

For example, do you really want to quit your job and start

your own company? Do you want the risk of reputation? The

risk of capital loss? Do you want to work from six in the

morning until nine at night, seven days a week for the next

two to three years? Do you really want it? Yes? Proceed...

3. You have to be willing to sacrifice to get it. What will

you give up to get personal growth? I know what I have to

give up to be able to fit into size 32 pants - mud pie!

Now, you may not think that is so bad, but you don't know

how much I love mud pie! I know that it is a sacrifice for

me to get to the gym every day of the week (okay, I usually

take two Sunday afternoons a month off). I know how much I

write the check out for each month to belong to the gym -

it would feed a small army. This is sacrifice, all of it.

What are you willing to sacrifice to get personal growth in

your life? Are you willing? Then proceed...

4. You have to be willing to be criticized. Surprisingly,

the average person doesn't like the average achiever. Why?

Because they make the average person feel, well, average.

They resent that the achiever makes choices they don't

make, even though they could too. And they secretly resent

that the achiever benefits from rewards that they don't. It

seems odd, but working with thousands of people over the

years I have seen enough jealousy and envy to fill every

seat in the Rose Bowl. Can you handle that to various

degrees? Then see number five...

5. You have to decide you want it more than other

pleasures. What is more pleasurable: Ice cream every night

or a proper weight? What is more pleasurable: Sitting on

the couch or pounding away on a treadmill? What is more

pleasurable: Spending your money on the things you want

right now or saving for later? What is more pleasurable:

Getting off at five every night or working endlessly on the

weekends? What is more pleasurable: Reading a favorite

novel or a technical book? What is more pleasurable: Four

weeks of vacation or one? You get the point. In order to

grow personally or professionally, there will have to be a

desire to work hard in spite of the pleasures that call

your name. And if you work it right, in the end there will

be plenty of time to reward yourself with the pleasures of

accomplishment. Do you want it more that other pleasures?

Really? Then let's move on...

6. You have to take a long-term approach. Why do most

people fail to accomplish their personal growth goals?

Because they take a short-term approach. They know what to

do. They do it for a week or a month, then they quit. Every

January the gym gets so busy. Then February rolls around

and I have no problem getting on the machines! In order to

accomplish your personal growth goals, you absolutely,

positively must view it as a long-term goal. For example,

when most people want to lose weight, what do they do? They

change their diet until they lose it. Then what? They

change it back and gain the weight back. Instead, they

ought to say, I am changing the way I eat for the rest of

my life and slowly but surely my weight will take care of

itself. And it does! Are you capable of seeing your

personal goals in the long-term? Well then you are ready

for number seven...

7. You have to diligently, methodically, and relentlessly

work at it. Every day, every week, every year. The more you

put into it, the more you get out of it. I was on a

conference call with Zig Ziglar last night and he made an

incredible revelation. For 25 years he has read for three

hours a day! No wonder he oozes information! That is

diligence. That is methodical. That is relentless! Can you

do the same for yourself in the area you want to grow in?

Certainly! But will you, that is the question. If you do,

you will achieve any dream you set forth for yourself!

You can achieve personal growth! It is entirely possible

for you to live your dreams! Put the above to work and you

will see them unfold before your very eyes! Just remember,

it won't just happen to you, you " have-to " do some things!

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Widener is a popular speaker and writer as well as

the President of Made for Success, a company helping

individuals and organizations turn their potential into

performance, succeed in every area of their lives and

achieve their dreams. Join subscribers in 90 countries

around the world and get Chris' FREE weekly Made for

Success Ezine by sending a blank email to success-on@mail-

list.com or visit his website at

http://www.madeforsuccess.com. You can contact at

chris@... or by phone at 425-444-GOAL(4625).