Two Sisters

There once were two sisters who had dreams of growing into a bright future. The first sister was determined to go to college and become a digital technician. She was motivated to get the education she needed and eagerly began applying to schools.

The second sister, however, was less enthusiastic about college. She wanted to grow, but that was not how she saw herself doing it. Four years seemed like an eternity to her. She wanted to find a different path that would give her a future as promising as her sister’s. After much thought, she chose to stay in her current job and focus on self-improvement in small but significant increments.

As it turned out, four years passed by quickly for the first sister. She earned her degree and dedicated considerable effort into becoming a successful digital technician. The second sister, unfortunately, found herself stuck in a job that didn't excite her anymore. It was a hard lesson to learn, but she realized the importance of having a personal growth plan. It’s not enough to want to improve, we need to have a plan for how that will happen.

Reaching Your Goals

Have you ever felt stuck in life, unsure of where to go next? Maybe you're looking for a job, starting a business, or trying to figure out the next step in your life. Whatever the case may be, having a personal growth plan can help you reach your goals and ensure that you stay on track.

Although the story I shared earlier was about the need for growth at the start of a person’s career, nowadays a person needs to keep growing throughout their life. A person is just as likely to need a growth plan at fifty years of age, as they were at twenty.

What Is a Personal Growth Plan?

A personal growth plan is a roadmap for improving yourself. In developing your plan, you will set goals that align with your values and strengths, and you will commit to specific steps that will help you reach your goals.

The roadmap helps you envision what success looks like for you and how you will get there. Include both short-term and long-term goals, and an action plan for reaching those goals. Since this is the plan for taking yourself forward, you need to also include how you will track your progress. And you need to be prepared to adjust your plan if the hoped for results are not happening.

The Importance of a Personal Growth Plan

John Maxwell says that, "growth is the only way to stay ahead." Having a personal growth plan is essential to creating real change in your life. You wouldn’t explore a new area without a map or a GPS to guide you. Personal growth is no different.

Without a map, you can get lost. A personal growth plan provides direction and helps you reach success. You can create a personal growth plan for any area of your life. Whether you want to achieve new goals in your career or as a person, having a plan will help you succeed.

As with a long journey, looking at your map can help you see how far you have travelled. Talk about motivation!

Four Steps for Creating a Personal Growth Plan

1. Identify the area in your life that you want to improve.
2. Set specific goals. Make sure that each goal is realistic and achievable within the timeframe you have set.
3. Develop an action plan for achieving each goal. Be specific about what you need to do and when it should be completed.
4. Decide how you will measure progress over time.

Creating a plan may seem daunting, but once you get started, it won't be long before the results start speaking for themselves! With dedication and commitment, anything is possible!

Call to Action

Create a personal growth plan for your own life. Let us know how it goes. We love to celebrate your success.

Your Friends,
The UpCloseTeam