As we’ve entered the last month of 2019, I hope that you’re already planning on how to grow your business in 2020. Without growth, no business can prosper in today’s marketplace. And what can hinder such growth? The answer is you.
If you don’t grow, your business cannot either. You are its leader, leading creator, and propeller. If you stagnate, your business will too. That’s why the most successful entrepreneurs are obsessed with personal development. If you’re not yet, you should join the community.
I’m passionate about personal growth. Not only do I practice it myself but also help my clients with it as part of the business coaching when they sign up with me. Today, I want to encourage you to read this blog and hopefully decide why your 2020 plan should also include goals on developing yourself.
In the paragraphs below, you’ll discover the reasons why it’s so essential for you to grow and how you can go about deciding where to start.
Why is personal growth so vital?
A. If you grow, your business grows.
For one thing, it’s impossible to move your business to the next level if you, its central brain and heart, don’t move to the next level first. It’s like planting all your seeds in the garden and then expecting them to grow without watering them. The water for your business is your creativity, innovative ideas, relationships, organization, and leadership.
B. When you improve as a person, your relationships improve as well.
Here I’m talking not only business relationships with your clients or suppliers but also your partners, employees, and the loved ones around you. In other words, as you develop your leadership skills, for example, such as listening, communication, conflict resolution, self-management, team development, etc. they will, by all means, have a tremendous positive impact on your personal life as well.
C. Self-development is a huge time saver.
Last but not least, the better you become at any given skill, the less time it takes you to do things. Additionally, self-improvement can also teach you powerful routines, systems, and behaviors that will make you highly effective. It’s how you save tones of time. Wouldn’t you want to spend this most important but limited resource on valuable things, that make your life meaningful? Wouldn’t you want to avoid being down or upset with yourself because you just wasted 3 hours being “busy” with no tangible output? What about the feeling of being stressed out and overwhelmed? How much is the lack of these fillings replaced by serenity and sense of fulfillment every day are worth to you?
Given these benefits, I hope that personal growth is now going to make its way into your 2020 plan. But you’re probably thinking now: that’s great, Maggie, but where do I even start? Or What if I don’t have financial means to do that?
If you read on, the rest of the article will help you with that. Nevertheless, before you go there, I wanted to tell you that just like with time that we can create for things we want to do and are important to us, we can always find the money for important things we want. If you can afford to spend $250 each month for coffee, lunch, take out dinners, and beauty, you can also find $250 for books, seminars, workshops, or a coach. Not to mention all the free fantastic materials that are out there, at your fingertips one “google” away. You should start there. Or join my group Businesswomen with Passion 4 Life, where outside of tones of Free written materials, you get LIVE training and Q&A sessions weekly solely focused on helping you grow.
With all of this in mind, now here’s how you can decide on where to start your 2020 personal growth journey.
1. Have a vision for your business and with it for yourself.
First, look at your business’ 2020 strategic plan. If you did even the most straightforward SWOT analysis, look at your “W,” which I call opportunities for growth rather than weaknesses. Let’s say that in there, you identified structure and process implementation or hiring new employees. Next, look inside you and be honest. Are you confident you have the knowledge and discipline to implement the systems your business needs? Have you ever lead a team or even one employee successfully? If the answer is no, to any of these growth opportunities, these are the skills that should go first onto your development plan.
2. Strategically plan your skill development.
Second, plan. If you don’t plan, you plan to fail. Nothing will happen. What books are you going to read? Are there any seminars and workshops you can attend? Or maybe you should hire a coach because you know you have a hard time implementing anything you learn from the books and seminars? Once you have this figured out, then plan the budget you’ll allocate to your growth fund. I spend 10% of every dollar I make on self-development. You can choose your amount. All I can tell you is that your ROI (return on investment) will yield higher rewards than any profitable stock or venture you’ve ever invested.
3. Implement the plan.
Next, it’s time to act. No plan will do anything for you and your business if you don’t implement it. Action is key. Break down the goals into quarters, then months, and get to work. Start by going to the library and borrowing books or buy them in a book store. Sign up for Audible or a seminar each quarter. Reach out to the coaches you know, decide which one will be able to help you best, and hire them. Then, start reading the books, attend the seminar, and show up for your coaching sessions. Last, implement the learnings daily and consistently.
4. Keep track of your progress
If you write down your key learnings and results regularly, then you can look back each month and reflect on what works best for you and what needs to be adjusted or stopped altogether. Which brings us to the last point.
5. Review and adjust.
Lastly, at least monthly look back at your notes, evaluate the progress and results. Imagine you are a plane. Planes always get off course throughout its journey due to winds, turbulences, or unplanned events. But with this routine and your plan acting as a GPS, you can get back on track, no problem. So during the monthly review, identify what works best for you and what areas need adjustment. Maybe there are even things that are not working, and swapping them with something else is the way to go. This process will ensure that you’re making the most out of your time and money invested in your growth.
In conclusion, I hope this article inspired you, and you’ve decided to invest your time and some money into your growth. You are the most critical asset not only in your business but also in your personal life. That’s why I want to finish up with a quote and a few free resources you can download now to start your 2020 self-development journey.
Growth is the great separator between those who succeed and those who do not. When I see a person beginning to separate themselves from the pack, it’s almost always due to personal growth.
John C. Maxwell
5 FREE Resources To Get You Started:
- Businesswomen with Passion 4 Life, click here to join and grow every day!
- Guide to Creating 10 Hrs of Time Weekly in 10 Mins, click here to download.
- 49 + Ideas on How to Increase Your Business Visibility, click here to download.
- Ultimate Guide to Reduce Your Stress & Increase Results, click here to download.
- 39 Ways to Respectfully Say ‘NO,’ click here to download
PS. If you’d like more than one resource, e-mail me here letting me know which one, I’ll send them to you personally in one shot 😊.
