The tag line of this blog is “Personal Growth and Effectiveness.” I use the phrase “personal growth” there rather than an alternative such as “personal development” or “self-improvement.” Why is that?
Well, in the beginning it was because the phrase was more search-engine friendly. It had lower competition than the alternatives; as a result, it ranked higher in search engines.
With the passage of time though, another reason emerged: I simply love the word “grow” in the phrase “personal growth.” Here are a few reasons why I love the word “grow.”
1. It implies a long process
These days, people want quick and effortless results. In the past, people washed clothes by hand. That, of course, took a lot of time and energy. But with a washing machine, you can just push your clothes in there, press a few buttons, and get clean clothes. Nice, isn’t it?
Unfortunately, you can’t expect such quick results in other aspects of life. For instance, you can’t achieve your full potential right away. You need to go through a process to achieve that, and it could take many painful years to complete.
The word “grow” implies that there is a process to go through to get results. There is no shortcut. So don’t get discouraged if you still don’t see the results you want. As long as you keep improving yourself (see the next point below), you are doing fine.
2. It implies constant improvement over time
Not only does the word “grow” imply a process: it also implies constant improvement. When a plant grows, it does so day-by-day. The plant grows a little compared to yesterday. The plant tomorrow will also grow a little. Each day brings improvement.
Similarly, you should improve yourself day-by-day. Aim to be better today than yesterday. Don’t ever stop improving yourself.
3. It implies that you need a good environment
For a plant to grow, it needs a supporting environment. It needs good soil and sunshine. Similarly, you can’t achieve your full potential alone. You need friends who can support you, mentors who can guide you, and resources (such as a computer or a library) that you can use.
That’s why you should find an environment that can support you. Once you do, even if it’s not perfect, don’t take it for granted. Get the most out of it.
4. It implies a worthy goal at the end
When a plant grows, it doesn’t just grow without a purpose. The goal is clear: to achieve its full potential and bloom into the prettiest flower or the tallest tree. Similarly, you grow every day in order to achieve your full potential. You grow to be the best you can be. That’s a goal worth fighting for.
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“Grow” is a simple word, but it contains many values. I love it. I want to grow every day, and I invite you to join me.
Photo by aussiegall
Excellence post.
Thanks for sharing 🙂
Thanks, Adam 🙂
that am here, i already have the environment… now, let’s just grow
Agree 🙂
Conformity is the jailer of freedom and the enemy of growth.
Growth is a wonderful word, I’d never thought of it this way, I’ve always been a ‘self help’, or ‘personal development’ type of guy, I thinks it’s about time to use a bit of transformational vocabulary and change my habitual language to ‘Personal Growth’,
Thanks for the post, loved it!
Thanks, Darren! I also realized the deep meaning of the word “grow” only later.
If you’re not growing you’re not alive. Stopping, going nowhere – that’s equilibrium and that is death in the natural world. If we want to be vital, creative beings then growth is not an option. Growth is an essential part of life. Somedays it might be imperceptible but over time, with focus, and commitment it can be immense – therefore we should not limit ourselves.
Yes, growth is a decision we need to make day by day. If we are consistent with that, over time the difference will be huge.
As the famous quote says, “Grow-up but not grow old”. I have a quick question, do you think growing up also means losing one’s humor?
Very well said – this is an excellent thing to keep in mind as we head into the new year and start setting our annual goals… aim for growth!
Growth is not a one day process it takes time. You cannot change yourself in a day. You need to continuously work on yourself to develop into a person that everyone loves. In order to achieve personal growth you have consciously make an effort to improve only then can you achieve control over your thoughts and action.
“These days, people want quick and effortless results”
I’ve always thought that if you didn’t have to fight for it then it probably wasn’t worth much. People don’t grow because they don’t want the hard work. A plant works hard to grow, all its focus is on growing.
Nicely put……
This post really connected with me.
I 100% agree that the word ‘grow’ means something so much deeper. I didn’t actually realise this until now as I have always been using the term ‘personal development’.
Personal Growth is a way of life… you’re making my mind buzz.
Thanks for the awesome post!
Brendan
But not you.I love too.Thank very much!.
good one.i agree with the environment
thing n also you need the good mentor,so you can drift in that direction..