14 - Today’s GROWTH Gives Me Potential

The last of Maxwell’s Daily Dozen is Growth. The quote that Maxwell opens with from Robert Louis Stevenson reads “To be what we are, ant to become what we are capable of being, is the only end of life.” Maxwell believes that people never truly reach this because of misconceptions about growth:

1. They think growth is automatic.

2. They think growth comes from information.

3. They think growth comes with experience.

Maxwell continues by giving us four reasons that growth matters today:

1. Gifting without growth leads to ineffectiveness.

2. Growth prevents personal and professional stagnation.

3. Your personal growth impacts your organization’s growth.

4. Only through continuous improvement can you reach your potential.

In order to this, we must make a plan to allow for continual growth. These are some of the guidelines Maxwell provides for us:

1. Answer the question: What is my potential?

2. Make a commitment to change.

3. Set growth goals.

4. Put yourself in a growth environment.

Maxwell continues by providing us with tips to ensure growth:

1. Make it your goal to grow in some way every day.

2. Have a time and plan to grow.

3. File what you learn.

4. Apply what you learn.

Thinking about growth, Maxwell leaves us with a great quote to bring it all together. He says, “The greatest of all miracles is that we need not be tomorrow what we are today. The greatest of all insights is we cannot be tomorrow what we do not do today. That is why today matters.”

WOW!!! What a powerful ending to summarize the entire book. As I read the last page, I was still hungry for more, but realized that Maxwell has left me with everything to guarantee tomorrow’s success.

I look forward to applying everything in this book and seeing where it takes me in life!

Thank you for following my blog, and I hope this book benefits you as much as I know it is going to benefit me!