After studying personal growth for nearly 57 years, there’s one thing that stands out in my mind above everything else.
Do you remember what it is?
It’s that no one can even guess at what you and I are capable of doing.
Thomas Edison said, “If we did all the things we are capable of doing, we would literally astonish ourselves.”
There’s no doubt in my mind that’s true.
That’s why I’m urging you to really stretch yourself in 2018. Go for something you really, really want, but don’t presently think you can do.
Now I know it’s not always easy to come up with a goal like that. After all, we’re taught to set goals that we think we can achieve. Goals that require us to improve gradually—one step at a time.
So that’s what most people do. They set goals they think can be achieved by working just a little bit harder.
But trying harder isn’t necessarily the solution to achieving more. And even if it was, reaching just a little higher, climbing from A to B isn’t nearly as satisfying as leaping from A to D, a level that you thought was beyond your reach.
But don’t take my word for it…
Just examine your own life.
When were you the most successful?
It’s one thing to have someone else tell you that you’re capable of a lot more.
It’s quite another to know it for yourself.
You can do that by recollecting times when you exceeded your own expectations.
So, I ask that you get a sheet of paper and a pen, and complete the following exercise.
Take a few minutes to make a list of some of your most significant achievements over the course of your life. Your list might include something as simple as getting your first A in school or landing your first job.
When your list is complete, look it over and pick the thing you are the proudest of. Something you accomplished that you didn’t think you could do.
Next answer the following questions:
1. What did you do to accomplish your goal? Describe it in as much detail as possible.
2. What were you focusing on as you were working on it?
3. What were the keys to achieving your goal? Refusing to take ‘no’ for an answer, an intense desire or need to succeed, wanting to prove something to yourself or someone else, etc.?
Use the recollection of that period in your life as proof that you are capable of more than you think.
And understand this…
No matter how big that goal was for you, you still haven’t come close to reaching your full potential.
So, as you consider your goals for 2018, let your imagination run free.
The Promise
You don’t have to be content with setting goals you know or think you can reach.
You indeed can achieve your wildest dreams.
So, I’d like to introduce you to a simple process for penetrating imaginary barriers and achieving more of your real potential.
It all starts with getting clear on what you want, and it ends with taking appropriate actions and attracting the right resources to turn your dream into your reality.
Steve Bow once said, “God’s gift to us is more talent and ability then we’ll ever hope to use in our lifetime. Our gift to God is to develop as much of that talent and ability as we can in this lifetime.”
If you’re tired of taking small steps, I promise applying the actions outlined in this sheet will allow you to make a leap forward in developing your talents and abilities.
To your success,