Overcoming the Barriers to Personal Growth
Our marketing director said I was aggressive and pushy.
It was a big slap in the face – mostly because I knew it was true, but thought I’d hidden it by being ‘nice’.
Once I got over the shock, it became one of the best bits of feedback I’ve ever had, starting a great period of personal growth.
But lots of barriers can get in the way of personal growth. Which is a shame, because all the important developments in our professional lives are built on it. It can be a practical, useful way to achieve what we want. Whether that’s a big promotion, more balance so that tasks and working relationships are easier and not such a slog, or the delivery of a significant project.
Here’s how to overcome the barriers to personal growth:
- Seek Feedback
It’s painful, but other people can sometimes see things that we can’t see or won’t acknowledge; - Look for Incongruence
If you feel different on the inside to how you think you ‘ought’ to be on the outside, that’s a clue to what your personal growth might need to focus on; - Clear Outcomes
Personal growth should be a useful, practical thing. What is it that you want to achieve? - Experiment
Growth comes from trying out new ways of being; learning from what works and what doesn’t. Experiment with how you do and say things.
How about you? What personal growth are you looking for - and what barriers are you finding? Click To TweetThe key to overcoming the barriers to personal growth is to risk being vulnerable in order to discover something helpful.
