Challenge yourself to grow in 2025

12 Jan, 2025 - 00:01 0 Views
Challenge yourself to grow in 2025 Milton Kamwendo

Milton Kamwendo

THE enemy called “Average” should be resisted and conquered. You do not have the luxury to remain in the same place and expect greatness.

Greatness is not a matter of luck or gambling.

The enemy called Average is subtle, persistent and persuasive.

It lures you into comfort zones that stifle your potential.

Average is the antithesis of greatness. It whispers that “good enough” is sufficient and convinces you that staying in your lane is safer than pushing boundaries. This new year is not the year for settling. It is the year of better and greater. It is the year of a new and greater glory.

It is the year to rise, stretch and break through every barrier that hinders your progress.

I have been inspired reading Grant Cardone’s book “Be Obsessed or Be Average” and John Mason’s 1990s small but potent classic “The Enemy Called Average”.

This new season is your call to abandon mediocrity and challenge yourself to grow like never before.

Grow, grow, grow, grow all the time until it sinks. Growth is not optional; it is essential for greatness. To help you internalise this growth journey, I have developed a simple GROW framework.

This is an actionable plan that will push you to new growth dimensions.

The acronym “G.R.O.W.” is your master-key for unleashing your greatness and feeling your growth.

G — Go beyond comfort 

Growth begins where comfort and laziness end. Staying in your comfort zone is the fastest route to stagnation. It is tempting to keep doing what is familiar. Real growth and transformation require bold action and brutal courage.

Just as a seed must break through the ground to bloom, you, too, must embrace the discomfort of stretching beyond your current limits.

Look at your goals and multiply them. Set stretch goals.

Aim for something that feels almost out of reach. A bigger goal will inspire greater effort.

Stop comparing yourself with mediocrity.  Courage is not the absence of fear; it is daring to act despite the fear.

Face fear with obstinate faith.

Fear is the gatekeeper to your next level. Do not run from it. Confront it with faith and determination.

Look fear in the face and it will flee. Try something new that you have never done. Take on tasks or roles that force you to learn and adapt.

Discomfort is the price of growth.

Grant Cardone says, “You can’t get to the next level without adding more to your plate.”

Push past comfort and watch yourself rise to new dimensions.

R — Relentless pursuit of excellence 

Average is the result of half-hearted effort.  There are never half-hearted champions. Excellence is the child of relentless dedication.

To grow, you must adopt an obsession with becoming the best version of yourself. Excellence is not a one-time act.

It is a lifestyle that you choose. It is a culture that you adopt.

Watch what you feed your mind with.  Your thoughts become your words. You cannot have excellence while you think thoughts of mediocrity. Watch your thoughts; they become your attitudes.

You cannot pursue excellence with a rotten attitude. Watch your attitude. This is habit of thought. Your attitude becomes your culture.

Audit your words, your thoughts, habits and routines against the plumbline of excellence:

What daily routines contribute to your growth? What habits hold you back?

Replace mediocrity-infested behaviours with excellence-focused ways. What you do not know now you can commit to learning.

Embrace continuous learning.

Make reading, studying and seeking mentorship a non-negotiable part of your life. Be willing to invest in your own growth and development.

Growth comes from feeding your mind with high-value content.

Refuse to shrink or settle.

Be a growth missionary. Average people stop when they reach “good enough”. That is not you.

Commit to over-delivering in every area of your life. Reach for excellence everyday and in every way.

John Mason put it this way: “Don’t settle for an average life. Pursue your passion with excellence and leave a legacy.”

Create a legacy of greatness.

O — Own your growth 

No one is responsible for your growth but you. Blaming external circumstances or waiting for someone else to motivate you is a recipe for stagnation. Growth requires accountability and a proactive approach to becoming better every day.

Do not subcontract your growth to anyone else.   Take extreme ownership of your growth agenda. Take 100 percent responsibility, and some more.

Stop making excuses for why you are not where you want to be.

Own every decision.

Own every outcome. Own every opportunity for improvement.

Become a growth fanatic.

What you track you can audit and improve. Set growth milestones and track your progress.  What gets measured gets improved. Journal and you will thank yourself later.

Set key performance indicators. Schedule regular check-in and reviews with a growth mentor or coach. Tracking and accountability ensure you stay on course.

Feedback is the breakfast of all champions.

Actively seek feedback and apply it. Surround yourself with people who challenge you and do not tolerate mediocrity. Shun the praise-singers with their low standards.

Use constructive criticism as a growth tool, not an attack weapon.

Listen, learn, adjust and grow.

Growth does not happen by accident; it happens by design.

Be intentional in your growth agenda.

W — Work with obsession 

Passion is the fuel of growth, but obsession is the engine.

When you are obsessed with growth, you do not stop at ordinary effort.

You pour everything that you have into your goals. This obsession is the type of focus that separates extraordinary individuals from the masses.

Be obsessed or become simply average. Develop an insatiable growth obsession and addiction.

Wake up every day asking, “What can I do to improve today?”

Let your commitment to growth guide your actions.

Be single-minded about growth.

Say “no” to distractions.

Obsession with growth demands focus. Identify and eliminate anything that wastes your time, drains your energy or diverts your attention from your goals. Cardone advises: “Be obsessed with what you want. Average people won’t understand your level of commitment, but your results will speak for themselves.”

Grow boldly.

Grow intentionally.

Grow relentlessly. Let 2025 be the year you surpass every expectation, including your own.

Committed to your greatness.

Milton Kamwendo is a leading international transformational and motivational speaker, author and an accomplished workshop facilitator. He is a cutting-edge strategy, team-building and organisation development facilitator and consultant. He can be reached at: [email protected].

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