In our culture today, it’s easy to want instant results. Like a quick snack or a fast meal, we want our development to be microwavable. Unfortunately, growth is a lifelong journey. It is a process.
As we prepare to begin another new year, many people get wrapped up in making resolutions that don’t last. If you want to be successful over the long haul, your commitment to growth must be long-term rather than a weak resolution that will be forgotten in a few days or weeks.
As a huge sports fan, one lesson I’ve learned from watching great teams over the years is that they look at each season as a process. They don’t expect to be great at the beginning of a season, but they focus on building each day to become better and better. They want to start strong, but they are more concerned about ending strong. They want to be the last team standing holding up the championship trophy. To get there, they develop a process to work on throughout the season.
Your life should be viewed similarly. Look at your life long-term. How do you want to be described by those closest to you at the end of your life? When you take a long view perspective, you can achieve many goals along the way, but you will always be a work in progress on your growth track.
To accomplish this, start with the end in mind.
- Who do you want to become throughout your lifetime?
- What do you want people to say about you at your funeral?
- What goals do you want to achieve along the way?
Look at your growth process as a marathon, not a sprint. Pace yourself. Set intermediate goals along the way, but don’t become content just because you accomplish them. Look ahead to the next one and keep moving forward. Enjoy the process. Trust the process. Be intentional about the process.
Be Intentionally Great by committing to a lifelong growth journey. You’ll be glad you did in the end!
