It is a skill to move through these ever occurring stages of personal change with some level of grace and maturity. Here are some TIPS you can use when going down the path of personal growth.
1. Identify Your personal Mentor.
Have a team or individual that you trust and can get you through the period of change. This person must be someone who has experienced a level of personal change you are to go through. They must also have the skills and ability to model the behaviors you admire and be able to be honest even when you may lie to yourself.
2. Document Your own Vision.
Before you even begin the process of embarking on change, document who you see yourself being once the transformed state has been reached. Share the vision with your mentor and post it where it can be referenced when times are difficult.
3. Identify Your Obstacles.
With your instructor, determine where you are likely to go off track and get yourself back into a challenging state of personal integrity. Define and document what these might look like so you and your mentor can quickly identify the situation when it occurs.
4. Know The Consequence.
Share and document the implications for when you are in the situation. What will go off track and how will it negatively affect you? You must understand what the price will be if you stay in a negative state. The key in this is not to avoid beginning in the situation, but rather to take a personal responsibility for making it through.
5. Lay Out Your Plan.
Know your personal plan and monitor your progress with your mentor. There is no better way to feel success and build confidence in your abilities than by understanding how easily executed a good plan can be.
6. Celebrate Success.
In your plan, including a major celebration of events for when you have achieved your goal. This is important to plan to give you a reason to keep going when times get tough.
7. Be relentless in your preparation.
Have a dashboard of information to provide you with actual data and measure the trends i.e. average dollar sale, the number of jobs per day per person, hours worked against hours charged, even your true hourly rate.
When embarking on any change, it is crucial to find an active mentor and create a solid plan. Without a plan for you and your mentor to use as a triangulation piece, your progression will be left to personal interpretation. As discussed, you will lose perspective during the change. This is a given when learning skills to effect change. Without a good plan, you are only setting yourself up for failure and disappointment. When it comes to change, document, plan, monitor and celebrate. This routine will lead you down the path of a lifetime of personal growth and success.
