Personal Growth!

I found this, and I really like it. I think it is very helpful, business and for your self. You should always work on yourself. It makes a huge difference. Having confidence (Does not mean cockiness) in yourself and determining your own future and that you will live your own dreams, is a huge reality check for yourself.
You should make a "Dream Board" all of the things that you want to accomplish, business success, personal success (depression, relationships, family etc..), the home that you want to have, the car that you see yourself driving, schools you want your children in, family vacations. Only limited by your own imagination. Put this "board" wherever you are likely to see it, all the time. Imagine yourself doing all of those things, happiness, feeling confident and happy. And pray about it. (Now I know there may be some that do not agree with this, this is my blog and my personal opinions and what I do) Everyday. For everyone, not just yourself.
An appreciation journal or stickie notes. Place a stickie not per day on your dream board, of one thing per day that you are thankful for, so that you have to see it all the time, then when you do have a bad day you can come to that wall, and see all the goodness that is in your life. A journal, make a daily note of what you are thankful for. At the end of each month, read over it and read all of those things, to remind yourself of the things you have to appreciate.
Getting on YouTube, or googling "personal growth" There are a lot of free things out there. And many people are very motivational. Can really give you the GET UP AND GO attitude.
I am thankful to It Works! For showing me all of this, for the group of people that are positive to be around and work with!

Now here is the link that I found:

http://business.inquirer.net/9703/five-ingredients-of-personal-growth

As any farmer knows, the growth of a crop only happens when the right ingredients are present. To harvest plentiful fields, the farmer has to begin by planting the right seed in rich topsoil where sunlight and water can help the seed to sprout, mature, and bear fruit. If any of the ingredients (seeds, topsoil, sunlight, or water) are missing, the crop won’t grow.

Growing as a leader also requires the proper ingredients. Unless the right attitudes and actions are cultivated an aspiring leader will sputter and fail rather than growing in influence. Let’s look at five basic qualities essential for growth in leadership.

1) Teachability

Arrogance crowds out room for improvement. That’s why humility is the starting point for personal growth. As Erwin G. Hall said, “An open mind is the beginning of self-discovery and growth. We can’t learn anything new until we can admit that we don’t already know everything.”

Adopting a beginner’s mindset helps you to be teachable. Beginners are aware that they don’t know it all, and they proceed accordingly. As a general rule, they’re open and humble, noticeably lacking in the rigidity that often accompanies experience and achievement. It’s easy enough to have a beginner’s mind when you’re actually a beginner, but maintaining teachability gets trickier in the long term especially when you’ve already achieved some degree of success.

2) Sacrifice

Growth as a leader involves temporary loss. It may mean giving up familiar but limiting patterns, safe but unrewarding work, values no longer believed in, or relationships that have lost their meaning. Whatever the case, everything we gain in life comes as a result of sacrificing something else. We must give up to go up.

3) Security

To keep learning throughout life, you have to be willing, no matter what your position is, to say, “I don’t know.” It can be hard for executives to admit lacking knowledge because they feel as if everyone is looking to them for direction, and they don’t want to let people down their people. However, followers aren’t searching for perfection in their leaders. They’re looking for an honest, authentic, and courageous leader who, regardless of the obstacles facing the organization, won’t rest until the problem is solved.

It took me seven years to hit my stride as a communicator. During those seven years I gave some boring speeches, and I felt discouraged at times. However, I was secure enough to keep taking the stage and honing my communication skills until I could connect with an audience. Had I been insecure, then the negative evaluations of others would have sealed my fate and I never would have excelled in my career.

4) Listening

Listen, learn, and ask questions from somebody successful who has gone on before you. Borrow from their experiences so that you can avoid their mistakes and emulate their triumphs. Solicit feedback and take to heart what you’re told. The criticism of friends may seem bitter in the short-term but, when heeded, it can save you from falling victim to your blind spots.

5) Application

Knowledge has a limited shelf life. Unless used immediately or carefully preserved, it spoils and becomes worthless. Put the lessons you learn into practice so that your insights mature into understanding.