The Secrets of Personal Growth   Success in family leadership cannot happen without personal growth. In fact, if you're not following a specific plan for growth, you're much like the hood ornament on a car -- You may be out in front and nice to look at, but someone else is behind the wheel. Here are a few "secrets" to putting yourself back in the driver's seat. They're not easy but they are simple, and they run just below the surface of normal daily activity and thought, hence the name secrets
Having the desire for significant relationships and a stronger influence over my family makes me no different than the rest of the world. The difference comes as desire turns into decision and then into action.The decision to develop effective leadership skills and to grow on a personal level must be made and acted on in order to claim success. The roots of a tree, are usually hidden from the general public because people can't see through the ground -- but whether or not they're noticed, without the support of the roots there would be no tree to be admired. This is true in family leadership and just about any other support system.
Leadership doesn't involve chasing my family into submission but turning myself into someone they would willingly follow I created a personal "fountain" of information which includes the articles on this website, my church, my Iron Man Group, Self-Help books, CD's, seminars, movies....etc. I've also discovered the importance of fertilizer, more commonly known as failure It's not a "secret" to some of my friends but I've made just a few mistakes in my lifetime. It surprised the dickens out of me when I realized that just about everyone "steps in it" once in awhile, especially people in leadership. My heroes in life have become those who make lots of mistakes and choose to learn from them rather than to try and hide them. The strategy has become using the lessons I learn from failure to deepen a commitment to a lifetime of personal growth. One of my favorite leadership quotes....... When an acorn falls to the ground it may take several years before a tree begins to show. This is true of all solid trees, especially a family tree that stands the test of time. The balance is understanding the facts of this but choosing not to focus on it. Your focus must instead be on a daily commitment to keep watering and fertilizing your growth. Before you know it -- your family tree will show it ! Grow -- Where in life could you "get better"? What skills could you develop to become more effective? Do you have a specific plan for improving and getting better? -- Spend 1/2 hour today answering these questions. Connect -- Who do you know that could help you grow? Send them a card or make a phone call and ask for advice. Are you investing time and money in personal growth resources on a regular basis? Lead -- Ask your spouse about their dreams and goals for personal growth. Work with your kids to develop a plan for personal improvement.   P.S. I use and truly believe in the resources that I mention in this article! Very simply, I recommend them because they work! -- I do receive a commission when you click on one of the links to their site -- It's a nice bonus for telling you the truth and spreading the word about products and resources that improve families by improving leaders. P.P.S. If you're intrigued by this family leadership blog, why not subscribe? Updates are available via  RSS reader or if you'd prefer an e-mail summary of the updates just sign up here.More on Personal Growth
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