Five Effective Ways to Advance in Life
Advancement in life comes as we grow and develop our natural God-given conscience, talents, and abilities. It is the process that is also aided with the help and reinforcement of others. This process appears in many different forms and at different seasons of our lives. We can see this process manifesting in the realm of personal, social, economical, educational and occupational developments – just to name a few.
In this article I discuss, five effective ways to advance in life through personal growth and development which extends to all other areas. If you are that person that wants to stretch to your fullest potential, this article is a simple guide for you.
Here are five effective ways to advance in life through personal growth and development:
Self-Awareness:
Self-awareness is all about knowing yourself as God’s creation. It is knowing and accepting who you are in reflecting His image. To depart from your originality to follow another’s or others’ is to depart from God’s plan and purpose for your life. How can one clearly see and experience their true purpose, if they have not yet accepted their originality and uniqueness which should never be altered or duplicated? You are you and no one else can be you. The process of focusing holistically on who God has created you to be, begins with basic self-acceptance and a love for God and self. Once self-acceptance and self-love are established, the existence of gifts and talents become more apparent that is unique to each individual. Furthermore, with self-awareness comes the reality of accepting one’s own truths. One has to face self honestly and undeniably. It is at this point in time that it becomes important for one to take the time to evaluate one’s own strengths and weaknesses, likes and dislikes, as well as, beliefs and values, etc. to rest assure that they conform to God’s word and overall plan for one’s life and when relating to others.
Self-Confidence:
Self-confidence is the expression of one’s inner and outer beauty. With its presence, there is no fear that controls one’s life, but in its place resides the existence of perfect love for God and self. Self-confidence also shows forth one’s authenticity of being. Such is reflected in one’s outward appearance, speech, body language, and actions. When you are confident in God and your self-reflection of Him, you become strong, bold and courageous. You are not overpowered by what others think or say about you. With every interaction with others whether they are positive or negative a lesson is learned and more strength, understanding, compassion, and knowledge is gained. You will undoubtedly find yourself rising and accomplishing the “unimaginable” and what others may deem the “impossible”. You speak the language of calling things that do not exist as though they were and seeing them manifest into existence -reaping bountiful and fruitful harvests. Credit for such self-confidence is to be given to one’s deep-rooted connection to God and self.
Knowledge and Skills:
Knowledge and skills combined make a powerful and proficient impact when one uses them together to establish a purpose or in other words fulfill life’s functions. To know and then to have the necessary skills to act is in itself growth and development at its best. It is for this very reason that in life, it is not good enough to just know, it is also imperative that in knowing one also develops the necessary skills to exercise such knowledge attained. Think for a moment -what good is it for us to just know, but have not put any of what we have learned into practice? I say all of this to relate to one’s discernment and understanding of what it actually takes to positively advance in life. Of course, there are exceptions to things one know, but do not need a skill set to be combined.
Setting Goals:
Many of us have heard of this statement over and over again – “if you fail to plan, you plan to fail”. One cannot advance in life without a proper plan. The process of planning involves effective goals setting. With effective goal setting, we have to be realistic – taking into consideration our knowledge and skills, as well as, other necessary factors that must be included to render success. Please refer to my previous article on “The Significant Aspect of Setting Goals.” Once goal setting is mastered, one has a framework to work from that will, in the end, render a particular result. Any unwanted results can be changed by revising goals to suit desirable outcomes. One cannot advance in life without setting the right goals to suit the direction where one is headed.
Relationships:
People and relationships, we need each other. One should build relationships on the basic common principle of treating others the way that you want to be treated. There is no “ifs, ands or buts” about this principle. You desire respect? Give it to others. You desire trust, forgiveness, and honesty? Extend it to others. You want others to appreciate you? Then appreciate others. Consistency in this regard is important and the list goes on and on. In addition, a few red flags to avoid when forming relationships to advance in life are: refrain from negative conversations and negative people, this exchange will only aggravate you and hinder your progress. Surround yourself with like-minded people that are about something and serious about going somewhere positive for a better life. Also do not become friends with an angry person because eventually, you will become an angry person also. Habitual anger usually leads to other serious problems. One needs positive relationships and reinforcements to engage with in order to advance in life. The people in your life that reflect this positivism, be grateful for them and also seek others that will take or challenge you to the next level. In conclusion, one should also always remember to give back the good that one has received to others and become a mentor to others that need mentorship.
Written By: Iodelle A. Chinnery