Listen here:
Do you know that hamsters can run 10 kilometers every night on a wheel? Take a look at this fascinating video of a Russian hamster:
In many ways, life can feel like running on a hamster wheel. I attended engineering school and earned a degree in engineering. I married my high school sweetheart, got a job, and bought a house. Later, I had a kid and started saving for retirement. Until recent years, I haven’t taken enough time to think…do I even know where I’m going? Or am I just running in the same direction as those around me?
Too many times to count, I have talked myself out of trying something because it’s outside of the identity I see myself in. I have fallen into the trap of comparing myself unfavorably to others because I may not be gifted in the same areas they are.
I’ll say this plainly: If the measure of your success in life is based on how you compare to others, you will always be miserable.
Each of us has battles we fight daily, hourly, and minute by minute in the space between our ears. What can be done to stop, step off the hamster wheel, and reflect on where we are and where we are actually going?
Over the past few years, I’ve come to realize that personal growth has been the one thing missing. For years, I looked to others to guide me on my next step. I assumed I would naturally grow into the person I was meant to be. Here’s the hard truth:
Personal growth is not a natural process. Most of us don’t do it.
Growth begins with being intentional. The desire to grow comes before action. Once I obtained my degree and started a job, I assumed my company would take care of me. This is simply not true. You must take complete ownership of your personal growth if you want to reach your potential.
When you take your last breath, will you wish you had stayed late one more day at the office or that your 401K had a few more dollars in it? Unlikely.
On this Sunday, take a pause before jumping into the week and consider these four ideas:
Prioritize yourself. Dedicate yourself to prioritizing your growth. No one else will do it for you. You can’t add value to others unless you first add value to yourself.
Examine your life. Socrates said, “The unexamined life is not worth living.” Start journaling for a few minutes every day without rules. Write in a notebook or type on your phone. Where are you growing, learning, and failing? Review at the end of each week. Take one small step each week based on what you've learned.
Done beats perfect. I start with the desire for every blog, including this one, to be perfect. I’ve had to get over myself and realize that’s an impossible ask! Start your personal growth journey today. Don’t listen to that nagging voice in the back of your head, telling you that you aren’t good enough.
Read one personal growth book over the next month. Not a reader? Get the audiobook on the free Libby app or Audible. Most people choose TV or doomscrolling over reading. Choose to be different. This excellent book is impacting me right now:
Your creator made you with unique gifts no one else in the world has. Let that sink in for a minute. The world is best served when you understand your gifts and fully embrace them. When is the best time to plant a tree? 10 years ago. When is the second-best time? Now.
See you next Sunday.
Thank you for reading. Who do you know that would benefit from this newsletter? The best compliment I could receive is that you would share it with someone you care about.
It’s so easy to stay busy and call it progress. I also needed the reminder that done beats perfect. Waiting until we feel completely ready can become another kind of hamster wheel.