Are You Standing Still?

Be not afraid of growing slowly, be afraid only of standing still.- Chinese Proverb

For the first twenty years of our life our physical, emotional and intellectual growth seems exponential. Then we enter a much slower phase of growth. Our physical bodies experience slow but steady changes (I was quite smug that after ten years of marriage I had only gained 10 pounds- however at that rate of growth I would look like Mrs. Clause by sixty). Emotionally we learn how to handle heartbreak, anger and jealousy. Intellectually we try to keep nimble by reading the news or playing games. Even though we are growing slowly many people feel as though they really have come to a stand still in their lives.

Self assessment is a great tool in combating stasis. Just like going through old photos where you can see the physical changes, setting some time aside each year to write down what growth you have experienced both emotionally and intellectually can help you develop resiliency. By doing a self assessment each year you begin to uncover what you already know that you are capable of changing and adapting. Most importantly it allows you time to reflect on what you have learned so that you can adopt that learning and put it into practice.

At Ready2Fly we use two tools to get a sense of where you are right now. The first is to take MBTI which provides a personality profile. Having a detailed personality profile gives you a starting point for your growth. Think of it as the T-Shirt that says “I was here”, by knowing where you were you can see how far you have come. The second is an interest inventory. The Strong Interest Inventory lets you see what your interests are at a given point in time. Again this acts as an anchor to help measure growth. If you are in a job you hate and you uncover (or more likely rediscover) your true interests you can start to move towards them.

I know I will have to exercise to keep from gaining ten pounds every ten years. I also know that I have to engage my mind and my moral compass if I want to keep myself aligned on my life’s path. I can most certainly walk slowly down this path and I will not stop. What are you going to do?

To find out more about career planning please feel free to get in touch.