When we talk about growth in terms of achieving goals and becoming the people we want to be, it sounds very liberating. Trouble is, sometimes the goal of growth can create stress and pressure because we’re not sure how to proceed, or how to measure success.

When Larry E. Greiner published his “Greiner Curve” in the Harvard Business Review in 1972 (with an expansion in 1998), he was focused on organization growth and the pain points that could be generated along the way. With a little tweaking, we can adapt his formula to personal growth, and see some of the same issues — and solutions to achieving personal growth:

Growth through Creativity

Here you are embarking on an entirely new activity. Art class, writing workshop, gardening — it could be anything. The process is new, so things are loose and it’s easy to get excited. But soon you may find yourself overwhelmed with new “to-do” lists. Start worrying about not having enough time, or not “doing it right.” 

The solution here is to slow down and examine why you got into this particular activity in the first place. You wanted a challenge, and you’ve got one. Now it’s time to settle in, stop doubting, realize that the fear and doubting are natural in a new endeavor. Let’s begin to enjoy stretching some new muscles.

Growth through Direction

You have become a huge fan of those “clear the clutter” shows on television, and it’s not hard — they are everywhere. From websites to books to how-to seminars, it’s very easy to plug into this old, yet new, phenomenon of simplifying our lives. And at first, it’s all great: boxes of old clothes to Goodwill, the attic is cleared out, you can see the garage floor. And then what?

Realize that there is, or should be, an end game to any clear-out project. An empty room is not begging for more decluttering. The trick here is also realizing that it’s not begging to be refilled. Getting rid of extra stuff is very freeing, but stress can come if you feel you haven’t done enough. Set clear goals, like a major closet clear-out, and then take a breath before tossing more stuff out because you think you must.

Growth through Delegation

One person cannot do it all, so whether it’s chores around the house or work on a volunteer committee, learn to share the duties. (Live alone? Consider a once-monthly housecleaner, for instance.) Ensure that everyone knows what he or she is responsible for, and then let the work begin, With any luck, the jobs get done and nobody is overwhelmed.

But what if they don’t cooperate, or do it to your satisfaction? Being hypercritical of someone else’s approach to a task only raises your blood pressure and annoys them. Mopping the kitchen from left to right, or loading the dishwasher with fork tines up, isn’t a crisis. It’s a choice. Delegation only provides stress release and heightened productivity when you allow everyone involved to chart their own course to efficiency and success

Growth is a wonderful goal and comes in so many sizes and shapes. Spiritual, intellectual, even physical (yep, going to the gym falls into these categories, too) growth is achievable, and it doesn’t have to create chaos and stress. Curious about how we can help you grow & achieve success? Contact us by clicking our contact page, emailing info@jbpartners.com, or calling us directly at (904) 420-0434.