Personal Growth Barriers - Make The Committed More Passionate To Succeed

As with nearly everything there are hurdles to overcome, so there are personal growth barriers. Hurdles, challenges and obstacles, which may include personal issues and the like. Things that might hinder, inhibit, slow down progress or, worse case scenario, prevent our growth. We find these as personal growth barriers, too.

But, this is not new. We've met this many times before. We meet it in (nearly) everything we do. We should be used to it by now. (But we still wish these personal barriers to growth did not exist, don't we?)

Is this how hurdles or challenges work (or not?)

(Maybe) with the things we enjoy doing, anything that comes along is viewed as a challenge, a positive thing. A fun thing. A fun thing to get round, jump over, bypass - do what we will. We view the obstacle that way because we are having fun, enjoying ourselves. We like what we are doing. We see things, and this is just another, in a positive, uplifting way - not really a hurdle at all. So, as we really want the prize, we overcome the challenge and march on to claim our prize, enjoying the ride and the experience.

Maybe, and it is not always true, of course, the obstacles and hindrances, really 'only' come out to play - or at least seem as if they do - when we are trying to do something we might find (a little) uncomfortable. They are evident in the fun/positive/enjoyable viewed endeavour but seem less threatening then. With something we'd rather not be doing, they prove a little irksome if you wish. A little annoying and frustrating. Sufficient to hinder our starting our endeavor or treating it with the enthusiasm that it demands and should get.

A bit of a challenge - this personal growth barrier experience?

Having to do something that is a bit more of a challenge than we would like.

• Something that might show us in a poor light
• Highlight a weakness of ours
• That might make us a little nervous
• Put us on edge a bit
• Something that might not come naturally to us, or caused us some problems previously
• Something that will test us
• Something we know needs doing but we've been putting off
• And all in pursuit of personal-growth

Not quite 100 per cent effort?

We don't tend to tackle this with the relish we might.

• Something that might need us to get off our seat and visit the extremities of our comfort zone
• Something we really want to do (do we), as it is for our benefit, but we cannot summon up the energy
• We really cannot be bothered, or at least right now. Tomorrow will do, won't it? After all our favorite TV programme is on
• And we must view our favourite now. Rather than hit the record button, go do our thing, and return and relax. Make a cup of tea, or have a cold beer or glass of wine. (Now) in our own time, task accomplished, snug in our living room, and away from the distractions of the world, we can now 'reward' ourselves with watching our favorite programme
• And all because we've met one of life's little personal growth barriers
• (Think of the growth barriers you've met)

What is the reasoning here?

Why do personal growth barriers have this effect?

• Is it human nature?
• Laziness?
• Happy as we are?
• Lacking energy?
• Apathy?
• Procrastination?
• Oh, someone else can do it.
• Any excuse we'd like to put forward

Oh, why is it we find these personal growth barriers such an imposition?

But. And this is a big BUT. This is our personal growth we are talking about here. And we are putting in jeopardy by not taking it seriously. And not some itzy bitzy little, inconsequential thing. Is not our personal growth of importance to us. Don't we want to give it the time of day? Is it not on our list of things to do? Is it not near the very top?

That should be enough for us to overcome our very own personal growth barriers, should it not?

And what are the benefits?

Would not accomplishing some growth in this area, in the area of ourselves, put life in a new light. Make it more fulfilling. Motivate us to do and achieve more. Raise our self confidence and self esteem.

But again we need to be disciplined, persistent, committed, otherwise we may as well not start. Half hearted attempts are not really going to make it. Nothing but our best efforts are called for. Asked for, and we should respond in kind. It is that important.

Sure we can continue smoking our cigarette. Downing our pint. Viewing the latest soap opera on TV. Play poker online. Or whatever. They, and many other things, are available to us at the touch of a button these days. But what will we achieve? Only we can answer that. Only we have the right to answer that for us. It is our life, our decision.

But don't miss the opportunity for no reason at all.

So, what do we need? What of our personal growth?

A good start would be to get focussed. Let life grab your attention. Let it motivate you to move and claim what is rightly yours. Get a balance in life. Grow and develop at our own pace

• Raise self confidence
• Boost self esteem
• Be disciplined in our efforts
• Utilize our talents for the common good
• Become comfortable with ourselves, our self image
• Set ourselves goals and, working hard, achieving them
• Developing a healthy sense of self worth
• Develop a strong support system of values and principles to live life by

Bring those strands together in your life and you can truly say you experience a successful life. For what is real success in life, but knowing yourself. Experiencing yourself. And contributing to the common good, in your own way.

- and that is journey enough for most of us

To chase and capture our very own personal goals and growth what do we really then need. What do we need to overcome the barriers to growth that might hinder our progress?

• We need a positive and optimistic attitude
• A positive outlook
• A go-getting feature on our very own, personally operated, personal life remote control. Push that button.
• Let our positive nature reign
• Be determined and consistent with the effort we put in
• Strive to complete the chosen task
• And achieve our goal

The real world

But things don't really work like that in the real world, do they? We do have to break a sweat sometimes. We do suffer setbacks. Two steps forward and one back, or vice versa. That is life, that is nature, that is natural. (That is the nature of our efforts to overcome our personal growth barriers.)

If the goal of personal growth was easily attained it would not be the dream of so many people. It would not be the prize that we all wish for. Personal growth barriers test our resolve but, given our strength and commitment to ourselves and life, we can claim the prize - the enjoyment of a happy, productive, fulfilling life and making our contribution to the greater good. A precious life indeed.