As we continue the focus on our motto, LEARN, GROW, ACHIEVE and PROSPER, we are going to focus on the second word – GROW.  The definition of GROW is to become better or improved in some way, or to become more developed and mature.

“Growth is the great separator between those who succeed and those who do not,” said John C. Maxwell.  He continued, “When I see a person beginning to separate themselves from the pack, it’s almost always due to personal growth.”

In the last post, I asked you to become a student of you – to improve and invest in YOURSELF.  As you spent time committed to learning, almost certainly, you found yourself presented with an opportunity for personal or professional growth, taking you out of your comfort zone.  Because to grow, you have to be willing to move from familiar, comfortable habits and routines to develop new patterns that will lead you to ACHIEVE and PROSPER.

How can you plan for and achieve these growth opportunities?  First, you need to challenge yourself with some specific questions and honestly answer those questions.  To make this more manageable, pick just one topic for growing your business, like how to increase sales, and ask yourself the following questions:

• Where is my business now in terms of sales results?  (This is your current state.)
  • What are my strengths and weaknesses in terms of understanding and improving sales for my business?
  • What is common feedback, both positive and negative, that I receive from others regarding my sales performance?
  • What other indicators can provide me with data to define the current state of sales performance for my business?

• Where would I like for my business to be in terms of sales?  (This is your desired state.)
  • What gross and net amounts do I want to achieve in terms of sales?
  • What expansion plans have I always wanted to implement to grow my business?
  • What are my short and long term goals to make this happen?  (Not sure how to develop goals?  Keep reading… the Featured Article is about creating and achieving SMART goals.)

• How do I get there?  What is needed?
  • What more must I learn to meet my sales goals, and what resources are needed?
  • Who will help me meet these goals?  Who will hold me accountable?
  • When do I need to meet these sales objectives, and how will I plan for working toward them in my daily, weekly, and monthly schedule?

When we have opportunities to GROW, the questions we must ask ourselves can be daunting.  I’ve challenged myself with questions like these and ask you to do the same.

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