The Ultimate Guide to Personal Growth: 8 actionable insights

[Anderson]

Ever wondered why you're stuck in the same place? You strive for more, for better, but nothing changes. You make efforts to break free from the endless race, yet it feels like you’re not moving at all. The actions that once yielded results now just drain your energy. You look at others who seem to have it all and wonder why you don’t. Sound familiar? 

I constantly ponder what needs to be done, seeking new life hacks, methods, and strategies to achieve new heights. This isn’t just about business; it applies to sports, relationships, partnerships, friendships, and more. Simply doing more or faster isn’t the solution. You need to delve deeper, change your strategy, habits, and mindset to make real breakthroughs. But what exactly should you change and how? 

I asked myself this question, and in this video, I want to share with you eight insights from a conversation with a coach. These are the tips that can accelerate your growth and make it a pleasant inevitability.

Insight 1: Lower the Stakes and Shift Your Focus

We all have responsibilities that sustain our daily lives - our jobs, businesses, and activities that we can’t just abandon, or our world would crumble. But beyond these, there are projects you want to create in the future, things you aspire to do in 5, 10, or 15 years. 

In our daily grind, we often exhaust all our energy on work and businesses that merely support our current lifestyle, with no hint of securing our future. We neglect long-term projects because we simply don’t have the energy or time for them. 

For instance, you decide to get in shape starting Monday or want to learn to play tennis like Djokovic or Ferrer. But come Monday, you’re stuck at work late, handling urgent matters at home. When do you think you’ll start playing tennis? Probably never, and you’ll continue metaphorically putting out fires.

I wanted to start an international podcast but couldn’t find the time because I’m constantly putting out fires in my current businesses. The energy is depleted, and without it, nothing substantial can be created. The battery runs out, and there’s nothing left for what’s most important. 

Therefore, the first insight I gained is to stop and understand what creates your future life. Identify what’s crucial now to lay the foundation for the life you want. For example, I decided to handle all pressing business matters by noon, delegate more, or even let go of some things. The remaining time should be focused on projects that build my future.

Insight 2: Prioritize Yourself First

Most people prioritize their obligations - work, family, or chores—and only then pay attention to themselves. This can be considered a "poor person's mindset," where you give energy out of scarcity. You deplete yourself and then try to fill an empty vessel, often not having enough strength or time to truly replenish it. 

The "rich person's mindset," on the other hand, is different. They give energy from abundance. They first ensure they are full and then give to others. For example, try asking a successful person to cancel their golf game for a business meeting. They probably won’t, unless it’s someone like Elon Musk. They understand the importance of first giving to themselves and then to others. 

Imagine a half-full glass of water. If you start the day by giving away spoonfuls of water to work, tasks, and emergencies, by evening, the glass is empty. Now, imagine starting the day by adding spoonfuls of water—massage, reading, yoga, sports, things that fill you with energy. When the glass is full, you can give away spoonfuls to important tasks. Which glass will have more water left? Which approach will leave you feeling better and more energized?

Insight 3: Conduct Quality Reflection

We all have energy-draining "parasites" - thoughts that consume us. For example, you promise to get back to someone but don’t find the time, and this thought lingers, draining your energy. Or unresolved problems at work or home keep bugging you. 

The right strategy is to list all these parasitic thoughts and treat them as tasks. Write down everything that bothers you, allocate time, and tackle them like tasks. For example, if you have family issues, list your worries and address them systematically.

Insight 4: Think in Terms of the Energy You Want to Radiate in 10 Years

We often think materially - what business we want, what car, where we want to live, how much we want to earn. But what if this model is flawed? What if it’s better to understand how you want to feel and the energy you want to radiate?

Find someone living the life you dream of and imagine how they feel. Better yet, talk to them. How do they behave? How do they speak? What impression do they create? The energy they radiate says a lot about their life.

I recommend you to read detailed post about how set up the goals:

and one more about a possible trap when you are thinking about future projects:

 

Insight 5: Replace Old Patterns with New Ones

New beliefs and behaviours are essential for growth. Our brain prefers familiar actions, and creating new neural pathways is challenging. Those who succeed are often those who continually upgrade themselves. 

To break old patterns, try this: spend 10 minutes each day practicing mindfulness meditation. Focus on your breath and visualize the new habits you want to form. This practice helps calm the mind, increases awareness, and creates a mental environment conducive to adopting new behaviours.

I recommend you to read the following posts about creating new habits:

and about special and very specific approaches to take for getting things done. Those help you to create new habits and catch "a flow" independently of the task you are working on:

 

Insight 6: Replace Cheap Rest with Quality Rest

Modern people spend a lot of time on social media, which provides cheap dopamine. This type of rest doesn’t rejuvenate; it tires us. Replace social media with quality activities that energize you. 

Engage in activities like quality food, long-term relationships, travel, learning languages, or nature outings. Replace evening TV with a massage or weekend bar visits with a spa trip. Quality rest is an art that requires practice.

Here is super interesting reading about a free time and rest - how to understand when you actually rest and when you're not...

one more post about making changes and reasons for start taking notes and planning (where is no time for social media apps at all)

Insight 7: Make a Small Shift Today

Starting on Monday is a myth. Tomorrow doesn’t exist; only today does. Don’t accumulate desires—act on them now, even with small steps. Small actions create momentum, energize you, and make you enthusiastic about your goals.

One of the key advices I recently discovered was about the action. Here is a post about it:

and one more super nice approach for categorising tasks and solving them straight forward or by small bathes

Insight 8: Find and Use Your Mastery

Everyone has a unique talent. Whether it’s creativity, organization, or attention to detail, find your strength and build around it. 

To find your mastery, experiment and practice your skills. Growth requires energy, as covered in insights four and five. My mastery is organizing and creating quickly, so I excel in spontaneous projects. Find what you do best and focus on that, instead of trying to improve weaknesses.

These eight insights have transformed my life and can do the same for you. Remember, actionable steps are key to real change. Start today, prioritize yourself, reflect deeply, think energetically, replace old habits, and find your unique mastery.

[Olga]

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