CROSS-TRAINING IN THE SELF-GROWTH JOURNEY

CROSS-TRAINING IN THE SELF-GROWTH JOURNEY
By
Bill Cottringer

“There are two ways to get to the finish line quicker—run faster and bring the finish line closer.” ~The author.

Today we are all getting headaches from the ever-growing ornery overload, distress from the difficulty of keeping up with never-ending nano-second change, and muscle cramps from trying to endure the time treadmill trap to the high gravity no-where zone. Self-growth is becoming a full-time job that takes a life-time mental commitment, rather than just a healthy side habit to dabble in when you have the time, or not, which is the usual case.

Given the growing reality that we just don’t have enough time anymore to get everything done these days that needs to get done, we have to implement a smart dual strategy just to survive:

• Do more things quicker to get double the results in half the time.
• Find clever but legitimate ways to bring the finish line closer.

The reason the self-growth journey demands such a lifelong mental commitment is because of what we are pursuing and what we must do to get it. What we are pursuing is an enduring, genuine sense of happiness, success and well-being. To get this enormous grand prize, we are required to commit to perpetual learning, growing and improving in the six main developmental areas of self-growth that lead to a peak-performing state of self-actualization: Physical, intellectual, emotional, social, vocational and spiritual development. Of course, the more effort that is put into the journey, the bigger the prize.

Given the time crunch, it makes sense to look for legitimate short-cuts. The biggest way to get twice as much done in half the time is revealed by the correct interpretation of the opening quote: “There are two ways to get to the finish line quicker—run faster and move the finish line closer.” I am not trying to be funny here. The metaphoric quote just means doing two things at opposite ends simultaneously and meeting in the middle.

In running faster, we can join forces in self-growth by using efforts in one area, like physical development, to augment other areas, like feeling better emotionally and thinking more intelligently. Or we can read about developing empathy in our emotional development learning, which will help our selfless service experiences to increase our spiritual gains and also our social development. Furthermore, intellectual and emotional improvements always translate to benefits in our vocational development. The possibilities of effective interactions are endless and that is the good news!

In bringing the finish line closer, I am talking about attitude—what ultimate outcomes you want, what smaller gains you can appreciate and the flexibility you have in going about solving problems, removing obstacles in your way, and varying the approach you use in getting what you want. Of course the best attitude to have is to expect that you will succeed. Self-doubts, although quite normal, just push the finish line farther away and make you have to run twice as fast and twice as far.

The only easy part of this cross-training system is seeing its logic and value. Applying it consistently is the real challenge. But, if you really want the kind of long-term happiness, well-being, success and abundance that most of us just dream about, then the lifelong commitment to self-growth is a must and cross-training is the only way. The best starting point is to read at least two articles in different categories (that all really blend into the six main areas of self-actualization) at this www.self-growth.com website of mega-resources, each day from here on out. It’s free and in today’s economy that is a real bargain. You’ve got one article already read; now pick another one before you log off.