The Importance of Intentional Growth

Earlier this month, I attended a conference and heard two very different speakers grace the main stage. One was a sports figure with a bigger than life personality; the other was a soft-spoken author. Having reflected on the comments offered by both speakers, the thread of commonality between the two individuals was that they possess a clear understanding of their purpose and leveraged this awareness to positively impact the lives of others. Their intentionality for purpose-driven action was compelling.

I am currently reading The 15 Invaluable Laws of Growth by John Maxwell. When reading a good book, I sometimes flip to the end to learn how the story ends. Once my curiosity is satisfied with the ending, I can return to the earlier book chapters and better appreciate the story. In full transparency, I used ChatGPT to skip to the end of Maxwell’s book to summarize his thoughts on growth and intentionality. His contrast of the “assumption gap” versus “intentional growth” has stretched my thinking. The notion that growth doesn’t occur naturally and must be fueled by planning, discipline, and reflection didn’t initially resonate until I heard those speakers at the conference.

According to Maxwell, “Nobody improves by accident. Growth is intentional.” The sports figure honed his skills through constant and consistent training. It took discipline. Likewise, I imagine the best-selling author wrote and discarded multiple drafts before her book came alive. Whether a sports figure, bestselling author, a first-time or seasoned leader, we can apply the principles of intentional growth to our lives.

Leadership does require planning, discipline, and reflection. We grow and become more effective when we take time to pause and reflect on what we did well and what we could have done better. We seek coaches and mentors, attend conferences and read books to feed our souls and minds. We practice and hone our skills, intentionally addressing our growth gaps. Our purpose-driven actions to make a difference in the organizations we lead and people we encounter may not find us gracing conference stages, but the work we do is no less important.

When the days are hard and you wonder if you are making a difference, remember this quote from Eleanor Roosevelt: “One's philosophy is not best expressed in words; it is expressed in the choices one makes. In the long run, we shape our lives and we shape ourselves.” We also have the privilege of shaping the lives of others when we focus on intentional growth and show up as the best versions of ourselves.