One of my most requested speaking presentations is called “Advancing Your Career: Move Up, Move Over, Move Ahead.”
The content of this presentation is on the five pillars of progress that one needs to focus on in order to continue advancing in their career, whether that means getting promoted, making a lateral move, or jumping ship altogether.
One of the pillars is called “Personal Development,” and within this pillar are five stages that someone goes through to grow and develop themselves.
The first stage is called “Information” and, sadly, happens to be the stage that most people never advance beyond, because what’s associated with this first stage is a word that we all love…
FREE!!!
Because of the internet, we have answers at our fingertips. Never mind whether the author of an article has any kind of expertise. What usually matters is that he has an opinion, found some statistic to back it up (most statistics are made up anyway), and if it aligns with our worldview, we take it as sacred.
Staying on this level is comfortable for us. It’s familiar.
Sure, you can find some answers for FREE, but FREE has its limitations regarding your growth and development.
FREE doesn’t challenge you.
FREE doesn’t encourage you to explore that area just outside your comfort zone, that land which you so long to explore but don’t because your internal fear keeps you grounded in rationalizations, excuses, and confusion.
FREE pretends to be your friend. It doesn’t provide accountability because it knows you were never fully committed to it in the first place.
It doesn’t worry about losing you because it was never fully committed to you either.
There is a side of FREE that can change the world. Smiles are FREE. Hugs are FREE. Loving people is FREE.
BUT… regarding your growth and development, FREE may not be your friend.
Pete
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