There are no ten commandments for success in life.  Wouldn’t we prefer a few steps to follow than a process to understand?  In an attempt to simplify an otherwise complicated process, this thing known as personal growth, I have reduced my observations from over 35 years of private practice as a personal therapist down to 5 prominent strategies that have brought success to thousands of my clients.

If you prefer principles proven to be successful over random “hope so,” here is five growth principles of where to start for rapid progress.

Five personal growth principles to promote rapid progress.

1. Have a clear objective.  The more specific an objective the easier it is to monitor your progress.
2. Maintain a realistic expectation of the progress you desire.  Eschew magic or grandiose thinking and you will insure personal growth you can value.
3. Be honest.  Before you can succeed in personal growth you must first concede.  Growing up not just old begins the moment you confront the truth.  Remember, you are often an accomplice to the wrong doing against you.
4. Don’t wait for inspiration or motivation to start doing what you know you must.  Inspiration and the motivation to continue is a reward or by product gained from doing what you must.  Stop looking for motivation to stimulate or motivate you into action.  Progress begets progress.
5. Recognize the companion of your increased awareness is discomfort.  The way out is the way through not around.  It’s called growing pains for this reason.  Discomfort is a signal that you are doing something that is unfamiliar not wrong.  Learn to recognize growing pains for what they are.

Personal growth is a potentially powerful and delicate exercise, which although chancy and sometimes difficult is worth our best efforts.  Try the principles that others have used to catapult them through to success.