If you have studied leadership or personal development, you may be familiar with John Maxwell. He’s a living legend. This particular message is one that needs to become a classic. We are too easy to say, “experience is the best teacher.” My experience is that that is absolutely not true. What is true, however, is what Maxwell focuses on in his book, “Failing Forward.”
As we think about our own lives – personal growth, where we can still go or want to go, grow or become and how to get there – truly taking your experiences and evaluating what lessons they have provided could be a game changer.
Another phrase I’ve heard, “your test becomes your testimony” comes to mind in this context. I add that here because we all clearly have had a lot of experiences (aka “tests”), but which ones are the “stand outs?” Which ones are the “I can’t believe that happened,” or “wow, my life is so not where I thought it was going to be right now,” moments? Those are the ones I feel we should start with. Those are the humdingers!
As we walk through our adventure – truly getting to the root of what happened to get us to that moment, to go deep into all of the potential people, pathways or circumstances that got us there – we are able to use that experience to elevate us to the next level. Any particular areas you may need to evaluate today that just may help you grow?