Look for Opportunities to Grow

Dr. Ron Jenson - Author of "Make a Life, Not just a Living".

Look for Opportunities to Grow, It's just not enough to be open and admit your soft spots. You need to actively look for areas to change and to ask for help. If you're not a part of an accountability group, you ought to be. Find a group of friends in your business, neighborhood, church, or synagogue who will help you to be more effective. Find people who will build you up, yet will be honest, loving, and caring enough to confront you as a friend. That's one way to grow, mature, and develop.

I've learned that if I'm serious about looking at the weak areas of my life for opportunities to grow, I help my friends become aware of my soft spots. For instance, I have said to several special male friends whom I trust and honor, "Here are five questions I hope to God no one would ever ask me." These five questions represent the five weaknest areas in my life. Your weak areas could be things such as how you handle your finances, relational fidelity, struggles with integrity, family difficulties, etc. The fifth question is, "Did you lie about any of the above four?"

I tell my trusted friends, "Whenever you see me ask me these questions."

I know this practice might seem absolutely chilling to think about doing. But accountability to a few trusted friends helps a great deal. It's something I also practice with my son. We have found that it not only binds us together but creates a healthy accountability between us.

My contention is that if I'm serious enough about growing, I will try not only to look for opportunities, but create levers that will help me grow. And practicing accountability is one outstanding lever in my life.