It always starts with you. Whether we’re talking about business or life, everything begins with your thoughts, your state of being, and your choices. These are shaped by how you grew up, past experiences that formed your beliefs, your current environment, and your ability to make decisions. This is where personal growth plays a crucial role.
To illustrate the importance of personal growth, let me share a personal experience from January 2024. I didn’t eat for 100 days. Yes, you heard that right. 100 days! No supplements, no shakes, no juices—just water, and sometimes a black coffee or herbal tea. I did what most people on planet Earth believe is impossible. According to experts, authorities, and doctors, I should be dead by now. The belief that we need food 3-5 times a day to perform optimally is so deeply ingrained that anything else seems unhealthy, even impossible.
Many of us have heard that fasting for a day a week can be healthy. Some people might even try a week-long fast. And then there are those in the spiritual world who take it to the next level with 40-day fasts, which are often criticized and labeled as “dangerous” by so-called “medical experts.” Yet, when I did my bloodwork during my fast, doctors were baffled. Despite walking 10,000 to 12,000 steps daily, I was healthy, happy, energetic, and fit, with blood results that were perfectly fine. I remember one doctor asking, “How can you do that? You look fitter and healthier than I am, you smile, and your blood looks great. According to what I’ve learned, you should be dead by now…”
This experience made me realize that personal growth is about challenging conventional beliefs and understanding that reaching our full potential starts within. This brings me back to the title of this article: 5 Steps to Embracing Your Full Potential in Life. The purpose of this discussion isn’t to explain how I managed the fast but to share the principles that can be applied to any area of life—whether it’s business success, better relationships, financial achievements, health, or any other aspect of life. Here are the 5 steps:
1. Decide
2. Educate Yourself
3. Commit
With the knowledge and understanding gained, it’s time to commit fully. Are you all in? There’s no room for “maybe” or “I think.” It’s a yes or no question. When I committed to fasting for 100 days, I did so with confidence because I had educated myself thoroughly. Commitment comes from aligning with your core values. If a decision is genuinely yours and it resonates deeply with your inner beliefs, you will find the strength to see it through. If you’re doing it for someone else or because of external pressure, you’re more likely to give up when things get tough.
Tips for Staying Committed
- Align with Core Values: Make sure your goal aligns with what you truly believe and value.
- Avoid External Pressures: Focus on why you are doing this for yourself.
- Reassess Regularly: Continuously check in with yourself to make sure you’re still committed because of your core values.
4. Strategy
How to Create an Effective Strategy
- Set Milestones and Break Down the Goal: Identify the smaller steps needed to reach the bigger goal.
- Calculate Required Sales and Efforts: Understand and track the numbers behind your goal.
- Adjust Based on Progress: Be flexible in adjusting your strategy based on what works and what doesn’t, based on your numbers.
5. Discipline and Consistency
The final step is maintaining discipline and consistency. These two factors are critical to achieving long-term success and are one of the most essential things for constant and personal growth. Every successful person you admire has one thing in common: consistency. Kobe Bryant didn’t become a basketball legend by practicing occasionally. He took shot after shot, day after day, year after year. So did Roger Federer. He played 1,526 singles matches and won nearly 80% of them, yet he won only 54% of all the points played. And still, he became a tennis icon and one of the greatest players in the history of Tennis.
Maintaining Discipline and Consistency
- Establish a Routine: Build habits that help you stay on track.
- Monitor Your Progress: Check your progress towards your goals daily.
- Reward Milestones: Recognize and celebrate small wins to stay motivated.
