Most people say they want growth. They may genuinely believe that they do.
It is similar to wanting to be healthy. The outcome sounds positive, but if the consequences of remaining unhealthy do not feel significant enough, nothing changes. The same food, habits and lifestyle continue while the person still says they want better health.
Growth works in much the same way.
Improvement Without Disruption Is Only a Preference
People often imagine improvement without disruption, progress without pressure and results without changing themselves.
Wanting the outcome is not the same as choosing the change required to create it.
The distinction becomes visible when success is defined clearly.
How Do You Define Success?
A financial adviser recently asked about the key factor for success in the industry. Other people had already offered familiar responses: work hard and recognise your potential.
The more crucial question was:
“How do you define success?”
The adviser was earning $9,400 a month and aiming for MDRT, which was approximately $72,000 a year.
That created a more difficult question: Was he genuinely prepared to earn less first?
On the surface, the professional milestone represented growth. In practical terms, pursuing it could initially require accepting a lower income than the one he already had.
Growth Is Also About What You Will Give Up
Success is not only about what a person hopes to achieve. It is also about what that person is willing to give up.
The cost may involve income, certainty, comfort, familiar habits or an existing identity. Many people avoid defining that cost because clarity removes the ability to hide behind “I want it.”
Once the exchange becomes clear, there is a decision to make: choose it, or do not choose it.
Neither answer should be given casually. The point is to be honest about whether the desired growth is worth what it requires.
Most people do not fail after fully deciding. They remain where they are because they never truly decide.
At PLUS Mindset Academy, individual coaching helps professionals define success honestly, examine the trade-offs and make intentional growth decisions.
This article expands on an original insight shared by Sharon Tan. Read the original LinkedIn discussion.
