Despite your chronological (or numerical) age, it’s quite normal to feel like you still
need to grow up in certain areas of your life. Whether you’re feeling disconnected in
your relationship, your career seems mundane and unrewarding, or your spiritual life is
unfulfilling, you can begin to take the steps to “grow up” to your highest potential in any
part of your life. Many adults will ask themselves (or someone close to them) —sometimes
in jest— “what do I want to do or be when I grow up?” If this rings a bell, it may be a
comment that’s more grounded in reality than you think. In my new book Stage Climbing:
The Shortest Path to Your Highest Potential, I explain that there are a variety of reasons
why individuals often get off the path to reaching an optimal level of maturity in certain life
areas. It may be fear, anxiety, or self doubt that’s preventing you from making the most of a
given part of your life, but as soon as you allow yourself to be aware that it’s time to make
changes, these inner conflicts no longer need to control your life.
Here are some first steps to jump starting your maturation process in any part of your life
where this dilemma sounds familiar:
Asking questions: Begin by asking yourself what part of your life could be better? In
which area could you feel happier or be more motivated? In which area do you feel like
you have not yet fully “grown up”? As you bring these questions to mind, notice what
part of your life seems most important to address first. By simply comparing what your
life is now to what it could be, you have taken a very powerful first step in reaching your
potential.