March 31, 2021
1 Thought
In an ideal world, everyone would get the same opportunities for development and growth.
Sadly, we don't live in an ideal world.
Racialized minorities get passed over for development opportunities because people don't think about them, among other reasons.
Women get passed over for development opportunities because of patriarchy and toxic masculinity, among other reasons.
Younger people get passed over for development opportunities because they're assumed to "not be ready", among other reasons.
There are countless reasons why development opportunities don't come our way equally–you can't just wait around.
The key to this is to simply start seeking opportunities for growth now. You can worry about optimizing and finding a niche later. An imperfect start can always be improved, but obsessing over a perfect plan will never take you anywhere on its own.
Your body adapts to what you eat.
Your mind adapts to what you consume.
Your soul adapts to what you love.
What you initiate for yourself today is who you become tomorrow. (Share this on Twitter)
Here are three ways to get started on taking charge of your own development:
Get a mentor: Find someone 5-10 years older than you and ask them to mentor you. Tell them what you're specifically looking for, how you'd like for them to help you, and for how long you'd like the relationship to last. If you don't know someone that fits, ask people you know to help you get connected to someone they know.
Get a coach: If you have know a specific topic or area that you'd like to grow in, a professional coach can help you immensely in breaking that area down into specific actions you can take to make progress. (You can inquire about my own coaching services here)
Join a cohort: Don't underestimate the power of peers. People who are in similar situations make great people to swap ideas with, become community for, and find encouragement from.
1 Resource
James Clear on taking initiative:
"You don’t have to be the victim of your environment. You can also be the architect of it."
Source: Atomic Habits
1 Question
What are you doing now that won't help get you where you want to go? What aren't you doing now that will help get you where you want to go?