To shed light on the journey of personal growth, we’ve gathered insights from a diverse group of professionals, including Founders and CEOs. From cultivating mindfulness through daily practices to expanding knowledge through online courses, here are thirteen personal growth goals these leaders are working towards and how they plan to achieve them.
- Cultivate Mindfulness
- Embrace Opportunities
- Enhance Public Speaking Skills
- Use “Habit Tiers” to Engage with Strangers
- Pursue Graduate Studies
- Achieve Wellness Through Creative Movement
- Prioritize Self-Care in a Giving Profession
- Harness AI for Retail Sector Growth
- Improve Communication Skills
- Commit to Constant Learning
- Grow as an Influencer
- Strive for Democratic Leadership
- Expand Knowledge Through Online Courses
Cultivate Mindfulness
As a life coach in mental health and personal development, I’ve set a personal growth goal of cultivating deeper mindfulness. Mindfulness is a lifestyle choice that can improve my emotional intelligence and overall well-being.
To achieve this, I’ve integrated daily meditation, yoga, and mindful practices into my routine—from savouring my morning coffee to mindful eating, observing my breath, and paying closer attention to my feelings and emotions that arise when interacting with clients. What I’ve found is, as my mindfulness deepens, so does my capacity to connect authentically and empathetically with others.
It’s a beautiful cycle that reinforces my belief in the transformative power of personal growth and strengthens my ability to also guide others on their own journeys.
Bayu Prihandito, Psychology Expert, Life Coach, Founder, Life Architekture
Embrace Opportunities
As an introvert by nature, I seek comfort in a predictable routine, favouring the solitude of my apartment while working on my laptop and avoiding unnecessary interactions. However, recognizing that this comfort zone might limit my potential, one of the primary personal growth goals I’ve set for myself is to say “yes” to new opportunities.
Of course, a change of behaviour like that doesn’t happen overnight. It often means pushing my boundaries and stepping into unfamiliar territories, and there is a lot of resistance. Despite the discomfort, each “yes” has become a stepping-stone towards a richer experience, and I never really regret saying yes to life.
Juliet Dreamhunter, Founder, Juliety
Enhance Public Speaking Skills
One personal-growth goal I have set for myself is to enhance my public speaking and presentation skills. To achieve this goal, I have taken several steps. First, I have enrolled in public speaking courses and workshops to learn techniques and strategies for effective communication. These programs have provided me with valuable insights and practical exercises to improve my speaking abilities.
Additionally, I actively seek opportunities to practice public speaking in various settings. I have volunteered to speak at industry conferences, internal company events, and networking gatherings. By putting myself in these speaking engagements, I gain valuable experience, overcome any stage fright or nervousness, and refine my delivery style.
Sai Blackbyrn, CEO, Coach Foundation
Use “Habit Tiers” to Engage with Strangers
One personal growth goal that I’m currently looking to achieve is to become more comfortable talking to complete strangers. In order to do this, I’m using a system called “habit tiers,” where I try to score points by engaging in behaviours that align with this goal.
For example, if I simply walk outside, that’s 5 points for the day. If I approach a stranger and start a conversation, that’s 10 points. If I have three 30-second conversations with strangers, that’s 25 points. If I have six 30-second conversations with strangers, then that’s 50 points.
Having this system in place is making it easier to be consistent and make progress toward this goal every day. It provides a framework where no matter how I feel or what happens on any given day, I can show up and get a win.
Justin Gasparovic, Founder, The Enemy Of Average
Pursue Graduate Studies
I have always wanted to help people, whether it be in their leadership skills, mental health, or just life in general. I can see that many people have huge potential, and with the right kind of help, they can achieve their peak performance and succeed. With this goal in mind, I wanted to improve myself by pursuing graduate studies.
I am now a PhD candidate in Psychology, and through the learnings and experiences I gain from the university, I will help more people. Continuous learning is how I plan to achieve my personal growth goal.
Danielle Dahl, Managing Editor, Leadership Expert, and PhD Candidate in Psychology, Everyday Power
Achieve Wellness Through Creative Movement
Creativity starts with a focus on mental and physical wellness. To deliver the best work, it’s important to focus on oneself.
A weekly goal of 75,000 steps has been set. Opting for weekly instead of daily because there are going to be days when not feeling as strenuous, or perhaps travelling on a plane or train and don’t have as much opportunity to move around. Weekly or even monthly goals are a bit more forgiving toward the way life actually operates.
To achieve this goal, creative ways to move throughout the day are found. Encouraging a one-on-one with a colleague to be a walking meeting instead. If dinner still needs to cook for another five minutes, do some enthusiastic dancing in the kitchen. Instead of sitting to play guitar, moving around like on a stage.
These simple adjustments go a long way. The best advice to others is to embrace new ideas and don’t get discouraged if something goes awry. There’s always a chance to catch up.
Joey Held, Writer, Podcaster
Prioritize Self-Care in a Giving Profession
One personal-growth goal I’ve set for myself this year is to take time for myself. In this profession, there is a lot of emotional giving, so you can easily get wrapped up in fixing and caretaker mode. My goal is to take more time for myself so I feel recharged in every session.
Azmaira Maker, Ph.D., Founding Director, Aspiring Families
Harness AI for Retail Sector Growth
As the head of road transport for Carrefour Poland, specializing in the retail sector, my current growth goal involves deepening my understanding and use of AI to manage our extensive distribution network.
Participating in workshops and discussions about AI allows me to broaden my knowledge in this area. Moreover, I independently delve into literature and recent studies on the subject. Not long ago, I had the pleasure of being a speaker at a conference organized by the Polish Institute of Road Transport on AI in transportation. This experience not only allowed me to share my observations but also draw inspiration from other experts in the field.
I plan to test various AI-based tools in our transport operations soon. This process, besides boosting my skills, also fuels my self-realization. Leading innovation in heavy transport and harnessing AI to optimize processes at Carrefour presents a professional challenge and a personal mission. I deeply foster the AI paradigm shift.
Konrad Dabrowski, Transport Manager and Lawyer
Improve Communication Skills
I have set a personal-growth goal for myself: to become more confident in my communication skills. To achieve this, I’m working on developing better listening and speaking habits by taking the time to practice active listening and being mindful of how I express my thoughts and ideas.
Additionally, I’m engaging with others in conversations more often so that I can gain insight into different perspectives and become more confident in my own communication abilities. By taking these steps, I am working towards becoming a better communicator and achieving my personal-growth goal.
Amira Irfan, Founder and CEO, A Self Guru
Commit to Constant Learning
One growth goal I set for myself is to be constantly learning. Whether it be through books, podcasts, or documentaries, I set myself the goal of consuming at least one new piece of media a week that is related to entrepreneurship, education, and self-development.
While it was challenging at first to carve out time for this every week, keeping and prioritizing a consistent time each week to dedicate to learning was crucial to building the habit.
Adam Shlomi, Founder, SoFlo Tutors
Grow as an Influencer
My primary personal growth goal for this year is to grow as an influencer. I’ve been working on growing my audience, as well as my authority in both marketing and leadership. Recently, I published a book, Back After Burnout, which tells my story as a marketing entrepreneur who burned out and had to find purpose in my work again.
But it’s not just an autobiography. Instead, it uses anecdotes from my life to help other entrepreneurs who may be burned out, too. I hope that the book helps some people who, in turn, recommend it to others. The natural outcome is for my profile to grow. Besides the book, I’ve been pushing content out on my social profiles and connecting with people, particularly on LinkedIn, Twitter, and TikTok.
Last, I’ve been booking speaking gigs at trade shows and other events. So far this year, I’ve had four public speaking engagements in front of different audiences. The challenge, of course, is to tie these tactics together and build momentum.
Dennis Consorte, Digital Marketing and Leadership Consultant for Startups, Snackable Solutions
Strive for Democratic Leadership
I realize I can’t be the perfect leader for everyone, nor can I always offer the highest salary or other enticing benefits. However, I strive to bring value to my team by assigning tasks that are not only engaging but also challenge them to grow.
I make it a point to provide constructive feedback regularly and ensure we’re all rowing the boat together, sharing both the struggles and successes. In my quest to become this kind of leader, I’ve sought feedback from my team members. Their insights, be they praise or points of improvement, have been crucial in guiding my growth.
Just last week, one of my teammates appreciated how I’ve been involving them in decision-making processes, which showed me the importance of a democratic leadership style. I also take time to self-reflect and evaluate how I handle conflicts and setbacks.
Alexandra Dubakova, Head of Marketing, Freetour.com
Expand Knowledge Through Online Courses
One goal I have recently set for myself is the improvement of my knowledge and skill set using online courses. For me, this means taking the time to invest in myself, exploring new topics, brushing up on existing ones, and learning something new every day—I’m currently trying to learn Python.
To achieve this, I’ve taken steps to block off dedicated time on my calendar every week, which I plan to spend learning from online courses. I am also allotting some extra time on specific days of the week. If I am stuck with any concepts or feel overwhelmed by any tasks, then I can use that additional buffer period to catch up or read further into it so that nothing goes unchecked or incomplete at the end of each week.
Roksana Bielecka, Community Manager, ResumeHelp