In my grandmother’s house in Barbados there’s a growth chart on the back of the door in the bedroom my brother and I stayed in as kids. In my childhood home there was also a growth chart tracking my height each year. As kids we’re kind of obsessed with checking our height. Have you ever watched kids stand next to one another and check to see who’s taller? Why are we like this? Because we aspire to see growth. Growth is how we know we’re on the right track. Growth is how we determine that we’re not standing still. It’s early, but I think its time for a 2020 growth check.

Now, I’m fully aware that it’s been less than a month of 2020 and that all of our wildest dreams and hoped for accomplishments are nowhere near complete. But, there are ways to measure yourself now in the beginning, when it’s hardest, to make sure you’re on the right path. Here are 5 questions to ask your self to determine your growth in 2020.

1. What are you striving towards? Knowing your BIG GOAL and keeping that in the forefront of your mind is helpful in directing your steps.
2. What are your smaller (stepping stone) goals? Little goals or stepping stones are little things you can achieve in a smaller timeframe that help you to reach your big goal. Example, if your dream is to be a professional blogger, a stepping stone goal may be to have a content planning day at the end of every month.
3. Can you name your distractions/procrastination habits? Being self-aware enough to understand and name your distractions is a skill that’s necessary for success. Knowing what they are helps you identify when you’re falling into them and can help you navigate around them
4. In what ways have you gone out of your comfort zone to get closer to reaching your goal? It’s a known fact, BIG GOALS aren’t accomplished while hiding from discomfort. Get uncomfortable.
5. In what ways does this January look different than last January? Comparison with yourself can sometimes be a very good thing. Last January I had goals, this January I’m still working on those goals but focusing on eradicating bad habits. Last January I was writing whenever I felt like it this January I’m writing weekly at least. Last January I barely knew how to use a camera this January I’ve already got bookings for the fall.

Answer those 5 questions for yourself and see where you stand. Are you growing? With these things we can’t exactly place a line on the wall and say that you’ve grown a few inches, but we can look back and compare it to today and see how we compare. If your January doesn’t look the way you want it to its okay, there’s still a few days and 11 months left. Start today.

Nicole Eva