I can’t believe that this week I turn 40! I feel so very young and life really is just beginning. At a time like this I always find myself feeling a little reflective, asking myself if I’m fulfilled in the way I’m choosing to experience life and what I fill it with. I think of the old bucket list idea, and I put my own spin on it. I’m going to share with you this simple method of creating real change QUICK. So grab a pen and paper and take time to take check – you will be so glad you invested in yourself for a few mins. This will be useful at any time you or someone you know is feeling down, off track or out of sorts. You will be able to figure out really fast how to grow and change exactly the right area to feel amazing – QUICKLY!

There is a scientific principle of examining lack to know what change is needed for growth known as Liebig’s Law of the minimum. While this process is used to analyse soil and optimal plant growth, it can also be fully applied to life. It teaches us that growth is controlle
d not by your circumstances and resources but by what you lack or your limiting factors. It’s like having a leaky bucket that you are repairing in the wrong place. The bucket will only ever be able to fill to the lowest broken point.leaking-bucket-model
Working with thousands of people over the years I have established 7 crucial areas for human growth and potential. I have observed that each of these areas need to be taken care of to create that overall experience of wellbeing and fulfilment. Here’s in the picture you can see how it looks, and if just one is lacking that will create an overall limit of our potential. Once you know how to concentrate your efforts you know where to focus your growth.

For example, if your relationships are the area of your life that currently feel the worst, no matter how much you put into your physical health going to the gym and eating right, your overall happiness will still be limited by what you are experiencing in your key relationships. This means you need to take care of all aspects of your life to experience maximum growth and happiness.

How about you do your own check up? Let’s have a look at each area and celebrate what you are achieving, and see what you would like to be different.

Activity:

Keeping the Leaky Bucket picture in front of you, fill in the following 2 lists for EACH area.

1. What are you happy with, proud of and enjoying in this area? Take time to celebrate. Think of things at home, school, with friends and personally. What are you pleased with? (Include Table for this)
2. What do you wish was different? What do you want to change, grow or work on? Even if you don’t know how think about what is pulling you down, pissing you off, or taking the wind out of your sails?

When doing this sometimes goals pop up. Write them down if they do. No worries if they don’t . You may like to look back over this table and highlight 1 or 2 areas to focus change on. Working at these existing ‘limiting factors’ offers you potential for the greatest growth. Just putting your attention on things like this will start the process of change right away.

You have recognised what’s not working and that’s the hard bit done. So as I celebrate my 40 fabulous years on this planet, I have given myself another 20 or so things that are my ‘work on’s’ to create another epic period of growth in the time I have been given. Remember life is precious and change is easy, because it always starts with you, and therefore it’s in your control.

Have fun playing with it all, I know I will!

Love Tam xo