Growth and Development

This is an excerpt from my conversation with young minds at Rulers Empire. Just enjoy it and do feast into my thoughts and ideals.

Introduction

1. Growth and development are often used interchangeably. Growth is the process of increasing in amount, value, or importance. On the other hand development is the process of coming into existence or of CREATING something new or more advanced.

2. Development is the inner working that produces the outer result seen as growth. It is simply the process of growing or changing to become more valuable.

3. Development is internal while growth is most external. Development focuses on qualitative measures while growth on quantitative measures. Growth is usually seen as changes in appearance while development changes in character.

4. Success in life is first within and then without. And since development is the inner working then it means it is a cause and then growth is and effect.

5. Therefore to experience the effect, you have to engage the cause. That is why most of our conversation tonight will somehow focus on the CAUSE which is development.

The cause is foundational and it is a  necessity even in these times where the COVID19 pandemic has shaken the very fabric of our existence and disrupted how we live and interact.

Foundational Principles

God and Purpose

6. Your life actually begins when you meet your creator. And when you do the conversation goes like this: Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth and subdue it. And have dominion over everything except your fellow man. (Gen 1:28 emphasis added)

7. This conversation reveals your POTENTIAL; what you can do or become that you have not yet done or became. It also reveals PURPOSE. Why you were made or produced in the first place.

8. Therefore success is fulfilling your God’s given goal or purpose. Hence your development must be directed. Not towards any other thing but towards your God’s given goal.

9. T.L Osborn said “work on being and not on having.” Because with what you are, you can have.

10. Development can be defined also as refinement. The essence is to improve the quality of a product to the point that it commands more value. That is why Petrol, gas and kerosene are more expensive than crude oil. The same reason why chocolate is more expensive and valuable than cocoa.

Understanding Pure Identity

11. The next principle is, understanding your original identity. Take a look at the idea that produced you: Let us make ______(put your name there) in our own image (an incarnate of, an appearance of, symbolic of attitude or orientation) and after our likeness(Same quality or state of being). So that he will have dominion. ( Gen 1:26)

12. This shows that you have the creative power of God, his attributes, mannerism, character and attitude. This is the model of you. When you think about yourself as an individual, you have to see yourself this way to actually develop into it.

13. You are exactly as Christ is. You are in a place of authority over principalities, powers, might and dominions. That is why you need to be born again. That is what reconnects you to the original model of you. (Romans 10:9-10)

Character: Social Capital

14. The third principle is your CHARACTER: this is your social capital. And this is produced by your belief system and mindset. Beliefs and mindsets are influenced by the information that comes to you. Positive information produces creative possibilities while negative information produces destructive possibilities.

15. What you believe with all of your heart becomes your reality. But the danger is what if you believe the wrong thing?

16. Your mindset determines possibilities for you. It is like a thermostat, it determines the amount of value that is allow. It determines the signal that you can receive.

17. The kind of mindset that enhances development is possibility mindset. It gives room for more. It accepts the word of God to be absolute truth.

18. And this forms your character and values.

19. Character increases your impact in this world. It creates trust and trust is a currency. You maintain character through self-discipline. In the bible, it is called self-control. Character makes you a man or woman of integrity.

20. People will naturally gravitate towards a man or woman of character. Therefore, you need to be one in order to grow and develop to achieve your goal.

Conclusively, live by these principles and you will consistently experience growth in your life.

If this article impacted you in anyway, please leave us a comment and also share with loved ones.