Overcoming the Timing Gap

A new coaching client asked me (Cindy) recently what my favorite book on leadership was.  Without hesitation I shared the single most impactful book for me other than the Bible is, 15 Invaluable Laws of Growth.  As leaders, we must lead ourselves well before we have any hope of leading others well.  And we cannot lead ourselves well without continuing to grow personally. 

At the time I was studying some of the Growth Gaps described by John Maxwell as gaps we need to close to lead ourselves effectively.  In my last blog I shared The Assumption Gap.

Another gap we can face as we step out to grow is The Timing Gap.  The Timing Gap says, “It’s not the right time to begin.”  And maybe it is not the right time for many things in our lives but it’s always the right time for personal growth. 

I remember a mentor sharing with me the idea of growing every day.  And specifically what happens if we choose to NOT grow every day.  It’s not as simple as just growing in areas we need to and then we’re good to go.  Paul explained to me that people are not static.  We are either growing into something OR we are losing some of what we gained.  We never just remain the same.  That makes sense!  This also means we need intentional daily growth to continue moving forward being the best version of ourselves. 

I can tell you from experience, you will never grow yourself daily without intentionally creating a habit of growth in your life.  You can start with as little as 10 minutes a day but start today by scheduling a time for your own personal growth.  Invest in yourself so you will have more to offer others in your life.  They are counting on you to close the timing gap and be an excellent example of someone taking intentional action for ongoing growth.  Someone being the example of leading themselves well so you can lead others well. 

Here’s a complimentary resource to get you started!