May 1, 2023  

Transitioning from Small to Broad Perspectives for Personal Growth | WT-50

To shift from a narrow to a wider perspective for personal growth, you need to modify the underlying reason or “why” behind your pursuit of growth.

How do you adjust your “why” and transition from a small to a broad perspective? Alter the reason behind practicing a technique to enhance your abilities. For instance, in the context of soccer, I once focused on practicing my passing skills more and dribbling less in the smaller picture.

In that scenario, the “why” for the small picture was to master a technique and become a better player. Although this approach improved my performance, it didn’t contribute to my overall personal growth.

This is where the transition to a broader perspective comes into play. Instead of practicing solely to enhance my skills, I began to concentrate on passing more as a means of developing the virtue of prudence. This shift not only built character but also facilitated personal growth.

By adopting a broader perspective, an individual practices a technique, process, or skill with a more profound purpose, which is to cultivate related virtues that develop character and foster long-term growth. This approach to personal growth focuses on improving the individual holistically, rather than just technically.

This article was last modified on May 1, 2023 .

About the author 

Darren Smith

Darren Smith is Co-Founder of the Authentic Leadership Institute. He is a native Texan and a graduate of Dallas Jesuit and Texas A&M University. Over the past 25 years, Darren has visited 35 countries and led 100 strategy programs. He and his wife have five children.


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