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Riding the growth cycle
Monday, 06 August 2007

If the essence of creativity is growth then how do we grow as people? It’s not age but rather by the way we respond to challenges in our life. We follow a specific cycle that creates change in our lives whether it’s developing our creative thinking ability, emotional intelligence or upskilling in a certain area.

We call this the Growth Cycle and it looks like this: Challenge > Chaos > Competence > Play. The first stage is the Challenge stage and a new challenge comes in many different forms. It may be a setback, a promotion, a new project, a death in the family, a birth in the family, learning a new skill or a change in job description.

As you work to make sense of the challenge there may be areas where you fall into chaos, the next stage. This chaos may represent fear, distress, uncertainty, or a lack of confidence, knowledge, skills or a desire to change. It is a perfectly natural state and part of the process of growing. If you are open, willing to persevere and adapt accordingly, then these areas often provide you with the greatest opportunities for personal development. Repetition, trial and error, viewing from different perspectives, seeking guidance are all examples of learning to help take you through chaos.

The competency stage is once you have broken through the chaos and feel that sense of achievement and pride. Things become easier as you get good at the task. As you increase your competency you will reach a point where you almost become automated in your behaviour in dealing with the challenge.

However competency comes with a warning. If you become too automated in your thoughts and behaviour it highlights that the meaning of the challenge is lost and can result in complacency. It may be that you are over-skilled for the challenge and are bored. From here, things can spiral downwards. It may result in gossiping, procrastination or sabotaging ideas and actions.

The way to avoid complacency is that once you feel competent, start looking for ways to play. Look to have fun in what you do, whatever the challenge is. What can you do that allows you to bring your true self to whatever it is your doing and stay stimulated and engaged? Play is your natural state when you are at your best. You’ve probably achieved this state a lot more as a child than as an adult. Life is an adventure and no matter what it is you choose to do, you may as well enjoy it. If you’re not enjoying your work, you’re on the wrong merry-go-round. Find another.

You may reach the point where you’re all played out and once again you run the risk of becoming complacent again. This is when it’s time you need a new challenge. You’re at the start of the cycle again but this time with more skills, knowledge and experience that has helped shape who you are.

Challenges are never going to go away. Nor should you want them to, as it’s these very challenges that help you grow as a person. As Goethe said, “Life belongs to the living, and he who lives must be prepared for changes.” Welcome the many challenges you will face in life knowing that they are simply opportunities for you to grow and create yourself.

• Wade Jackson, director of Improv Solutions Ltd, based in Auckland.