The above is a quote from C. S. Lewis. In recent years I have come into contact with a number of senior citizens who have stopped setting goals or dreaming new dreams. All they want to talk about are things they have done in the past, not what they are currently doing or things they plan on doing in the future. The problem with this is that when we stop setting goals or dreaming new dreams, we stop growing and when we stop growing, we become boring and our life becomes boring. So, how do we go about the business of continuing to grow? The answer is simply to try to do something new, exciting, or different—something beyond what we’ve already mastered. For example, try getting more involved in your community, helping someone in need, making some new friends, learning new skills, reading a book on a new subject, or brightening the day of someone who is down. The truth is that we’re surrounded by opportunities for growth. All we have to do is take advantage of them. As philosopher William James put it, “The minute a person ceases to grow, no matter what his years, that minute he begins to be old.”

One Sentence Wisdom

• “Be not afraid of growing slowly, be afraid only of standing still.” — Chinese Proverb
• “Life is all about growth and change. It’s not static. It’s not about some destination.” — Bill Burnett

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