Every morning, when we are given the privilege to wake up and embark on a new day, we are also given the opportunity to grow as individuals. One of the most important questions you can ask yourself daily is, “How can I grow today?”

That particular question is powerful because when you start your day by asking yourself what are the ways you can grow, your mind will go to work on finding the answers.

For the longest of time, I would constantly focus more on my work than I would on myself. I would become more frustrated as time went on, because here I was spending a ridiculous amount of time working on tasks, projects and other things while not focusing one bit on growing into a better me.

Jim Rohn once said, “Work harder on yourself than you do your job. If you work hard on your job you can make a living. If you work hard on yourself you can make a fortune.”

Over the years, I have found that profound quote to hold an incredible amount of truth.

The day I started asking myself, “How can I grow today?” is the day my life and business changed for the better. After I went through my morning routine, I would write down on a note card what I was going to focus on for that day in terms of growth. Somedays it would be to practice forgiveness. Other days it might be to learn a new skill or practice something I felt I was lacking in. Whatever the case, I made sure I got better and grew as an individual daily. By asking myself this one question every morning, I was able to jumpstart a daily pursuit of growth.

Growth is optional.

We all grow older in age, but growing as an individual is optional. It’s a choice you and only you can make. Every experience, thought, relationship and encounter in life gives us the opportunity to grow, whether negative or positive.

When you make the firm decision to grow on a daily basis, you begin to reap the real beauty and joy that life has to offer. There is no better satisfaction than to know deep down that you are growing more and more into the person you were put here to be. Since growth is optional, that leaves the majority of the population to take the easy way out and not focus on daily growth.

The reason why most don’t commit to daily growth is because it requires you to move out of your comfort zone. You can’t grow while you’re comfortable. Learning a new skill, refining an old one, changing your thought process, reading more or waking up earlier than normal requires you to move past your comfort zone.

It all starts with a decision.

Becoming the best you and growing daily doesn’t just happen by accident. It starts with a firm and bold decision. Just like anything in life, we are provided with decisions. Take the time right now to make the decision that you will grow as an individual every day, somehow, someway.

Create your own daily growth program. Whatever works best for you, do it. As long as you make a firm decision that you will grow somehow, someway is all that really matters. You owe it to yourself to reap the full benefits that life has to offer.

After all, we can only grow our businesses as to the extent we grow ourselves.

Asking this one question every day can have a huge impact on our lives.

Originally Posted on Entrepreneur.com