From Where you are to Where you Aspire to be.

Bridging your delta in personal growth

Bridging Your Delta in an Ever Changing World.

In this blog, I expand on the 8 step My Delta Framework, asking readers to reflect on the past year and consider their delta as they move into the new year.

As we approach the end of the year, many of us naturally begin to reflect on the past 12 months and set resolutions for the year ahead. It’s a time of hope, renewal, and planning—but also a time when many of us set goals that go unfulfilled.

Why? Often, it’s because these goals aren’t deeply aligned with our true values, or they fail to account for the broader context of our lives.

This is where the concept of Bridging Your Delta comes in.

Understanding Your Delta

Everyone has a delta—a unique space between where they are now and where they want to be. This delta is not just a gap to bridge but an opportunity for growth, transformation, and realignment. The name My Delta was inspired by both the triangular symbol for change in mathematics (Δ) and the river delta; a dynamic, ever-shifting space where land and water converge.

And we all know what a complex and fast changing world we live in. Building bridges has just got tougher.

The metaphor of the Choluteca Bridge in Honduras perfectly illustrates this. Originally built to be indestructible, the bridge survived a catastrophic hurricane.

However, the storm shifted the course of the river, leaving the bridge disconnected from its original purpose.

In life, just as in leadership, change often shifts the landscape around us. To cross the delta, we must sometimes build a new bridge rather than relying on the old.

For me, this resonates as I navigate the changes in my own delta. Setting up my coaching and training business, My Delta, while learning to integrate cutting-edge tools like AI, has been both exciting and daunting. Like the river’s new course, technology - especially AI - has transformed the way we lead and work, demanding new bridges to carry us forward.

Why Resolutions Fail

So, why do so many resolutions falter by February? It’s often because:

1. They don’t align with core values: Goals that aren’t rooted in what truly matters to us lack the motivation needed to sustain them.

   
   

2. They neglect other areas of life: A focus on one goal can create imbalance, neglecting areas like health, relationships, or personal growth.

   
   

3. They lack a clear roadmap: Without actionable steps, even the most inspiring goals can remain dreams.

   
   

4. There is little focus on habit changing: The accumulation of small effective

The My Delta Framework offers a structured approach to not only set meaningful goals but also create the clarity, balance, and alignment needed to achieve them.

Bridging Your Delta: 8 Steps to Sustainable Growth

1. Deepen Self-Awareness

True growth begins with self-awareness. This involves understanding your core values, motivations, strengths, and areas for development.

Tools like the DISC personality profile or the 16 Personalities test can provide valuable insights. As you prepare for the new year, take time to ask yourself: What truly matters to me? What gives me energy and purpose? Do you really know your strengths and value these and love your unique self?

2. Explore Your Current Reality

Before setting ambitious goals, it’s crucial to honestly assess where you are right now. What’s working? What’s not? What barriers are holding you back?

The Wheel of Life activity is an excellent tool for this. By rating your satisfaction in key areas of life—such as career, health, relationships, and personal growth—you can identify where balance is lacking and where change is most needed.

It will also help you see your life as a whole, considering the relationship between different aspects of your life. We often focus on one aspect of our lives without considering the knock-on effect in another area.

3. Reimagine the Future

Visualise your ideal future. What would a fulfilling, balanced, and meaningful life look like for you? Resist the urge to set goals based on external expectations and instead focus on what truly aligns with your values and aspirations.  

Think longer term and short term. What do you want your life to look like? The Be, Do, Have Activity is great for this. What sort of person to you have to be? How do you want to live your life? Think James’ Clear’s Atomic Habits, And what to you want to have? Material things, experiences, family?

Then move to the short term, instead of setting a vague resolution like “get healthier,” define what health means to you—whether it’s having more energy, reducing stress, or spending more time outdoors.

Get specific about your short term goals and visualised what this looks and feels like. There is no surprise that visualisation has expanded from the sports arena into personal and business performance.

4. Plan

Once you have clarity, it’s time to create a roadmap.

Break your larger goal into smaller, actionable steps. Consider the importance of your daily habits in achieving the bigger picture goal. Think of each mini-goal as the stepping stones across your delta. Identify potential obstacles and plan how to overcome them.

Don’t forget to draw on support from others—whether it’s a mentor, a coach, or a trusted friend. Be prepared to flex into the future as part of the learning experience. Each stepping stone is a short term move towards your goal. Consider what you will achieve each day or week.

Often plans fail because they are too focused on the long term and the actions are not specific enough.

5. Engage in Experiential Learning

Growth happens through action.

Take steps, however small, toward your goals. Learn as you go and adjust your approach based on what works and what doesn’t. Celebrate your wins—each step forward reinforces your progress and keeps you motivated. Find your stretch zone and lean into it.

6. Reflective Learning

Reflection is where insights deepen and lasting change takes root.

Regularly pause to assess your progress, celebrate your achievements, and adapt your plan as needed.

Ask yourself: What am I learning about myself? What adjustments do I need to stay aligned with my goals?

7. Acknowledge Success

Take time to recognize and celebrate how far you’ve come.

Success isn’t just about reaching the other side of the delta—it’s about the growth, learning, and resilience you’ve developed along the way. Revisiting what success means to you can help you stay on your own unique path.

8. Go Beyond

Once you’ve bridged your initial delta, the journey doesn’t end.

The ripple effect of growth and leadership extends outward, impacting those around you. Consider your next steps and how you can continue to grow, inspire, and lead.

Setting Resolutions That Stick

This holiday season, take the time to think deeply about what you truly want for yourself in the year ahead. Instead of rushing to set superficial resolutions, use the My Delta Framework to explore your aspirations with greater clarity and purpose.

Start by completing a Wheel of Life activity to assess where you are now and identify areas for focus.

As I reflect on my own journey, I’m reminded that growth isn’t always linear. The shifting course of the river—whether driven by technology, personal change, or unforeseen challenges—requires us to adapt, build new bridges, and stay true to our values.

By embracing this process, we can create lives and careers that are not only successful but also deeply fulfilling.

Your Next Step

If you’re ready to explore your own delta and take the first step toward meaningful change, I invite you to try the Wheel of Life activity. This simple yet powerful tool can help provide clarity and direction as you plan for the year ahead.

Remember, the bridge to a more fulfilling life begins with a single step—and the courage to envision something greater.

Let’s make 2025 the year of building bridges, embracing change, and moving closer to the lives we truly want.

Wishing you a joyful and reflective holiday season.

And for those of your interested ChatGPT created the image for me representing My Delta: Bridging the gap from where you are to where you aspire to be.