The 6 P's of Personal Growth

What Are the 6 P's of Personal Growth?

Life doesn't hand you a manual. It helps to have a process you can return to—for a difficult moment, an opportunity, or a success you want to understand and maintain. The 6 P's are a practical process for reflection and intentional action.

The 6 P's of Personal Growth — Pause, Pinpoint, Process, Plan, Practice, Progress — are that process. Created by Speaker, Author, and Trainer Jan Davidson, the 6 P's bring attention, understanding, ownership, direction, action, and review into one memorable process. They are research-informed educational tools, not a validated clinical treatment.

They run underneath every module of the EMBRACE Model — helping you work with life's hills and valleys. The P's form a returning rhythm, not a rigid staircase: revisit any P, or return to Pause when unsure. You do not need to write out all six every time.

Pause means stop. Interrupt the automatic response long enough to notice what needs your attention—a difficult moment or something worth appreciating.

A breath, a moment of stillness, or noticing your surroundings may help. These are options, not requirements. Pause offers an opportunity to choose; it does not guarantee calm or clarity, and necessary safety action must not wait.

What am I noticing right now?

Identify the dominant issue: WHAT needs attention now, WHY it matters, and HOW it appears. Start with what you observe and distinguish facts from assumptions.

Explore possible contributors beneath the visible “fruit.” There may be several roots; avoid assuming one ultimate cause or knowing another person’s motives. After success, examine the preparation, support, decisions, and conditions that may have helped.

What needs attention—WHAT, WHY, and HOW?

Process combines ownership without blame and direction. Name feelings, test assumptions, and ask what is yours to own. Then identify where you want or need to move.

Feel before fixing, without letting emotion make every decision. Feelings need not fully resolve before responsible action. Journaling, reflection, conversation, or appropriate support may help. Separate your part from other people’s responsibilities and organizational or system issues.

What is mine to own, and where do I want or need to move?

Choose an action that fits the need, your role, and your circumstances. It may be small, a significant decision, timely escalation, a boundary, or continuing what already works. A plan need not always be different.

Make the action specific enough to use. Identify when and where you will act, what support is needed, and when you will review it. Some situations require prompt action; personal pacing does not remove those responsibilities.

What is my next honest, appropriate step?

Put an appropriate plan into action across relevant situations. Rehearse a conversation, repeat a helpful routine, or use a cue to remember your response. With repetition, a response may become more automatic.

Give a reasonable plan enough practice to learn from it. One uncomfortable attempt does not necessarily mean the plan should change. Reassess sooner if it is harmful, unsafe, unsuitable, or produces serious unintended consequences.

What should I keep practicing or reassess?

Progress means evidence of meaningful movement toward the direction you identified. Compare what changed with what mattered: a clearer handoff, a respected boundary, a repaired conversation, or a success maintained.

Acknowledge effort, then examine the result. Trying, tracking, and receiving feedback help you learn; they alone do not prove progress. Celebrate what helps, continue useful practice, or adjust the plan. Your progress does not determine your worth.

What evidence shows meaningful movement, and what comes next?

How the 6 P's Work With the EMBRACE Model

The EMBRACE Model has seven modules — Evaluate, Maintain, Balance, Reach-Out/Release, Action, Connect/Commit, Empower — each addressing a different dimension of personal growth.

The EMBRACE modules identify WHAT we work on; the 6 P's are HOW we work through it. From Pause to Progress™ is the learning experience where participants practice the same process in real-life contexts.

The process stays consistent while the application changes. Return to it for challenges and successes, including maintaining something that is already working.

Research-Informed Connections

The framework has conceptual connections with research on attention, reflection, psychological flexibility, goal setting, practice, and feedback. Evidence for those ideas does not establish that the complete 6 P's program has been empirically validated or will produce a particular outcome.

• Pause → Attention and mindful awareness
• Pinpoint → Reflective questioning and checking assumptions
• Process → Perspective, psychological flexibility, ownership, and direction
• Plan → Goal setting and planning appropriate action
• Practice → Repetition, cues, and learning from experience
• Progress → Reviewing evidence and using feedback

The framework was created by Jan Davidson, a Speaker, Author, and Trainer who developed it from her own experience navigating loss — and from decades of professional practice helping others do the same.

Frequently Asked Questions About the 6 P's

Take the 6 P's With You

Explore the revised book, with Jan’s personal reflections, everyday examples, and space to consider your next honest step.

Ready to Start Your Journey?

The 6 P's come alive in the EMBRACE Your Journey Workbook — 170 pages of guided exercises, real-life case studies, and tools you'll actually use. Or start with the e-book for a focused introduction.