Most people really just settle for what life hands them. Sometimes they will work towards their goals in life but most of the time they are just working without purpose.
The ways that humans develop are called vertical and horizontal development. Vertical development is when you jump from one level to the next, when you make a big shift in how you think, act, or feel. This happens when some part of our life gets too hard to handle at the current level that we are at and we need to change, our experience demands it. Often occurrences of this are when you go to college, get married, own your own house, or any other time when you need to take more responsibility or change yourself. When you develop vertically you look at the world differently; you change your perspective to a more broader view. The more developed someone is vertically, the better.
Horizontal development is when a person stays on the same level but improves himself/herself on that level. This happens when the person decides to improve an area of their life that they have already improved on in the past. For example, an author might go back and improve part of their book, or a student will study the same way that they have been but more often. Horizontal development increases your already developed skills.
Many people just try to get their work done. Most of the time, that doesn't help them develop at all. What they need to do is push their limits, set goals that will stretch them a lot. They need to complete a goal that they previously thought impossible. If they set a goal like that, they might reach it, they might not; the important thing is that it will stretch them so much that they will probably need to develop vertically. They may need to become more organized, better at speaking publicly, or any other skill. Completing this goal will make them look at the world differently with a more open mind to what is possible. As Jamie Paolinetti said,
“Limitations live only in our minds. But if we use our imaginations, our possibilities become limitless.”

Best of wishes,

Sean Golden